OK. This morning Punxsutaweny Phil, the nation's original weatherman, saw his shadow, indicating "six more weeks of winter".
Think about that:
When you see shadows, it is a bright, sunny day. If you don't see shadows, it is cloudy and overcast. So, "sunny" equals more winter? What's with that?
February 2 is the middle point between Winter Solstice on December 21 and Spring Equinox on March 20.
And forklore has it that if the midpoint of Winter is bright and sunny, the remaining weeks of Winter will be harsh and stormy. So ... Seeing a shadow on February 2 equals "bright and sunny" which equals more more harsh Winter weather to come. More here.
In ancient Celtic traditions, the middle points between solticies and equinoxes were known as Cross Quarter Days and were celebrated as High Holy Days. February 2, the Cross Quarter Day betwwen Winter Soltice and Spring Equinox, was called Imbolc.
February 2 is also exactly 40 days after December 25. Ancient Jewish women celebrated a ritual purification exactly 40 days after the birth of a son. According to early Christian tradition, Mary, the mother of Jesus, would have celebrated this ritual on February 2, 40 days after December 25.
;)
;)
;)
I'm not surprised we are going to have more winter. It's been miserably cold lately here in Manhattan. When its sunny its usually colder than when its cloudy, maybe thats why when the sun is out the groundhog is colder and cant wait to get back in his burrow.