FEB.2 is GROUNDHOG DAY----

[stosh2010]

Lest We Forget...

Groundhogs are DEFINITELY part of out TSB family...
Glad they have their own day.

Groundhog Day : Can Spring Be Far Behind?The custom of predicting future weather conditions based on animals dates back at least a thousand years, but using the weather on February 2nd to forecast a longer winter is more recent than that.
It was during the Dark Ages in Europe that this widespread superstition took hold. Peasants and nobles alike noticed a strong connection between a bright, sunny, medieval Candlemas Day and long, dreary winter weather extending into the next 6 weeks:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.
If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.

In Germany, meanwhile, it was the hedgehog that played a starring role in a similar belief.

Farmers waited for late winter to watch the hibernating animal to come out of his burrow. If the hedgehog saw his shadow on a bright, sunlit day he quickly returned to hibernate...and thus put the official stamp on a prediction of six more weeks of winter for German farmers.

German settlers later brought the old belief with them to Pennsylvania, replacing the hedgehog with the more common American groundhog,

Enjoy the Story Of PUNXSUTAWNEY PHIL :


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0FK0zgndZg

[TinyPaws]

He probably left for vacation to Costa Rica.....:D

[Rhapsody]

Shadow or NO Shadow

http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e116/Rhapsody_1/TNPic-1.jpg

[TinyPaws]

Of course...he's a Floridian.....

[tomcics]

Stosh, Always liked 'Groundhog Day' and the 'Groundhog Day' film with Bill Murray. I think PJ mentioned she would be making some special posting on her website concerning her NR groundhog Joy tomorrow, hope so.
http://www.squirreltale.com/

[Rhapsody]

Of course...he's a Floridian.....


:osnap :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :rotfl :jump :jump

[naturelady1]

Looking for Love.....

http://www.myplainview.com/article_123a3f7f-e1c1-51c6-bb06-1cb4dbacd1e5.html
Posted: Tuesday, February 4, 2003 12:00 am | Updated: 8:23 pm, Wed Oct 14, 2009.
DAN LEWERENZ | 0 comments
Associated Press Writer

Groundhogs that emerge from their dens in early February are probably looking for sweethearts, not shadows, a researcher says. And what's more, the girl groundhogs invite the boys in for a visit.:Love_Icon

The rodent ritual _ whimsically marked each Feb. 2 as Groundhog Day _ seems to be part of the mating ritual "to see which females are available and where they are," said Stam Zervanos, an associate professor of biology at Pennylvania State University's campus in Reading.

Their scouting done, the groundhogs then return to hibernating until the March mating season, he said.

The appearances are the heart of modern Groundhog Day celebrations, which evolved from a German superstition that if such an animal sees its shadow on the Christian holiday of Candlemas, then a long winter is in store.
"What's happening, I'm pretty confident, is that they're getting together, getting ready for mating that's going to come later," Zervanos said.

During the last four years, Zervanos observed about 30 groundhogs that live on a university-owned farm near Penn State's Berks-Lehigh Valley College.
Most went into hibernation in early November, emerging in early February. Males tended to explore their territory, often visiting the dens of area females, while females tended to stay near their den openings.

Although a male might stay with a female for as long as two days, they don't appear to mate then, Zervanos said. Instead, the visits might be a necessary ritual of courtship for the normally anti-social creatures, he said.
It wasn't clear whether groundhogs later mate with the same partners they visit during February.

Males from similar species are also known to appear at females' dens, but the females usually stay inside, "so there's no interaction," said Theresa M. Lee, a University of Michigan professor who has studied rodent hibernation.
"That's quite unique," she said.
___
On the Net:
Penn State Berks-Lehigh Valley College: http://www.bk.psu.edu

[TinyPaws]

Those are some interesting facts..I love learning things like that...

[whopoopwrasse]

Stosh, Always liked 'Groundhog Day' and the 'Groundhog Day' film with Bill Murray. I think PJ mentioned she would be making some special posting on her website concerning her NR groundhog Joy tomorrow, hope so.
http://www.squirreltale.com/


HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!!!

We watch that movie every year and tonight's the night! :D

I always have a ground hog living under my patio every year. We even made her a mail box one year and a sign with her name on it. It's a great patio for tunnelers, it's 10' X 30' concrete. :thumbsup

[island rehabber]

Phil says it will be an early spring!!:wahoo

How early? This weekend would be good.......:poke:D

[whopoopwrasse]

Phil says it will be an early spring!!:wahoo

How early? This weekend would be good.......:poke:D

Yes it would! or maybe today... we're have one of those NY storms right now!:D

[Nibbles McBushy]

That storm sure is NUTS!~

[jo_schmoe]

Im surprised he came out at all.....BBRRRRRR!!!!
Good thing he's over on the east coast...he'd still be in the hole if he were here.
Neg 46 right now...

[pappy1264]

I always love the look on his face 'who are all these people and what are they doing in my bedroom?' lol Yes, this weekend would DEF. be good for 'early spring' to start!!!! lol

[Rhapsody]

Early SPRING is GOOD - that means My 4 babies will be FREE soon :wahoo :wahoo

[Bravo]

Happy Groundhog Day :thumbsup Time to watch that movie again...

[rodentia71]

Phil says it will be an early spring!!:wahoo

How early? This weekend would be good.......:poke:D
:thumbsup

[Kelly Brady]

I am originally from Ohio and Ground Hog day was a huge day for us back then. My grandma made special donuts for the day every year.

Are there ground hogs in Florida? I don't think I have seen one here ever.

[Kat762]

From the film Groundhog Day :

" This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather "

HA HA :multi :jump I love groundhogs and Groundhog day :wott :Love_Icon

[Rescue04]

it is cloudy here...so spring will be here soon in florida. not like we have much of a winter anyway.

[naturelady1]

Phil says it will be an early spring!!:wahoo

How early? This weekend would be good.......:poke:D

It can start tomorrow!!!!!! I'm sooo tired of ice,snow,cold,grey,frozen,cold,shoveling,scraping, sleet....and did I mention cold?

[stosh2010]

http://www.moviesoundclips.net/movies1/groundhogday/stopped.wav

Phil Conners ( Bill Murray ) thinks he can CONTROL the Groundhog --and THUS the Weather....

" ...He's Gotta be STOPPED--------and I have to STOP HIM ! "

[whopoopwrasse]

it didn't work! :D