Will Phil See His Shadow???

It's that time of year again: Groundhog Day, when thousands of revelers converge on the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney to hear an overweight groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil predict the weather. "Groundhog Day is a lot like a rock concert but the people are better behaved and there's a groundhog involved," said Tom Chapin, editor of the Punxsutawney Spirit newspaper.


"There's music and entertainment, spoofs of game shows, and people shooting t-shirts and Beanie Babies" into the crowd, he said.


Tradition has it that if Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his temporary burrow—a simulated tree stump at the rural site of Gobbler's Knob—on February 2 and sees his shadow, winter weather will continue for six more weeks across the United States. But if Phil doesn't see his shadow, then spring temperatures are just around the corner.


Regardless of the weather prediction, on Groundhog Day, Phil "speaks" to his human caretakers, known as the Inner Circle, in Groundhogese and tells them his forecast. The Inner Circle then translates Phil's words for the world to hear—or so they say.



As always, thank you for visiting my little piece of heaven, here in the desert, that I so love to call home. Country hugs and love...