The "Are You Hoping For A Sunny Or Cloudy Day?" Story

Foreword:  Well, I didn't see my shadow when I went out for the morning paper.  I searched and searched, but couldn't see any sign of darkness on the new fallen snow.  Harrington Larry's predictions are usually accurate, so I am predicting we in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania will soon see summer.

 It was an ordinary day.  February 2nd, which means it is Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada.  Not sure how many other countries celebrate the special day that marks the midpoint between the winter solstice and spring equinox, but we in Pennsylvania go all out on February 2nd to find out if the groundhog will see it's shadow on February 2nd.  Most of those who lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, known as Pennsylvania Dutch, were immigrants from German-speaking areas of Europe.  Germans had the tradition of marking Candlemas (February 2) as "Badger Day" where if a badger emerged from its home and found it to be sunny, thereby casting a shadow next to it, would go back in its hole which meant four more weeks of winter weather.  Well, those Germans who came to Lancaster County searched for a few badgers and when they couldn't find any, settled on the groundhog which looked something like a badger.  Now, if it was raining or overcast and there was no shadow to scare the varmint, summer was right around the corner.  The forecast of an early spring or late winter would help farmers in deciding when to plant their summer crops.  

Punxsutawney Phil being held by the Grand Master.

I must admit that the legend of the groundhog seeing it's shadow began in Punxsu- tawney, PA which is close to Pittsburgh.  Their weather procras- tinator  was thus known as Punxsu- tawney Phil and he has been forecasting the weather on Groundhog Day for more than 120 years.  So, how good a job does he do?  He has forecast only 17 early springs during those 120 years which made him wrong quite a bit.  Actually he was right only 39% of the time.  

Octoraro Orphie, the Prognosticating Champ!

Do you know that if you flip a coin it will end up heads close to 50% of the time.  So, probably would be better to flip a coin on February 2!  Now, my explanation why we in Lancaster County believe in the groundhog prediction is that we have our own groundhog, Octoraro Orphie, who allegedly lives along the Octoraro Creek which feeds into the mighty Susquehanna River.  He knows what he's talking about, mind you.  Every Groundhog Day the Hibernating Governors of the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge in Octoraro arise before dawn and scour the banks of the Octoraro Creek to observe the reclusive oracle.  

This is Harrington Harry who lived under my back deck for
a few years.  He never saw his shadow so I trapped him
and took him to the Octoraro Creek to assist on Ground Hog
Day. My guess is he's still sleeping as you are
reading this story!

Once he has been sighted and it can be determined if he saw his shadow or not, all rush to the Slumbering Groundhog Lodge to report their findings to the press who gather for the occasion.  Then the party begins!  Ever since he has begun his predicting in 1908, his phenomenal streak of correct predictions has earned him the title of "the One True Groundhog."  And, if you believe any of this, you are very gullible, since groundhogs usually go into hibernation until March so they also miss the big event of seeing their shadow.  Oh well, people always seem to need a reason to celebrate and drink, especially that early in the morning. So, trying to find a groundhog at daybreak to see its shadow is certainly a good reason.  Plus, it makes good fodder for the February page in The Old Farmer's Almanac.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

This photograph was taken in the 1930s when the Groundhog Lodge was founded in Quarryville, Pennsylvania.  The man wearing the binoculars is George W. Hensel, Jr., one of the founders of the lodge.  I believe they still have the stuffed groundhog to this day.