FLASHBACK february 2, 1887

UPDATE: 2/2/2014~PUNXSATAWNEY PHIL SAW HIS SHADOW...GEN. BEAUREGARD LEE DID NOT. HMMMMMM....

"they say it's gone say winter's done...that don't mean a thing...'cause i'm the one that moves the sun...for you i'd turn it into spring"
german settlers to pennsylvania bring the tradition of candlemas to america (the legend of candlemas says "for as the sun shines on candlemas day, so far will the snow swirl in may") and discover that groundhogs are very intelligent and perfect to carry on the legend...so they find phil. every year, on candlemas, they pull phil out of his home and watch. will he see his shadow and run back to his lair? if he does, we have 6 more weeks of winter. or will he hang out for a bit? a sure sign of an early spring. but phil only has been right 39% of the time. hmmmmm.....

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 1990

general beauregard lee starts predicting spring in lilburn, georgia. he claims an accuracy of 94%. yeah. i said 94%.

FLASH FORWARD february 2, 2013

punxsutawney phil hangs out at gobbler's knob for a bit and everyone i know rejoices for an early spring. seems they've had enough winter. me? i didn't see enough snow. didn't have enough cuddling by a cozy fire while old man winter blows outside my window. i am super excited by general beauregard lee's prediction. he sees his shadow and goes into hiding! yay!

FLASH FORWARD march 5, 2013

and so it begins...up to the minute forecasts from every. single. person. on facebook. there's a winter storm a brewin'!! schools close in anticipation of a foot of "the white death". rain turns to snow, just as all the meteorologists predicted, around 9pm. and we all wake up to a beautiful marshmallow world.

                        

and so, it appears, the groundhog to listen to is general lee. and, as he predicted, spring will arrive, as scheduled, on march 21.