Loony's Shoeless Acres: Tomorrow is Groundhog Day!!!!

So very close to where I grew up there is the famous and sometimes scandulous Wiarton Willie, forcaster of the seasons. For Wiarton this is a huge event, for us locals that made the trip it is a morning of fun, great breaky, and usually a hot tottie or two. An event like the Santa's Parade..you don't want to miss it, not to mention the opportunity to skip a day of highschool to celebrate! A scandal happened back when Willie's good name was tarnished. Being an albino groundhog he is an original in his field, so when Willie tragically passed one year only a month before his big day, those in charge chose to not make the announcement to the public and rushed to find a new albino groundhog, which they did! But what they did not accomplish was pulling the wool over Willie's fan's eyes Immediatly the scam was uncovered, people angered over missing the opportunity to pay their respects to the long honored animal resident of the town, and local businesses concerned for what the scandal would do to the event?! Could this new Willie really pull it off??? LOL the things that amuse, anger and excite people in a small town! I love it!

Needless to say the new Willie has pulled it off for the past couple of years, and the former was given his proper dues and goodbyes...the event has survived. So to make things fun today in the Shoeless Acres Academy we will study a little groundhog folklore...thought I would share with you!

First a little tune......(sung to the tune of a "little teapot)

luckily for everyone reading....you don't have to hear me sing this way!!

I see a little groundhog, furry and brown,

He's popping up to look around.

If he sees his shadow, down he'll go

Six more weeks of winter - oh no!

The original tradition of Candlemas Day came with the German settlers to America in the early 1700's. It fell at the mid-point between the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Superstition told that if the weather was nice on that day, the second half of the Windter would be stormy and cold.

For early Christians in Europe, it was the custom for the clergy to bless candles and distribute them to people in the dark of winter. If the sun came out on Feb. 2, it meant six more weeks of spring

But in Europe it was a hedgehog that was watched with hope that he'd not see his shadow. When the settlers arrived in America, there were no hedgehogs to be found, and the groundhog was adopted when it was found wintered underground like the hedgehog, and the Native Americans showed great respect for the groundhog.

From England

If Candlemas be fair and bright,

Winter has another flight.

If Candlmas brings cloud and rain,

Winter will not come again

From Scotland

If Candlemas Day is bright and clear,

There'll be two winters this year

From Germany

For as the sun shines on Candlemas Day,

So far will the snow swirl until May

For as the snow blows on Candlmas Day,