Muskrat Day

Here it is Muskrat Day again on the Eastern Shore. For those of you who may not know it, there are no groundhogs on the Shore, so we look to our favorite local rodent, the Muskrat.

Last year we debunked a popular fairy tale with this post:

For those of you who still believe in the Tooth Fairy, the Jersey Devil, or Wabba Bushby, please protect your bubbles because our latest discoveries may burst them. It has finally and indisputable been proven that the infamous Pungoteague Possum (actually a porcupine in drag) and Paxutauny Phil, who was arrested early this morning on Substance Abuse charges as he staggered out of his hole (alcohol level of .025), are meteorological charlatans. Both have also been charged with pulling the fur over the public’s eyes for years. This leaves the only accurate small mammalian weather prognosticators being the Marshall and Mandy Muskrat of Rat Trap Creek….
To verify these claims, this year there is photographic proof that the Rat Trap Muskrats have correctly predicted this springs outlook (without the aid of mind altering substances or tacky tasteless costumes) for many years. Admittedly they did go back into their holes this year….. BUT unlike other Weather Watchers, our committee was patient and waited before jumping to erroneous conclusion as to the arrival of spring. Just minutes after scurrying into their dens, Marshall and Mandy Muskrat, unlike the other ‘snake oil’ rodents, reemerged ready for spring complete with beach chairs and umbrellas, and sun screen. We were able to photograph them as they frolicked on Rat Trap Beach….A sure sign that Spring is just around the corner.

Unfortunately this year the forecast for February 2 is for heavy rain which may cause some tidal flooding along Rat Trap Creek. With this in mind we contacted Marshall and Mandy about their plans and received this e-mail just moments ago.

To: Grenville T. Boyd, Onley Weather Service
From: Marshall Muskrat, Weather Prognosticator
Subject: Spring
Grenville, If you really think we are going to come out in the pouring rain, possibly catching pneumonia or worse just so you can make a silly point you are surely out of your mind. Possibly you have been drinking the creek water that now comes from the Wal-Mart parking lot.
Lets just say spring will be here on time this year and that way we can all stay warm and dry.
Marshall

So there you have it folks. Our muskrat mascots have gone political on us and gave a non-answer of “… spring will be here on time…”

We hope that those of you who are experiencing the latest blizzard get through it safely (we need all the followers we can get!!!!) cause spring is truly ‘just around the corner’.
Grenville