"SIX MORE WEEKS", says Phil

Hear Ye - Hear Ye - Hear Ye

On Gobbler's Knob on this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators awoke to the call of President Bill Deeley and greeted his handlers, John Griffiths and Ben Hughes.

After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know what's next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be."

Many experts say Groundhog Day is appealing today because it provides a link, however tenuous, to the rhythms of nature and because it lightens the gloom of winter. "Part of the reason we have so many holidays during the winter is because of the need for festivity during that time," says Simon Bronner, professor of American studies and folklore at Penn State Harrisburg.

Groundhog Day falls at the midpoint between the winter solstice and the vernal equinox or start of spring. So there is technically always six more weeks of winter, if not wintry weather, no matter what the groundhog says.

That doesn't stop claims of meteorologic superiority in the groundhog circle, though, or parties & whacky celebrations on this day... So, PARTY ON PHIL!!..or wait, you went back to hibernate...okay, WE'LL PARTY ON FOR YOU!

Here ya go... sing this song today ...

"I See You" to the tune of "This Old Man" (or the "Barney Song")

I see you, my shadow
That means six more weeks of snow
With a great big chill and a blizzard, maybe two
Oh I wish this was not true!

Dammit Punxsutawney Phil!!