Groud Hog Day

[+leejas72]

So I wake up this morning and I check the news. Phil, the famous Ground Hog has proclaimed 6 more weeks of winter.

I live in Montana and for me that means 6 more weeks of cabin fever.

How does this prediction affect you and your Geocaching adventures?

[+Stargazer22]

This won't affect my geocaching schedule at all.

 

It does, however, mean that my hunting schedule will need to change. I'll have to gear up for groundhog season now.

[+flask]

oh, goodness!

 

six more weeks of winter would be an early spring, and we can't have that!

[+Cachin'Armadillo]

LOL. I totally agree with groundhog hunting! Although the groundhog in my town did not see his shadow so perhaps Phil is alone in his prediction and we may get Spring soon! (Wishful thinking maybe but oh well). As for my geocaching adventures I just started in December so my plans can only get better from here! I've never cached in good weather before...most of it has involved hiking with ice spikes on my shoes and wearing my carhartts!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

only SIX more weeks? We haven't seen a spring that early in decades!!

 

ALWAYS plowing snow in April, sometimes in May.

[+Konnarock Kid & Marge]

Related question: If Phil in PA sees his shadow, but our local groundhog doesn't, which prediction counts? In other words, does Phil cover the whole World?

We have had over 14 inches of snow thus far so please bring on Spring. It's darn hard finding caches in the snow. Thanks.

To Phil: To Goose Pimple Hoggie:

[+briansnat]

I'm starting to question this whole ground hog thing. What if one ground hog in my town sees his shadow, but at that same moment on the other side of town a cloud passes over and a ground hog there doesn't see his shadow?

 

Does that mean that one side of town will have a longer winter? Call me a skeptic.

[knowschad]

According to the Wikipedia article on Groundhog Day, there are several "official" groundhogs. Punxsutawney Phil is NOT the only one with something to say about when spring will come. Here's how they "voted" this year:

 

Early Spring - Staten Island Chuck Staten Island, New York City

6 more weeks of winter - Wiarton Willie Wiarton, Ontario

6 more weeks of winter - Punxsutawney Phil Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

6 more weeks of winter - Spanish Joe Spanish, Ontario

Early spring - Dunkirk Dave Dunkirk, New York

Early Spring - Buckeye Chuck Marion, Ohio

6 more weeks of winter - Shubenacadie Sam Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia

Edited February 2, 2010 by knowschad

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

End the confusion.

 

Eat more groundhog stew!

[+90%Angel]

So I wake up this morning and I check the news. Phil, the famous Ground Hog has proclaimed 6 more weeks of winter.

I live in Montana and for me that means 6 more weeks of cabin fever.

How does this prediction affect you and your Geocaching adventures?

 

Usually I would likely feel the same and not have much chance to get out Caching. .. but this year we have basically NO Winter here on the West Coast for the Winter Olympics! Lots of opportunites to get out in our unseasonably mild weather...even though it's often damp, rainy, and mucky..Im enjoying getting out at every opportunity! ... besides that... today's my Birthday

[+Team Cotati]

"How does this prediction affect you and your Geocaching adventures?"

 

It affects our adventures quite a bit since we do not go caching in rain. And let me tell ya, we has gots a whole bunch 'o rain this 'winter'. That normally begins to taper off by March and ends completely no later than May, 15...i.e. The Ides of May.

 

Come on May!!

Edited February 2, 2010 by Team Cotati

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

"How does this prediction affect you and your Geocaching adventures?"

 

It affects out adventures quite a bit since we do not go caching in rain. And let me tell ya, we has gots a whole bunch 'o rain this 'winter'. That normally begins to taper off my March and ends completely no later than May, 15...i.e. The Ides of May.

 

Come on May!!

Are you writing up a new calendar?

[+Highland Horde]

from what I have heard...statistically the ground hogs are wrong about 70% of the time...so like some friends of mine...just count on the opposite of what they say and you are probably good to go

[+briansnat]

Punxsutawney Phil is NOT the only one with something to say about when spring will come

 

That's another thing, doesn't spring come on the same day every year regardless of what the groundhog sees?

[+Roland_oso]

Here in North Texas it means 6 more weeks of not having to worry about the PI as much, once Spring has Sprung so does the PI!

[+Roland_oso]

Here in North Texas it means 6 more weeks of not having to worry about the PI as much, once Spring has Sprung so does the PI!

[oakenwood]

It means Punxsutawney Phil was freaked out by a hundred flashbulbs going off at once and ran for cover. It also means Bill Murray didn't steal him and drive off a cliff.

 

What's it mean for me? Nothing. I do hope this winter is over soon, because we've had too much cold and snow around here. The last couple of winters were mild and I was getting used to it.

[+wimseyguy]

I run the food service at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh NC. The museum does its own version of the shadow ceremony, even the mayor joins us sometimes.

 

For me Groundhog Day means I serve grilled sausages with peppers and onions as my lunch special.

 

PS it's cloudy and rainy here. So no shadows were visible. Winter rarely lasts more than a few weeks around here anyway.

Edited February 2, 2010 by wimseyguy

[+Snoogans]

Are we talking about groundhogs or ground hog: (because the title says ground hog)(actually it says groud hog)

 

This image also comes to mind when I think of ground hog:

[+FancoverFive]

What, you mean Groundhog Day is real? Ha! *checks wikipedia*

 

Whoa. I always thought it was just a stupid thing they made up for the film because they needed something to focus on. You learn something new every day.

[+BCSasquatch]

Groundhog is best served in a stew with hearty vegetables. Just be sure to remove the scent glands. Quite tasty actually.

[4wheelin_fool]

I tried to blow up a few groundhogs at a golf course I worked at, but was unsucessful.

 

They make good eatin, almost as good as clam chowder!

[Skippermark]

I'm delighted! That means the mosquitos, ticks and PI will stay away a bit longer.

Edited February 2, 2010 by Skippermark

[+Buggheart]

It means a whole lot of nuthin' up here in Michigan. We've got at least 10 more weeks of winter regardless, so I say let the poor little creature hibernate already.

 

As for what it means for my geocaching, well, it just means that I need my down coat and warm gloves til May and easy caching due to the footprints in the snow. I actually prefer caching in winter.

[+DragonsWest]

6 more weeks before another FTF

[+flask]

"How does this prediction affect you and your Geocaching adventures?"

 

It affects out adventures quite a bit since we do not go caching in rain. And let me tell ya, we has gots a whole bunch 'o rain this 'winter'. That normally begins to taper off my March and ends completely no later than May, 15...i.e. The Ides of May.

 

Come on May!!

Are you writing up a new calendar?

 

may has an ides, as do march, july, and october. no new calendar need be written.

[7rxc]

I'm starting to question this whole ground hog thing. What if one ground hog in my town sees his shadow, but at that same moment on the other side of town a cloud passes over and a ground hog there doesn't see his shadow?

 

Does that mean that one side of town will have a longer winter? Call me a skeptic.

 

That's just because it's a 'spot' forecast, quite a common thing. Here we quite often have different weather going on compared to 'downtown' (actually lower town), which is less than a kilometre away but much lower.

 

As for the fixed date thing, I think that's because people mistake the vernal equinox for Spring...

 

Doug

[Tahosa and Sons]

Does that mean it gets warmer in 6 weeks in AZ. We are already in the 70's.

[7rxc]

Groundhog is best served in a stew with hearty vegetables. Just be sure to remove the scent glands. Quite tasty actually.

 

Best ones are obtained around grain fields... grass is also good feed... avoid garbage dump chucks...

 

mmmm.

 

Doug

[GOF and Bacall]

You can serve it any way you want. As long as it is away from me.

 

The first day of spring will occur on the same day if that rat sees his shadow or not.

[+Prime Suspect]

What, you mean Groundhog Day is real? Ha! *checks wikipedia*

 

Whoa. I always thought it was just a stupid thing they made up for the film because they needed something to focus on. You learn something new every day.

You mean you don't have prognosticating rodents in the UK?

[+briansnat]

I'm starting to question this whole ground hog thing. What if one ground hog in my town sees his shadow, but at that same moment on the other side of town a cloud passes over and a ground hog there doesn't see his shadow?

 

Does that mean that one side of town will have a longer winter? Call me a skeptic.

 

That's just because it's a 'spot' forecast, quite a common thing. Here we quite often have different weather going on compared to 'downtown' (actually lower town), which is less than a kilometre away but much lower.

 

As for the fixed date thing, I think that's because people mistake the vernal equinox for Spring...

 

Doug

 

"The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month". ~Henry Van Dyke

[+SSO JOAT]

Being the brilliant politicians that they are, Alaska enacted Feb 2nd as the state holiday, "Marmot Day" as we don't have ground hogs up this way. I guess nobody told them that a "ground hog" technically is a "marmot".

 

Unfortunately, all the marmots were still in deep hibernation yesterday during our first annual "Marmot Day". So we didn't get any "predictions". I expect winter will end in May just like it does every year.

[+wimseyguy]

Can you see the marmot's home from your front steps too?

[4wheelin_fool]

Well the results are in!

 

There appears to be dissention amongst the groundhogs

 

Date -- Prediction -- Groundhog -- Location

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Holtsville Hal, Holtsville, New York

2010 Early spring -Queen Charlotte, Charlotte, North Carolina

2010 Early spring-Gus, Athens, Georgia

2010 Early Spring- Octoraro Orphie, Quarryville, Pennsylvania

2010 Early Spring- Sir Walter Wally, Raleigh, North Carolina

2010 Early spring -Jimmy the Groundhog, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Malverne Mel, Malverne, New York

2010 Early spring -Staten Island Chuck, Staten Island (New York City)

2010 Early spring -Woodstock Willie, Woodstock, Illinois

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Wiarton Willie, Wiarton, Ontario

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Punxsutawney Phil, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania

2010 6 more weeks of winter -Spanish Joe, Spanish, Ontario

2010 Early spring-Dunkirk Dave, Dunkirk, New York

2010 Early Spring- Buckeye Chuck, Marion, Ohio

2010 Early Spring- Balzac Billy, Balzac, Alberta

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Shubenacadie Sam, Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia

2010 Early Spring -French Creek Freddie, French Creek, West Virginia

2010 6 more weeks of winter- Chuckles, Manchester, Connecticut

2010 6 more weeks of winter -Woody, Howell, Michigan

2010 6 more weeks of winter -Stormy Marmot, Aurora, Colorado

 

At least the midpoint of winter has passed. Groundhog day actually goes back to the ancient celebration of Imbolc.

Imbolc is also named as the day the Cailleach, where the hag of Gaelic tradition gathers her firewood for the rest of the winter. Legend has it that if she intends to make the winter last a good while longer, she will make sure the weather on Imbolc is bright and sunny, so she can gather plenty of firewood. Therefore, it is seen as a good omen if Imbolc is a day of foul weather, as it means the Cailleach is asleep and winter is almost over.

 

Some people claim that the ancient markings of the midpoint of the solstice/equinoxes (Samhain, Beltane, Imbolc, Lughnasadh) actually come from an ancient obsession over the Great Pyramid, where if considered as a calendar, the center of each side is marked as an equinox or solstice, then the corners would represent the midpoints. The single entrance which is not exactly in the middle of the north side, but offset a few days after the winter solstice, would precicely mark the celebration of Sol Invictus Mithras, or December 25th..