Yesterday I left work dreaming of laying on my couch, in my favorite sweatpants, with a new book, and a giant bowl of ravioli. Comfort food, that's how I survive the winter. Cheese filled pasta is my weakness. Of course I did not already have ravioli at home, (in fact, my kitchen cabinets would suggest that no one has eaten in my home for quite some time ... ), nonetheless, I managed to pull together a meal that left me very happy on a gloomy, cold, wet February evening. Not an easy task to accomplish. Actually, let me take a second to brag about my awesome dinner (that will also be today's awesome lunch). Here she is:
Yes, thank you. It was delicious : ) ..... Still, the effects of this wonderfully pleasant meal that left me in such high spirits last night, did nothing for me this morning when the time had come for me to extract myself from my bed. Yep, most depressing week of the year. Yet, there is hope. Today is in fact Groundhog Day, and according to our buddy Phil, spring is right around the corner. A co-worker told me this as I was waiting for my coffee. Which leads me to my next train of thought ... do any of us know why we turn to a groundhog for our winter weather predictions? Think about it .... a groundhog .... really? This guy:
After getting my coffee and finishing my weather related small talk, I went to my desk to research the history of groundhog day. Now maybe, just maybe I am not looking far enough into this. Perhaps I am looking too far into the history of our portly friend and his shadow; however, there is very little documenting the origins of this. Here is what I found:
Groundhog Day is held on Feb. 2, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every year, and you might be wondering how a groundhog landed the job of predicting the weather. If you're unfamiliar with the tradition, it goes like this: If the groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, sees his shadow, we're stuck with six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, we luck out with an early spring.
The tradition dates back to 1887, and though the origins are unclear, it is said to have originated from ancient European weather lore in which a badger or sacred bear predicts the weather, rather than a groundhog. It also has religious origins, as it shares similarities with Candlemas Day, which is also on Feb. 2. According to an old English song, "If Candlemas be fair and bright,/ Come, Winter, have another flight." http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/01/groundhog-day-a-history-a_n_441000.html
Historical origins
The groundhog (Marmota monax) is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels.An early American reference to Groundhog Day can be found in a diary entry, dated February 5, 1841, of Berks County, Pennsylvania, storekeeper James Morris:
"Last Tuesday, the 2nd, was Candlemas day, the day on which, according to the Germans, the Groundhog peeps out of his winter quarters and if he sees his shadow he pops back for another six weeks nap, but if the day be cloudy he remains out, as the weather is to be moderate."
In Scotland the tradition may also derive from an English poem:
As the light grows longer
The cold grows stronger
If Candlemas be fair and bright
Winter will have another flight
If Candlemas be cloud and rain
Winter will be gone and not come again
A farmer should on Candlemas day
Have half his corn and half his hay
On Candlemas day if thorns hang a drop
You can be sure of a good pea crop
This tradition also stems from similar beliefs associated with Candlemas Day and Groundhog Day. Candlemas, also known as the Purification of the Virgin or the Presentation, coincides with the pagan observance Imbolc.
I was really hoping to find just a shred of scientific fact about groundhogs (or any other rodent), their shadows, and the weather. I came up with nothing. Goose egg. Maybe the obvious answer is to blame Bill Murry ...
"But now the unspellable Punxsutawney Phil (and Staten Island Chuck) have both peered from their holes and concurred: no shadow, no more winter!
For those of you who have been holding your breath about this, you can stop now, although I urge you to take a moment to think about what this says about you, and to maybe apologize to your family and co-workers. Are that many calendars with inspirational daily messages a right or a privilege? Ask yourself this.
Groundhog Day could be viewed as a commentary on the nature of modern celebrity. A cute, hairy creature has become famous for doing something with minimal accuracy because he is surrounded by men in funny hats. Subtract two legs and a tail and that's the Justin Bieber narrative all over. Sure, Phil is only right 39 percent of the time, but that's more than Mel Gibson."
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/compost/2011/02/groundhog_day_2011_results_spr.html
