I thought it might be fun to celebrate Groundhog day by finding some unusual facts about the day. The first official Groundhog Day was celebrated in 1887 (some say 1886) at Gobbler’s Knob, 2 miles outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The name Punxsutawney comes from the Delaware Tribe whose members settled the area in 1723 and their word “ponksad-uteney,” which means “town of the sandflies”.
First, Happy Birthday to Shannon Meyers – turning 50! – and celebrating with Phil on Gobbler’s Knob. Happy birthday, Shannon. Here are some photos from her early morning adventure!
And also Happy Birthday to my cousin Dan Cornman – turning 70! – Hope you have a wonderful day and a healthy, blessed year.
Beth, Holly, Karen
Groundhog Day falls on the 2nd of February for a reason. It’s what’s known as a “cross-quarter” day, meaning it falls at the midpoint between one season and another. In the case of February 2nd, it’s the cross-quarter day that falls between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, making it the ideal time to consider whether or not spring will arrive early.
When he’s not predicting the weather on Groundhog Day, Phil lives in the town library in Punxsutawney with his groundhog “wife,” Phyllis.
Punxsutawney Phil has only predicted an early spring 16 times.
After the 1993 movie Groundhog Day became popular, attendance at the Gobbler’s Knob celebration skyrocketed. The movie caused numbers to jump to 35,000 plus. (At the time of the release, the population of Punxsutawney itself was less than 7,000.)
Other weather forecasting groundhogs include Staten Island Chuck from New York City, Sir Walter Wally from Raleigh, North Carolina, General Beauregard Lee from Atlanta, Georgia, and Jimmy the Groundhog from Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. An armadillo, named Bee Cave Bob, makes his weather prediction at the West Pole in Bee Cave, Texas.
Also known as woodchucks, groundhogs belong to a group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. They grow up to 25 inches long and can live for 10 years in captivity. (According to legend, Punxsutawney Phil is more than 125 years old thanks to the magical punch he imbibes every summer.)
Tradition goes that if the groundhog pops his head out of his hole and sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn’t, then we are in luck for an early spring. Even though this is a fun tradition, science says that the groundhogs actually come out during this time of the year to search for a mate!
January 2 – Do you have any ice skating memories to share? “We didn’t have ice skates but went to the swamp & pretended we did & skated around on the ice. We wore our worn out, smooth soled shoes so we could slide better. None of our friends had regular skates either so we had lots of fun on cold, clear nights.”
Yesterday’s vacation destination was voted the best small town in Pennsylvania in 2019 – Volant! Obviously, they haven’t been to Smicksburg or Donna’s store… Anyway, there are great things to see and do, and it is a very quaint and friendly town, easily navigated. Some things to do in Volant are: Miss Scarlett’s gift parlor, Ivy Creek Creations, Teena’s Quilt shop, Amish farms, Water falls, farms, Special-Teas, etc, Bakeries, candy shops, antiques, B&B’s, Amish furniture, Alpaca LOL (handmade gifts), wineries, lots of gifts and specialty shops.
Calendar inspiration – Mid-winter is a tough time for everybody. Spread good cheer & kindness throughout your day. Be generous to all!
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TOMORROW February 3 is:
- National Carrot Cake Day
- National Day the Music Died Day
- National Missing Persons Day
- National Women Physicians Day
- Optimist Day
Ooooh. Love carrot cake. It was our go-to dessert every time we took a trip to Mom’s! I wish I could say I was an optimist, but…. Have a happy day! God bless…
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