Richard's Poor Almanac by Richard Thompson for July 02, 2021
Transcript:
Richard's Poor Almanac by Richard Thompson Today is Groundhog Day, the one day we set aside each year to honor the ancient art of rodentomancy (the forecasting of events by consulting a large squirrel). So here some Groundhog Day lore Asked get about the weather. You ask about the weather. Ask it to invent the wheel. Should we come back at a better time? During the Pleistocene era, cavemen worship the mighty proto-groundhog. The instant it awoke from hibernation they would pester it with like a million questions. It eventually became extinct. Ancient Celtic Festival of (ask the wee beastie day) was popular circa 300 BC but was discontinued as celebrants inevitably found themselves to tongue-tied and dehydrated when it finally came time to ask the groundhog a question. Will we have an early spring, O mighty one. Who's gonna win on super Tuesday? Any thoughts on the Super Bowl? Phil nowadays the Mecca for Groundhog Day observers is the Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney (place whose economy depends on a squirrel). Every year thousands of believers gather to hear the season's forecast by the world-famous Punxsutawney Phil. The rest of us stay home.
Another cherished ritual we mustn’t look at too closely.