Listen to The Ground Hog

I don't know about y'all, but I'm taking the ground hog's word for it.Today is Groundhog day and here in Pennsyltucky, it is big business. As you can see by the above picture it draws quite the crowd. I remember when I was a wee one in school. Whatever class you were in the teachers all rolled out a tv stand and we would all watch the festivities on the television set. I was always fascinated by it. Well today Phil, the ground hog, didn't see his shadow. You do know the folklore don't you? Punxsutawney Phil is a groundhog resident of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. On February 2, Groundhog Day of each year, the town of Punxsutawney celebrates the beloved groundhog with a festive atmosphere of music and food. During the ceremony, which begins well before the winter sunrise, Phil emerges from his temporary home on Gobbler's Knob, located in a rural area about east of town. According to the tradition, if Phil sees his shadow and returns to his hole, the United States will have six more weeks of winter. If Phil does not see his shadow, spring will arrive early. The date of Phil's prognostication is known as Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. During the rest of the year, Phil lives in the town library with his "wife" Phyllis. A select group, called the Inner Circle, takes care of Phil year-round and also plan the annual ceremony. Members of the Inner Circle are recognizable by their top hats and tuxedos. Phil currently has two co-handlers, Ben Hughes and John Griffiths.Punxsutawney Phil fans say that there is only one Phil (all the other groundhog weathermen are imposters), and that he has made weather prognostications for over 120 years as of 2010. They say that every summer, Phil is fed a sip of the mysterious Groundhog Punch, which magically lengthens his life for seven years. This is done by Inner Circle members. According to the Groundhog Club, Phil, after making the prediction, speaks to the Club President in "Groundhogese", which only the Inner Circle appear to understand, and then his prediction is translated for the entire world. Data shows, however, groundhogs have a maximum lifespan of 10 years in captivity or 6 years in the wild. Thus it is certain that Phil has been replaced many times.