Volume 18 , Issue 5

NW Okie's Journey

What will the groundhog (woodchuck) bring us in 2016? May his shadow grow less. Is that what your weather predictions might be for 2016? What's it doing in your neck of the woods?

What has become of the groundhog who always tells us what kind of winter we are to have? Does Punxsutawney Phil just do predictions for the New England and Pennsylvania area? What infamous "woodchuck" does Oklahoma rely on for its weather forecasts?

Is there not a man, woman or child in the great middle west who isn't on the tiptoe of expectancy on groundhog day, the 2nd day of February each year?

If the sun shines on that day the groundhog is supposed to emerge towards winter quarters, takes a look at his shadow and scurry back to escape the six weeks of winter weather that is yet to come. If the day is a cloudy one and the groundhog therefore fails to see his shadow he remains out, for there is to be an early spring. How many groundhog (woodchucks) have stayed outside over the past years? Does anyone know?

While this sign is a household word and really believed to some extinct by a great majority of the people in the north, we fear it won't work in this latitude or region of the middle west for the reason that six weeks of winter after February 2nd so very rarely happens, does it?

The groundhog is not universally regarded as a dependable prophet, is it?

There are weatherize ones, who insist that the groundhog knows no more about the weather than any other hog or man, for that matter. But there are others, equally persistent, who recall countless years from umpty-umph right unto now when the groundhog's prophecy was never failing.

Check out this weeks OkieLegacy Ezine/Tabloid for history and stories of "Groundhog Day" of the 19th century.

We shall overcome! Good Night! Good Luck!
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