There are lots of resources about Groundhog Day (as it is known in the United States) on the internet. An excellent overview and comparison of historical practices and their relation to what’s really happening in the natural world at this time is at Origin of Groundhog Day over at about.com. Go ahead and follow the links to the other pages from this one… this series of articles is well-written and entertaining.
Curious about marmota monax? Here’s a page chock-full of woodchuck info! Gopher page. This image, by the way, is # 200352550-001, a Photodisc Royalty Free Photograph from photosearch.
For our family, we celebrate the cross quarter days as they are known in many earth-based religions as well as the solstices and equinoxes, incorporating some of the imagery from Christian and Jewish (and occasionally other traditions’) overlays when appropriate. As gardeners, the ebb and flow of the seasons is important to us — we are tied to the land and the cycles large and small that give life. These “mini holy days” offer a chance for us to slow down and observe the changes, to mark the passage of time in a predictable way.
Today is a looking forward day in our family. We know some stormy weather lies ahead, but already the willows are beginning to send out fuzzy cats’ paws, the fruit trees’ buds are swelling with the promise of flowers to come, the birds are beginning to establish breeding territories. This month, it is time to finalize plans for this year’s gardens, ready the soils, order the seeds and seedlings — and tubers — we will plant in March, make sure the tools are ready to go.
We will look at the weather reports, and check our own weather, and whether Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow or not, we will know that Spring will eventually appear, and the life in the garden will re-emerge!
Happy Groundhog Day to you and yours!