Frazz by Jef Mallett for January 20, 2025

Just about six weeks after Grounhog Day is the Spring Solstice.

Shame on Caulfield.

Actually, the Inner Circle of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club makes the decision months in advance.

~A Pennsylvanian

Doesn’t Phil have, like, a 40% success rate?

This kid is starting to get on my nerves. Maybe time to switch it up.

The end of "winter” is already on my calendar. Warm weather? … not so much.

Spring starts on March 1 meteorologically, and traditionally on March 21 astronomically. Do the math. :D

The December Solstice used to mark the mid winter point, at least in northern European cultures (as with the June Solstice being mid summer). Groundhog Day has its origins in Candlemas, one of the old cross-quarter days, the days coming midway between the solstices and equinoxes. By February 2nd, those ancient peoples were pretty much getting tired with the dark and cold of winter and were hoping for an early return of spring warmth, what is meant by the “early spring”. But, as the old saying associated with Candelmas goes, “If Candlemas dawn be bright and clear, then six more weeks of winter for the year” (may not be exactly like that).

And he starts with a bad assumption, as usual, then ends with a bad conclusion. Next.

How many more weeks of winter?

All of them.

It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. Did I say it doesn’t matter? How much money does the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club pull in anyway?

Mmmm. Pork sausage.

My Dad, who grew up in Puxy, told me that “Phil” is a fuzzy little guy who has no idea of what is going on…

I still think it’s a nice movie. So there.

Something tells me that Caulfield is going to be getting a lot of black eyes in high school.

Here in the Boston area, it’s winter until Patriot’s Day.