Happy Groundhogs Day?

Stupid groundhog. 

And by the way, I don't get this whole Groundhog Day thing. He comes out and the day is nice and clear, and that somehow means more winter? Wouldn't it make more sense if he came out and saw the sky was cloudy and there was no shadow and that means more winter? That says to me the weather is pretty shitty. How does nice weather = more winter?

Whatever. I didn't make this stuff up. I did do some research on groundhogs day, however. And apparently it's carried over from Candlemas from Germany. So that makes sense. Or maybe it doesn't. If it were a German legend, it would be something in the Black Forest that would eat you. Like a giant evil groundhog. (If Grimm's Fairy Tales have taught us anything.)

But I digress. 

Turns out, groundhogs typically come out of hibernation about six weeks after Groundhog Day anyway. So, it makes perfect sense, no matter if he sees his shadow or not, that spring won't be for another six weeks.

Don't let the empty suet cage fool you.
Look at all the birds. That's why it's empty.

Still, I think he's wrong. For one things, the geese never left here. They stayed here in Indiana. It didn't get supercold here, though. (Well, it did for a very short period of time, but it was mostly mild.) And there was not much snow. So they did okay here.

Plus, I am seeing birds at my birdfeeder. Grackles, finches, and robins. Well, not robins. I see them in the yard. They don't like to eat at my feeder. (Snobby robins.) But, I'm seeing them, at least.

Even the geese paid me a visit the other day, much to Achilles' delight. They don't usually hang out until they start thinking about mating season. (Hm. Well, it is almost Valentine's Day.)

So all those things say to me that it will be an early spring. We'll see who's right, me or the groundhog.

Of course, I'm not a licensed meteorologist like he is.