"As I look around me, a bright sky I see, and a shadow beside me. Six more weeks of winter it will be!"Punxsutawney, Pa. -- A record crowd of nearly 30-thousand people waited hours in the pre-dawn cold to find out from Punxsutawney Phil . . . "Six more weeks of winter."
Despite low clouds, fog and freezing Drizzle the nation's first prognosticating groundhog saw his shadow. Phil has seen his shadow nearly 80% of the time since he began forecasting the spring weather in 1887.
Gobbler's Knob, just outside of downtown Punxsutawney, was alive with a large bonfire, live music, fireworks and plenty of coffee and hot chocolate.
The windchill was 14 degrees as Phil emerged from his home to the cheers of thousands of followers.
Scott Harbaugh Meteorologist WPXI Severe Weather Team 11
Despite low clouds, fog and freezing Drizzle the nation's first prognosticating groundhog saw his shadow. Phil has seen his shadow nearly 80% of the time since he began forecasting the spring weather in 1887.
Gobbler's Knob, just outside of downtown Punxsutawney, was alive with a large bonfire, live music, fireworks and plenty of coffee and hot chocolate.
The windchill was 14 degrees as Phil emerged from his home to the cheers of thousands of followers.
Scott Harbaugh Meteorologist WPXI Severe Weather Team 11
I am sure Phil has a good life for 365 days 23 hours every year, but the one hour he is on stage must be torture. You should look at the web site and read all about this annual fesitval. What we humans will not do! The poor animal is thinking life is great and then WhAM-back on center stage in the middle of a crowd of tens of thousands of screaming NUTS! What must he think!
3 comments:
It's animal abuse I tell you!!!
I just saw Ruston on the map on the Weather Channel......apparently you are sending a tornado our way.....thanks
I have been to Punxey and to the spot where they have the ceremony, but it was in July. We were on our way to see Falling Water (Frank Lloyd Wright's house over the water in south western Pa. which Jim's dad worked on as one of the foremen.) I saw the big statue of the groundhog and wanted to turn around to go and get my picture taken with it. I remember my inlaws were not happy....but I think it took about 15 mins out of our schedule. I think it was worth the scorn.
Oh and by the way, I love the movie, Groundhog Day. Strange, but I just do. I know that PA feel that movie captured it pretty darn well!
LA has an entirely different feel, but there is something similar and I guess it is just good ol' down to earth folks.
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