Punxsutawney Phill Sees Shadow & Battles Paparazzi

Note: I realize that there are other groundhogs, which are perhaps making contradictory predictions. These groundhogs are all imposters that are trying to cut in on Phil’s gig.  But you’re got to check out this guy who linked to my blog, and I’m linking back to his–he wrote about Phil’s cousin, click here.

Groundhog Day makes me proud to be a Pennsylvanian. Every year for the past 120 years, the rest of the country, maybe even the world, looks to Gobbler’s Grove to hear the prediction of Punxsutawney Phil. Most of us wish they would just drop the “Punxsutawney” part because it’s hard to spell.

According to the official site of Groundhog Day (yes, there’s an official site), P-Phil saw his shadow, and alas, there will be six more weeks of winter. The Groundhog Day committee says that Phil’s predictions are accurate 84% of the time. Uh-huh. How can we trust weather statements from a critter whose friends regularly become road kill when not in hibernation?

Not only that, but they drag the poor guy out of his peaceful sleep at the crack of dawn, while it still appears to be dark outside, and put him in front of thousands of people, cameras, lights, and (well, you look at the pictures here–I’d run back into my safe little burrow, too). Here’s Phil’s official prediction, with commentary from me:

Here Ye! Here Ye! Here Ye!

On Gobbler’s Knob on this fabulous Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2008
Punxsutawney Phil, the Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators,
Rose to the call of President Bill Cooper and greeted his handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths (greeted, tried to bite, something like that).

After casting a weathered (terrified) eye toward thousands of his faithful followers (AKA “crazy groundhog people), Phil consulted (peed on the hand of) with President Cooper and directed him to the appropriate scroll (by chewing it), which proclaimed:

“As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me.
Six more weeks of winter it will be!” (He’s poetic for a rodent, ain’t he?)

Let me be honest here, folks. I don’t understand how seeing the sunrise would indicate more winter. I mean, isn’t seeing the sun a good thing? Doesn’t it mean there are no storm clouds in the sky? Besides, how could Phil tell the difference between the sun and all those bright lights and flashing cameras? Like I said before, that pandemonium would have me scurrying back to safety.

Could the popularity of Groundhog Day be Phil’s undoing?

Perhaps he can no longer provide accurate weather assessments due to the outside influence of the paparazzi. Poor guy. All he wants to do is sit on the edge of major highways chewing on grass like all his friends.

For more information on the history of Groundhog Day (like why we use a rodent to predict weather), check out this link.

If you’re curious about groundhogs, go here.

And don’t forget to check out Phil’s official site.

For pest control, learn to get rid of groundhogs in your garden here.

There was a rock band in the 60’s called The Groundhogs.

I’d mention the movie, Groundhog Day, but I hate it, even though Andie McDowell is pretty cool. Although I haven’t seen her act much lately, just pose for make-up ads.