Monday, February 2, 2009

Ground Hog Day

Groundhog- Marmota monax also known as the woodchuck, land beaver or whistlepig
& is of the rodent family.

This annual holiday is celebrated on February 2 in US and Canada. On this day, the ground hog will emerges from his burrow to see its shadow. Whether the groundhog sees its shadow or not determines how much longer winter will last... If it fails to see its shadow, then winter will end shortly.. if the sun is shinning and the groundhog sees his shadow, the he could be scared back in to his borrow where winter would carry on for 6 more weeks if he didn't, there would be 42 less days of winter..
The holiday, which began as a Pennsylvania German custom in southeastern and central Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries, has its origins in ancient European weather lore, wherein a badger or sacred bear is the prognosticator as opposed to a groundhog.

The holiday also bears some similarities to the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas, which takes place on or around the same date. It also bears similarities to the Pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic year, which is celebrated on February 1 and also involves weather prognostication. Groundhog Lodges (Grundsow Lodges) celebrate the holiday with fersommlinge, Pennsylvania German dialect is the only language spoken at the event, and those who speak English pay a penalty.

The largest Groundhog Day celebration is held in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where crowds as high as 40,000[7] have gathered to celebrate the holiday since at least 1886.-wiki

20 lbs -Punxsutawney Phil
Candlemas, also known as the Purification of the Virgin or the Presentation, coincides with the earlier pagan observance Imbolc.

March 20/21 is the equinox which marks the first day of spring. Before the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, the Julian calendar's spring equinox fell on March 16 instead, exactly six weeks after February 2.

Shubenacadie Sam of Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia, Canada is one of the first groundhogs to come out of his hole today. Today's Groudhog day storm track favors rain, then snow.... luckly Sam did not see his shawdow this morning, look out early spring,



Disney's 1930 Silly symphony- the ground hog was a Weather Prophet


The movie Groundhog Day (Bill Muray), takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania & & featured Punxsutawney Phil. The movie carries a message that those who fail life tend to repeat it till they get it right.


" In popular culture, the phrase "Groundhog Day" has come to represent going through a phenomenon over and over until one spiritually transcends it -wiki"

This movie is highly based on hedonism which is the philosophy that pleasure is the ultimate importance combined with phychological egoism (the theory that humans are motivated only by their self interest) & ethical egoism (the claim that individuals should seek their own good).

... more to come..

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