It was Cold

It was frigid cold outside on my 🎂 birthday this past weekend. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, all were much appreciated. I played dominoes with friends and we went for dinner on Sat eve. It was a very low-key celebration. 🎉 

Cold here in Nashua, NH was daytime highs in the single digits and overnight in the minus teens. But nowhere near some other places, especially Mount Washington, NH. There it was minus 108 F wind chill, 97 MPH winds, which is likely the lowest ever recorded in the country. That's really cold 🥶

Aside from the biting cold across a lot of the nation, there was another event last week in the U.S. On Tuesday, the country's most famous marmot saw his shadow Thursday morning after leaving his burrow at Gobbler's Knob. According to folklore, if he sees his shadow there will be six more weeks of winter. If he doesn't, spring comes early. (Groundhogs are a type of rodent known as a marmot, marmots are closely related to squirrels, yet squirrels have never forecast the weather.)

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Phil,  a furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town, saw his shadow which means that the country can expect below-average temperatures for the next six week, that is, if you subscribe to the legend of a furry critter in a western Pennsylvania town and Phil's weather-predicting abilities. 

Phil made the prediction at Gobbler's Knob as members of Punxsutawney Phil's "inner circle" summoned him from his tree stump to learn if he would see his shadow.

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On Feb 2, the nation awaited to see what he would predict, and, with a bit of human prodding, Phil came out of his burrow about 7:30 am and saw his shadow for the 137th time in front of a large Groundhog Day crowd. 

Phil made his prediction after speaking with Groundhog Club president Tom Dunkel who translated the prediction for the world. Yes, there is a Groundhog Club. It was established in 1887 and a website details all Groundhog Day events, including lunch with Phil and a Groundhog Day ball and banquet, who knew?

But, while Punxsutawney Phil’s prediction forecasts more winter weather, on Groundhog Day, it depends on who you want to believe. Phil is not the only groundhog forecaster as there are several others, it's just that Phil is the most well known.

For example, there's, Staten Island Chuck who did not see his shadow and therefore, signaling an early spring. And, another groundhog, Lady Edwina at the Turtleback Zoo in West Orange, NJ sided with Phil. 

Predictions aside, Punxsutawney Phil has been making his long-range winter forecast the longest, since 1887.  Staten Island Chuck only joined the forecasting game in 1981. The newest member of the four-legged weather crew, Lady Edwina, is the youngest and most recent weather forecaster at just over 2 years old. When it comes to accuracy, Punxsutawney Phil isn't that accurate, while Staten Island Chuck has been right 80% of the time. You can choose which one to believe if you are so included, as for myself, not at all.

Last week, we continued a long-standing tradition by watching the 1993 film, Ground Hog Day, starring Bill Murray and Andie McDowell. If you have never seen this movie, you should watch it someday. Bill Murray's character relives the day over and over again. It's a true classic. Spoiler alert, the movie was filmed in Woodstock, Ill, although the actual Punxsutawney, PA, holds annual festivals. This shooting location was close to the hometown of film director Harold Ramis, whose family lived in Chicago, IL.

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Of course, Phil's prediction came as many areas were dealing with a major winter storm and frigid temps. Of the 127 recorded times Phil has predicted the weather, he has now seen his shadow 107 times (or 84% of the time). His longest streak of seeing his shadow remains at 31, when he saw it every year from 1903 to 1933.

Ice on the Nashua River this weekend

The Nashua River below our living room window had its first coating of ice this past weekend. Temps are warming up this week and so the ice will be gone in a couple more days.

Speaking of cold, I am dealing with yet another head cold, the second one this year. Once again tissues are close at hand and I'm staying home. Hope that you are all staying well.

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Canon Powershot G7 Mark III

As to what I bought myself for my  birthday, it's a camera, which may come as no surprise. Now, I have to learn how to best use it before we travel later this year. The camera was bought refurbished on the Canon website. Good Great news is that it includes a 1-year manufacturer's warranty. An added 2 or 4 year protection plan can also be purchased at additional cost within 90 days, most likely I will get that. Purchasing this camera refurbished on the Canon website was a significant saving over new on other sites. 

Your turn — Do you buy yourself gifts too ?

No Shadow for Prairie Dog Pete

This is Prairie Dog Pete (our name).

OK, you are more familiar with his well-known celebrity cousin Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog weather forecaster. Today, at 7:25 a.m., despite overcast skies, and 8-degree temps, Phil did not see his shadow in Punxsutawney, PA. And, no shadow means an early spring, but if Phil had seen his shadow, it would have meant six more weeks of winter per folklore tradition.

And Prairie Dog Pete probably did not see his shadow either — WHAT you never heard of Pete? (he lives at the Salisbury MD Zoo, which is where we spotted him.)

That’s Pete on the right above and one of Phil’s groundhog kin on the left above. They are both both members of the Sciuridae family, along with chipmunks, squirrels, and marmots. All have similar characteristics, like diet and behavior. But, most often confused are the the groundhog and the prairie dog.

The prairie dog can grow to 16 inches in length and can weigh up to 3 pounds with a stick body, short and thin tail that is less than one quarter of the length of its body. The coat of the prairie dog is mottled brown in  to blend in with the surroundings. They are often seen sitting up on their haunches.

Pete and his fellow prairie dogs prefer temperate flat land; habitats include the western half of North America, from Canada to Mexico. Prairie dog are polygamous and live in colonies, which can cover over 100 acres. Pups are sheltered for the first few years and stay close to home for protection. They are communal, while some graze, others  watch for predators and can warn all the animals into their burrow for safety.

Phil, the groundhog is bigger and can weigh up to 9 pounds and up to 26 inches in length. Groundhogs dig with claws and thickly muscled forearms.  Their spine is slightly rounded; coat is grayish brown with has two layers for insulation during winter. The groundhog does not need flat land and is found over almost all of N.A., much to some homeowners’ dismay.

Phil also calls a burrow home, maybe adding to the confusion. But, groundhogs are less social, only three to four occupy the same burrow, used for winter hibernation, sleeping and raising young in spring and summer months. They burrow for protection, can climb trees or swim to escape attack.

NOW that you know the difference, HOW are you spending Groundhog Day — knowing that spring is almost around the corner?

LATER, we’re spending it in our usual way by watching the 1993 film, Groundhog Day. It’s become an annual event with us, year after year.

The 2012 post for Feb 2 had some info on the film, which will not be repeated over and over this year. All those familiar with the movie know the meaning of not repeating it.

Spring is Coming (soon)

Groundhog Day 2012

It’s HERE and according to that famed PA forecaster, groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, there’s six more weeks of winter. Earlier today, crowds gathered at  Gobbler's Knob, the tiny hill in Punxsutawney, about 65 miles northeast of Pittsburgh to see Phil cast his shadow.

Here, just like last year, it’s raining. However, according to the Eastern shore forecasters at Rat Trap Creek, spring is just around the corner. As in 2011, Grenville saw Marshall and Mandy Muskrat getting ready for beach weather.

Tonight, we settle in for our annual Feb. 2 event  - watching Groundhog Day (but not over and over). This 1993 American comedy starred Bill Murray and Andie McDowall and was directed by Harold Ramis of Ghostbusters fame.

Plot: Murray plays Phil Connors, an egocentric Pittsburgh TV weatherman who, during a hated assignment covering the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawney, finds himself repeating the same day over and over again. As the film progresses, Connors re-examines his priorities with predictable humorous results.

Some facts about the film . . .

• Murray was bitten by the groundhog twice during shooting.
• A family of groundhogs was raised for the production.
• There are 38 days depicted in the film, partially or in full.
• Director Ramis  wanted Tom Hanks for the lead, but decided against it, saying that Hanks was “too nice.”
• One of the groundhog officials is Brian Doyle-Murray, one of Bill Murray's five brothers.
• The movie was filmed in Woodstock, Illinois, where a small plaque declares: “Bill Murray stepped here” on the curb where Murray continually steps off into a puddle.

And one more . . .

• In 2006, the film was added to the U.S. States National Film Registry as being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

We’re not sure about that last item, but we DO know is that it’s a funny film – over and over.

February already

WOW how did this happen. Just last week we were celebrating Christmas. Maybe I need a better calendar. SO here it is the day before a bunch of you will sit around and wait for an overweight ground hog to determine if winter is over (as I check the weather station and see it is barely 30 degrees and falling). BUT there is hope. Here on the Shore we have NO GROUND HOGS, and don’t want them. Regular hogs ok, but not the others. Here we'll head down to the creek tomorrow afternoon and see if the muskrats are out. If our  two local celebrity muskrats, Mike and Mindy are out on the beach we’ll all head on home to celebrate the end of winter with some Red Wine and Pongoteague Possum chili. Then get ready to uncover our boats. If they are not out, we’ll all get depressed and head on home to slide deeper into our cabin fever and have some Red Wine and Pongoteague Possum chili. Then get ready to uncover our boats. Here is a picture I took last year at the town beach.

Hope your day is as good as ours will be.