Many of us citified folks have never seen a groundhog in person. But most of us know the tradition which holds that if a groundhog comes out of its winter hibernation hole on Feb. 2 and the sun is out - so he sees his shadow - he goes back into his burrow, signaling that spring will not break through for six more weeks.
The "official" groundhog we look to these days is in Punxsutawney, Pa., He's appropriately named "Punxsutawney Phil." Well, what happened yesterday?
Phil reportedly didn't see his shadow, thus indicating an early spring will be coming! Most people are probably tired of winter and hope Phil's prognostication of early spring is correct.
What's the past record involving, obviously, several different "Phils" over the years?
It is reported that Phil has seen his shadow 98 times and hasn't seen it only 16 times since 1887. (Records from some years are missing.)
But what about our Tennessee groundhogs? Did they see their shadows? It's according to where they were. Yesterday was an iffy day, with clouds and sun mingling in the Chattanooga area. So will we have an early or a late spring?
Maybe the answer depends on whether you ask Punxsutawney Phil - or consult a Chattanooga groundhog. (Lilburn, Ga.'s slightly less famed groundhog, Gen. Beauregard Lee, also predicted an early spring.)
The Groundhog Day tradition is steeped in superstition, of course. But locally, at least, we hope most of "our" groundhogs didn't see any shadows - and that spring will come much sooner than six weeks from now.