How much more winter?

(Feb. 1, 2010) Tomorrow, Feb. 2, is Groundhog Day when traditionally Punxsutawney Phil predicts how long winter will last.
Each year in the town of Punxsutawney, Pa., this legendary animal emerges from his home to look for his shadow. The myth goes another six weeks of winter weather is on its way if the groundhog sees his shadow as dawn breaks. No shadow means an early spring.
The holiday supposedly began as a German custom in Pennsylvania in the 18th and 19th centuries. It possibly has origins in ancient European weather lore, though prior legends gave the prognosticating job to a badger or a sacred bear, not a groundhog.
There are also other similarities including the medieval Catholic holiday of Candlemas and the pagan festival of Imbolc, the seasonal turning point of the Celtic calendar that comes between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.
Newspaper editor Clymer H. Freas and American Congressman W. Smith are credited with launching the yearly festival in Punxsutawney in the late 1800s. Punxsutawney Phil has been doing his thing since 1887. Phil has seen his shadow 99 out of 114 times, and he has been right only 39 percent of the time.
Let's hope Phil does not see his shadow tomorrow. We've had enough winter this year and enough cabin fever.
However, the checking online has been a godsend. Recorder Community Newspapers has 15 online newspapers with more than 50 blogs among them. You can read the latest local news as well as information on a variety of interesting topics. The blogs are an interactive 21st century communication.
Any community group or individual interested in joining Recorder bloggers is invited to call me at (908) 832-7420 or e-mail panderson@recordernewspapers.com to find out more about this free offer. All you need is a computer or other Internet connection device and an e-mail.