I'll explain shortly.
Firstly, I'd like to thank Shirl at Shirls Gardenwatch for allowing me to use the above photo to promote the Hedgehog survey. Full details of the survey can be found here. I'm hoping to take part, although I haven't seen a hedgehog for over a year, but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough.
Today is Groundhog Day in the United States and Canada. Folklore states that if today is cloudy when the groundhog emerges, then spring will come early. But if it is sunny and the groundhog sees its shadow, it will return to its burrow, and there will be six more weeks of winter. Good luck with that one then.
Apparently, this piece of folklore was brought over to the U.S. by German settlers. However, in Germany there are no Groundhogs, and it is believed that originally the prediction related to badgers or hedgehogs. Hedgehogs ? Yes, hedgehogs, you can see where I'm going here can't you ?
Well actually, I'm going back to Ancient Rome where the Romans used a very similar prediction. The main difference being the hedgehog seeing its shadow in moonlight not sunlight. That's not bad going for a prediction that has survived for over two thousand years and gone global. So you see it really is Hedgehog Day today.
But what about here in the UK ? Today is also Candlemas Day, and we've got a saying about that:
'If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter will have another flight,
But if Candlemas Day be clouds and rain,
Winter is gone and will not come again.'
It's a glorious sunny day today.
Oh no !
I enjoyed this post very much. Interesting to read a different approach to the Groundhog Day stories we are so familiar with over here.
ReplyDeleteFunny how clouds and rain mean spring is near, while sun is not a good sign.
The Groundhog did see his shadow this morning so six more weeks of winter is predicted in the northern states. Not a big surprise.
In our warmer zone we know there's little chance the weather will be wintry for six weeks. In fact it will be quite hot since yesterday was 80F/27C.
80F, lovely. We're at freezing point at the moment with heavy snow forecast for tomorrow. Looks like the prediction was right, here in the UK.
DeleteWell it is certainly fair and bright in Aberdeen today, should really be outside tidying up however the house manager has found one of her yearly decorating jobs for me to get on with. We used to get hedgehogs visiting regularly haven't seen any sign of them for at least five years.
ReplyDeleteBut when the decorating is done, you can go out..... in the snow.
DeleteWe used to have hedgehogs visit regularly too, but not anymore.
How cute are hedgehogs! I've never had any in my garden that I know of, and there's lots of good places for them to hide. Mabye because I have cats? I'll have to check out the website you mention.
ReplyDeleteOur neighbours have cats, but they don't seem to bother the hedgehogs. In fact, I think they had more trouble with our dogs.
DeleteHmm, it's raining here tonight - do you think spring will soon be here? Or is that just wishful thinking? I wonder if the hedgehog has a better track record than the Groundhog here. I don't think he's right very often!
ReplyDeleteThe hedgehog prediction has been around for 2,000 years, so it just might be more reliable. We'll have to wait and see.
DeleteSo the Candlemas weather predictor and the ground hog day folklore both work the same way. If it is cloudy, spring is early. Unfortunately, the Pennsylvania ground hog (the original and most famous) was the only one of the many North American ground hog weather predictors who saw his shadow meaning more winter. Very funny.
ReplyDeleteOops, sorry.
DeleteU na sporo jeży widziałam, nawet mamę z dziećmi. Jestem nawet tym zaskoczona, bo mieszkam na osiedlu mieszkaniowym, a nie we własnym domu.Ludzi spor, ale i jeże są. Lubię te kolczaste zwierzątka. Pozdrawiam. *** U of I saw a lot of hedgehogs, even my mother with children. I am even surprised, because I live in a housing, rather than at home. Sports people, but they are hedgehogs. I like these spiny animals. Yours.
ReplyDeleteI never remember when Punxsutawney Phil (the name of the groundhog in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania) did not see his shadow. We are always in for 6 more weeks of winter. But this year, winter never arrived, so 6 more weeks won't be all bad. On a related note, watch the movie, Ground Hog Day. It's a cute movie.
ReplyDeleteHello again, Crystal! Sorry I’ve been slow with my visit :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks for helping promote the hedgehog survey. A great post. Ah winter…. it really hasn’t hit us proper yet. I wonder if it will. The strong winds certainly caught us on the hop though.