Groundhog Day

Curious about how long this winter will last? The superstitious can take a cue from Groundhog Day's forecast based on whether the titular animal sees his shadow. On February 2, Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, is the stage for the Inner Circle club, a group of local dignitaries, who carry out the tradition of bringing a groundhog named Punxsutawney Phil out of an artificial tree stump. The club's president then speaks to the stocky groundhog, learning which pre-written scroll carries Phil's divination. The outcomes? Six more weeks of winter or early spring. Once the prediction is made, the top-hatted men read it to the crowd, who cheer Phil on either way. A relative of Phil's, the alpine marmot seen here today, has its own winter tradition of stocking up on food to prepare for a long hibernation. Let's hope that Phil doesn't see his shadow so we can exit our own.
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