Happy Groundhog Day Tomorrow!

Tomorrow is Groundhog Day when we will find out how much more winter we have to put up with. Information Please has an article about Groundhog Day and its history.

A groundhog is the same thing as a woodchuck, subject of my favorite tongue twister (How much wood would a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck would chuck wood?). Because it is a hiberating animal, people began watching for it, as well as other such animals, to appear as a sign of spring.

The story is that if a groundhog sees its shadow on Groundhog Day, there are six more weeks of winter. The basis for this is that if a winter day is sunny, it is very cold because there are no clouds insulating the earth (this according the Info Please article linked above).

The USA has its official groundhog in Punxsutawney Phil (try spelling that without looking!). We'll be watching for you, Phil!