Redflame ~ My Take

could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck would chuck wood. 

(See more cute pics at Hoghaven.com)

Yes, Ground Hog Day is today as I write this.  It should be called Woodchuck Day thus honoring the Indian derivation of the name.   Imagine trying to sing  "How much wood could a Ground Hog chuck if a Groumd Hog—-"  well you get the idea.  All in the interest of poetic beat.  I have in mind writing some little ditty about what happens when he sees or does not see his shadow.  

When Woodchuck Phil

Slides down his hill

And sees his pudgy shad-O

He turns around

And with a bound

Goes back to his pad O.

Six weeks more

Are in store

Of snow and rain and wind O.

If no shadow’s  had

Sunshine’s the  fad

And joyous spring  will be the thing O.

Okay, Okay, it’s pure doggerel but I’m in good company .  There are any number of doggerel bits explaining the animal’s shadow or or lack of it on Candlemas Day.   Punxsutawney Phil is just one of a half dozen groundhogs who come forth on their namesake day to trumpet their weather predictions,  but Phil seems to have the best press as thousands descend on the town of Punxsutaney,  Pennsyllvania every year. 

FLASH!   This just in.  Punxutawney Phil came out and and predicted six weeks more of winter weather !    (Safe enough the way the weather has been acting. )

POLITICS

Wow!  Don’t you love the way the excitement is building up for super Tuesday?  And what a difference a couple of weeks make.  Down to three in the Republicans with McCain looking the almost sure winner,  Down to two in the Democrats with no surety of who will come out on top.  Be sure and VOTE!  As for me, as a Democrat, almost on the verge of tossing a coin, I finally decided on Hilary as being the more experienced.  I like McCain, too, and that makes him a formidable opponent as there are a lot of us that like him.  But he IS a Republican.

Todays HAIKU;

Snowy white cotton fields,

On every stem

A towel, a sock, a blouse, a shirt.

That’s thirty for Ground Hog Day–er Woodchuck Day

Dean