Hear Ye! Hear Ye!

On this Groundhog Day, February 2nd in the Year of the Dog 2006 Punxsutawney Phil, also known as the Seer of Seers, the Prognosticator of Prognosticators, Weather Prophet Extraordinary, and the King of the Groundhogs made the following prediction on Gobbler’s Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania at 7:23am:

It is said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Around the country there are many imitators of me.

In Harrisburg there is Gus who appears on TV
working for the lottery.

Then all around town,
Cute groundhog statues abound.
They all look like me, I found.

Today on the Knob as I'm doing my job,
I don't like this likeness of me.

It's my shadow I see. Six more weeks of mild winter there will be.

Today is my favorite holiday in the entire year. I love Groundhog’s Day. With little to no commercialization of it, does anyone wonder why? Granted, I do send out some Groundhog Day e-cards. I do have a Groundhog Day hat. I am a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club. I have been to Punxsutawney to see Phil in action twice, although not yet in this century. Hopefully next year will be the year.

Having been derived from the European tradition of Candlemas Day, Groundhog’s Day was first officially celebrated in Pennsylvania on February 2, 1886. Clymer Freas was the editor of The Punxsutawney Spirit when he declared that: “Today is groundhog day and up to the time of going to press the beast has not seen its shadow.”

It wasn’t until 1887 that the now legendary trip to Gobbler’s Knob first occurred. The groundhog, an animal derived from the squirrel family, was given the name “Punxsutawney Phil” and from then on the town became known as “Weather Capital of the World”. You can find more of the history of Groundhog’s Day by clicking here.