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February 5, 2010 - CAMP Stories by Rich Barnett

Glory, Glory to the Groundhog

Greetings from Punxsutawney, the weather capital of the world, where I’ve just stood for two and a half hours in pre-dawn temperatures hovering between twelve and fifteen degrees to watch a rodent predict the weather.
It sounded like a good idea.

 

Back in the fall, you see, I attended a special event for an environmental organization where the martinis flowed like water and the next thing I knew I was holding a live groundhog—the world famous Punxsutawney Phil—in triumph after apparently bidding on and winning a VIP trip to Groundhog Day.

I’m still not sure how it all happened. But, as I often do when I get in these situations, I called in the troops. In this case, my dear friend Susan, a self-proclaimed wood tick from Oil City, PA, now living in a center hall Colonial in Chevy Chase, MD. She jumped at the chance to ditch her hubby and kids, and off we went in an F-150 in the middle of a blizzard.

Our first event was a cocktail party with the Inner Circle of the all male Punxsutawney Groundhog Club who organize the festivities and go by colorful nicknames such as Storm Chaser, Stump Warden, and Big Flake Maker. Interestingly, a lot of the Inner Circle vacation in Rehoboth’s Pines neighborhood.

I learned that back in the late nineteenth century, the local “good old boys” gathered on a hilltop for an afternoon of hunting, drinking, cooking, and eating groundhogs. Nobody eats ‘em today. I was relieved, having endured another rodent eating incident just last year.

Groundhog Day also has roots in what the northern Europeans called Candlemas, a mid-winter celebration of spiritual awakening. The Europeans believed that if it was fair and bright on Candlemas Day a badger would cast a shadow, meaning a second winter would come. The Germans, who settled Pennsylvania, adopted the native groundhog as their weather prognosticator.

The first official Groundhog Day was held in Punxsutawney on February 2, 1887. It’s now a weekend-long celebration of the groundhog. We watched an Amish rock and roll band, pub crawled with swarms of drunken partiers, and witnessed every incarnation of groundhog paraphernalia imaginable—wood carvings, ice carvings, plastic statues, mugs, hats, sweat shirts, t-shirts, and even pieces of fine art. I even learned to shoot a bb gun. It sounded like a good idea.

On the big day, Susan and I were pulled out of our beds at 3:00 am by a man with a black top hat and bow tie offering coffee and a shot of Bailey’s in preparation for the trip up to Gobbler’s Knob. There we joined thousands of faithful followers for Phil’s official prognostication: As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be.

I’m going back in the hole. See you in six.

You can reach Rich Barnett and read more of his stories about Rehoboth at www.rehobothwithrich.blogspot.com.

‹ February 5, 2010 - CAMP Out by Fay Jacobs up February 5, 2010 - CAMP Talk by Bill Sievert ›

Past Issues

Issues Index

  • February 5, 2010 - Issue Index
    • February 5, 2010 - Acknowledgments
    • February 5, 2010 - The Way I See It by Steve Elkins
    • February 5, 2010 - Speak Out
    • February 5, 2010 - In Brief
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Matters by Murray Archibald
    • February 5, 2010 - Beach Bum by Eric Morrison
    • February 5, 2010 - Booked Solid by Terri Schlichenmeyer
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Arts by Doug Yetter
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Dates
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Film
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Fitness by Rick Moore
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Money by Chris Beagle
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Out by Fay Jacobs
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Stories by Rich Barnett
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMP Talk by Bill Sievert
    • February 5, 2010 - CAMPshots Gallery Index
    • February 5, 2010 - Eating Out by Fay Jacobs
    • February 5, 2010 - Gay 'n Gray by John Siegfried
    • February 5, 2010 - High CAMP by Brent Mundt
    • February 5, 2010 - Members Update by Beth Cohen
    • February 5, 2010 - Thank You
    • February 5, 2010 - View Point by Peter Rosenstein
    • February 5, 2010 - We Remember
    • February 5, 2010 - Women's FEST by Fay Jacobs
  • March 12, 2010 - Issue Index
  • April 9, 2010 - Issue Index
  • May 7, 2010 - Issue Index
  • May 21, 2010 - Issue Index
  • June 4, 2010 - Issue Index
  • June 18, 2010 - Issue Index
  • July 2, 2010 - Issue Index
  • July 16, 2010 - Issue Index
  • July 30, 2010 - Issue Index
  • August 13, 2010 - Issue Index
  • August 27, 2010 - Issue Index
  • September 17, 2010 - Issue Index
  • October 15, 2010 - Issue Index
  • November 19, 2010 - Issue Index

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