“This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.”​ — Phil Connors

In the wild, the male groundhog comes out of hibernation mid-winter, only to look in on females in his territory and mark their burrows off limits to interlopers. Thus relieved, he returns to his den to resume his winter siesta in peace, until spring mating season.

“February days are a marketing gimmick; love happens every day.”

Randeep HoodaIt

We don’t rely on celebrity groundhogs to predict that happy day. The Phils and the Willies, et al, are hucksters for their respective media markets. Our go-to forecaster is in the wild. Thank you kindly for you participation in this epic event. Wherever you are, may every new day be warmer than a winter of discontent.

“I pray this winter be gentle and kind—a season of rest from the wheel of the mind.” — John Geddes

The buzz we’re picking up from the grass roots sounds promising as prayer. Tomorrow morning’s shadow play tells whether global climate changes to a kinder and gentler state on Earth than prevails on Mars, sooner or later.

“One kind word can warm three winter months.”

Japanese Proverb

“Pale January lay / In its cradle day by day / Dead or living, hard to say.” ― Alfred Austin

No word yet on whether the official shadow will show up for the rapidly approaching prognostication on TV. If so, underground poetry could face six more weeks under the weather.  

“Every winter has its spring.”

Hudson Tuttle

 

“January … The sky is low. / The wind is gray. / The radiator / Purrs all day.” — John Updike

We’re tapping the burrow for possible leaks about balancing the bipolar temperament of a tilted globe in the sway of a gob of gaslight. Watch this space for any signs of a bad moon waning.

“The groundhogs are pretty good at eluding. If somebody is trying to come after a ground hog, they go and they burrow.” 

― Jack Hanna

“Winter is much like unrequited love; cold and merciless.” ― Kellie Elmore

Welcome to our countdown to the day of reckoning. During this week, we’re keeping an ear to the ground, listening for leaks of a possible early end to cold affronts felt in the global village neighborhoods of Canada, Greenland, et al. Watch this space.

“No animal, according to the rules of animal-etiquette, is ever expected to do anything strenuous, or heroic, or even moderately active during the off-season of winter.” 

― Kenneth Grahame