Yesterday, February 2d, we celebrated “Groundhog Day”. This is a North American Tradition that the majority of backpackers have never heard of.
It goes something like this:
“On this day, when a groundhog emerges from his burrow and doesn’t see his shadow, we can expect and early end to winter. However, if the little critter does see his shadow, we are in for six more weeks of winter’s wrath!”
This tradition exists only in the northern United States and Canada. And it is not as ridiculous as it probably seems. The equinox (which defines the beginning of spring) occurs about six to seven weeks after February 2d. This year spring officially begins March 20th, or about seven weeks after Groundhog Day.
This day has long been celebrated by people growing tired of the snow and cold. This “fun tradition” has been around since (at least) 1886 in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania.
Punxsutawney is a non-descript coal mining town in Appalachia. In the Delaware Indian dialect it means “Town of Sandflies”. But up to 40,000 people gather to watch their own “Punxsutawney Phil” emerge and check for his shadow.
In Ontario we have our own rodent prognosticator “Wiarton Willie” from the little town near the ski resort of Blue Mountain.
This year neither, “Wiarton Willie” nor “Punxsutawney Phil” saw their shadows on February 2d. In other words, they have both predicted an early end to winter.
Let’s hope they are right.
Note: In our last post (“Global Warming” – Feb. 1st) we were bracing for a predicted “savage snowstorm”. It didn’t happen. Nonetheless, the Spring Solstice occurs on March 20th this year, predictions of our fat, furry friends notwithstanding.
