It's official, an early spring is on its way! Pennsylvania's own "Punxsutawney Phil" emerged from his dwelling at Gobbler's Knob this morning and did not see his shadow.
How did the Groundhog Day legend come to be? According to the The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club:
Groundhog Day, February 2nd, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. Myths such as this tie our present to the distant past when nature did, indeed, influence our lives. It is the day that the Groundhog comes out of his hole after a long winter sleep to look for his shadow.
If he sees it, he regards it as an omen of six more weeks of bad weather and returns to his hole.
If the day is cloudy and, hence, shadowless, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground.
Here's a really easy Groundhog Day song for kids to brighten up the day.
Enjoy your weekend!