Episode published: Sunday 02/11/2024
Michael: Hi, and welcome to a special bonus episode of Every Day is Groundhog Day (Except for the Days When It's Not). I'm your host, Michael. Groundhog Day 2024 was last week, and I wanted to do a special Groundhog Day wrap-up episode to discuss this past Groundhog Day season. Here with me are my daughters. Say hello!
C: Hi!
E: Hi!
Michael: So, let's talk about what we did this year for Groundhog Day. On the 27th of January, we went to see Tinicum Tim down in Philadelphia. How was that?
C: It was really fun. We got to sing carols to make the groundhog come out.
E: And there's a lot of activities. We got to see some animals and Tinicum Tim.
Michael: What kind of animals?
E: We saw a turtle, snake, and a bird.
Michael: What kind of activities were there?
E: You could color a groundhog and then put it onto a tunnel, like a barrel, and a nest.
Michael: Was there any food there, or treats?
C: Yeah, there was apple juice or apple cider, and they had rice crispy treats and hot pretzels, but we didn't get to have any of those.
Michael: Was Tinicum Tim a real groundhog?
E: No, he was a puppet. He was on a string, and they pulled him up.
Michael: Do you remember some of the songs we sang?
C: Yeah, we sang one called “Wake Up Little Timmy,” “The Groundhog Sleeps Tonight,” and then, "Groundhog Lullaby.”
Michael: And then what did we do later that weekend?
E: We decorated groundhog cupcakes.
C: It's a tradition that we do every year where we take chocolate cupcakes, and we use frosting and Reese's, and we make it look like a groundhog.
Michael: And then what happened on Groundhog Day?
E: First, we woke up very early and went out, in the morning. We went to Staten Island Zoo and saw Staten Island Chuck and there was a big crowd.
Michael: There was a big crowd. We didn't leave early enough I guess, and then I missed a turn and we got there later than we should have and by the time we got there, we did not get a very good spot. But it was still fun. There was no one to show my Groundhog Day press credentials to, so we were pretty far in the back.
E: They also gave us hats and gloves and hot chocolate.
Michael: That was nice. I think they had a guessing contest as well and they had children singing and telling funny jokes about groundhogs and then there were some speeches and then Staten Island Chuck was revealed, and did he see his shadow?
E: No. He did not, it was early spring.
Michael: That's correct. And sorry Cy, you had to go to school, so you didn't come on that trip.
C: I have a question for you. What do you think is going to happen? Which groundhogs do you believe? Do you think it's going to be early spring or long winter?
Michael: So, most of the Groundhog Day forecasters said early spring and I don't know, we did have a relatively nice couple of days here. I also know that we're supposed to get a storm this week and get a few inches of snow, so I don't know. Maybe Concord Casimir gave the correct prediction. Concord Casimir is the cat that eats pierogies and I believe that he said, don't be fooled, it might seem like it's going to be early spring but there could still be some winter weather ahead. So, maybe Concord Casimir is the correct one this year. But the majority of them did say early spring. What else did we do after we saw Staten Island Chuck?
E: We went to a farm, and we went to see Cluxatawney Henrietta and there was some breakfast there and food there. Cluxatawney Henrietta laid an egg, so that was early spring.
Michael: What did you think about that ceremony?
E: It was fun. I liked that they had some activities and food. There was also a cat that we saw at the beginning of it and very playful.
Michael: Yeah, Cluxatawney Henrietta lives on a farm, it's called Muscoot Farm, so there are farm animals around. I guess that was a farm cat that was just wandering around while we waited for the ceremony to begin. What kind of treats or breakfast did they have?
E: They had bread, they had orange juice, they had, like, some cookies. They had bagels.
Michael: I think that's it. Some of the cookies said 'Early Spring' or...
E: Early winter. I mean–
Michael: Long winter, yeah. I would say one of the best parts about Cluxatawney Henrietta is that we got a really good spot and could actually see the animal whereas at the Staten Island Zoo, we could not see Staten Island Chuck very well. But we got very close up and you even got to pet Cluxatawney Henrietta, right?
E: Yeah, they let us pet Henrietta. It was a very fun Groundhog Day.
Michael: So, after we returned from Cluxatawney Henrietta and Staten Island Chuck's predictions, what did you guys do after you returned from school, Cy?
C: We also went to a program at a library nearby us and we helped kids make Groundhog Day cupcakes.
Michael: Was that fun?
E: Yeah.
Michael: And then what did we do that night?
C: We watched the movie Groundhog Day.
Michael: So, both Staten Island Chuck and Cluxatawney Henrietta predicted an early spring and that was what the vast majority of Groundhog Day forecasters predicted this year. Punxsutawney Phil also predicted an early spring and that's very rare for Punxsutawney Phil, he leans more toward long winter. In some years, like last year, the Groundhog Day forecasters are more evenly split in their predictions. Last year, it was roughly half and half. About half said early spring and half said long winter. But this year, most of the Groundhog Day forecasters are calling for an early spring. So, let's look at the results so far. Right now, there are 102 predictions that I have and what's the percentage that says early spring?
C: 74.51%
Michael: And what percentage says long winter?
E: 25.49%.
Michael: So, that's a lot. Why don't we go down the list and read out what each Groundhog Day forecaster said?
E: Yeah!
C: Okay.
Michael: Allen McButterpants.
E: Early spring.
Michael: What do you think about that name?
C: Very interesting.
Michael: Yeah, that might be the most fun name on this list. Allen McButterpants is pretty new. I think last year was their first prediction.
C: And they're a groundhog.
Michael: They are a groundhog, a living groundhog. Babylon Belle.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Babylon Belle is a new one this year, it's a groundhog mascot. Balzac Billy.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Beardsley Bart.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Bee Cave Bob.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Benny the Bass.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Benny the Bass is another early Groundhog Day forecaster. It might actually be the earliest one. They usually go the Saturday before Groundhog Day, around 6:00 AM, 6:30-7:00 AM. Big Al.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Bristol Bob.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Buckeye Chuck.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Buffalo Bert.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Cedar.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Chicago Harry.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Chicago Harry is a groundhog that they had at a Groundhog Day reunion in Chicago. It's a new groundhog, I don't know if they're ever going to do it again but they had a reunion of the Groundhog Day cast and the city of Chicago declared it Harold Ramis Day, Harold Ramis was the director of the movie Groundhog Day and he passed away 10 years ago so they had a number of cat members, including Bill Murray, go to the ceremony and that was kind of cool. They declared it Harold Ramis Day. So, Chicago Harry said long winter and we'll see if it becomes an annual tradition or not. Chilly Charlie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Chuck Wood.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Chuckles.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Cincinnati Sammy.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Cluxatawney Henrietta.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Concord Casimir.
C: This one's special because he predicted mild weather for a while but don't be fooled.
Michael: Yeah, as we talked about, this is the cat that eats pierogies and the way he eats his pierogies indicates what his prediction is. Concord Charlie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Dover Doug.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Dunkirk Dave.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Edgewater Elsie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Elliott the Groundhog.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Fenwick Flossie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Flatiron Freddy.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Fred la Marmotte.
E: Early spring.
Michael: French Creek Freddie.
C: Early spring.
Michael: General Beauregard Lee.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Gertie the Groundhog.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Grover Cleveland Undergrounder.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Grover the Groundhog and Sweet Arrow Sue.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Harleysville Hank.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Heaven's Wildlife Harvey.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Holtsville Hal.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Hope the Groundhog.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Hutty the Hog.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Jimmy the Groundhog.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Josie Burrow.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Kennebec Kenny.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Lady Edwina of Essex.
E: Early spring.
Michael: That's a local one, that one's in New Jersey. Lander Lil.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Landing Lily.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Landis Lou.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Lawrenceville Lucy.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Lucy the Lobster.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Malverne Mel.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Manitoba Merv.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Middlemiss Mike.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Milltown Mel.
E: No prediction.
Michael: Yeah, for the third year in a row there was no Milltown Mel. The first year, he passed away, the last two years they apparently haven't been able to find a replacement. This year, they did a little media tour and they said that they were having problems finding a groundhog that was acceptable by the state. Milwaukee County Zoo Penguins.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Mount Joy Minnie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Ms. G.
C: Early spring.
Michael: MT Parker.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Mt. Gretna Grady.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Niblet.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Octoraro Orphie.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Okanagan Okie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Orion the deer.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Patty Pagoda.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Pisgah Penny.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Polk County Paula.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Poor Richard.
C: Early spring
Michael: Poppy the Skunk.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Potato and Yam.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Potawatomi Poppy. I have no idea if I said that right.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Potomac Phil.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Prairie Dog Pete.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Prairie Dog Poppy.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Punxsutawney Phil.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Queen City Charlie.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Quentin the Quahog.
E: Early spring.
Both: Roxbury Rita.
Michael: Long winter. Sam Champion.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Sam Champion is named after a famous meteorologist and is now a groundhog. Sand Mountain Sam.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Sassafras.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Schnogadahl Sammi.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Scramble the Duck.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Shubenacadie Sam.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Smith Lake Jake.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Snerd.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Starr Lions.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Staten Island Chuck.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Stonewall Jackson.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Stormy Marmot.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Stumptown Fil.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Susquehanna Sherman.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Sylvia, The Apex Armadillo.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Tad and Lil.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Tinicum Tim.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Tiva.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Two Rivers Tunnel.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Unadilla Billie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Uni.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Van Isle Violet.
E: Long winter.
Michael: Waffles.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Walnut.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Wiarton Willie.
C: Early spring.
Michael: Wildwood Willie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Will and Wiley.
C: No prediction.
Michael: Yeah, they're bears that usually do a Groundhog Day prediction, but I guess they were still hibernating this year. Willow the Woodchuck.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Woodburn Wild Charles Winchester.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Woodstock Willie.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Woody.
C: Long winter.
Michael: Yahdee.
E: Early spring.
Michael: Yonah the Groundhog.
C: Early spring.
Michael: And that's everybody we have so far. There are definitely a few that I'm still looking for but again, 102 predictions, 76 say early spring, 26 say long winter. Did you guys have an enjoyable Groundhog Day this year?
Cy and E: Yeah!
Michael: Are you looking forward to Groundhog Day 2025?
E: Yeah.
C: Yeah.
Michael: Next year it's going to be on a Sunday so that means we might all be able to go see– I don't know what Groundhog Day forecaster or forecasters we are going to see but gives us a little more flexibility, nobody has to miss school. Groundhog Day 2025, here we come!
E: Yay!
C: Wooo!
Michael: And that's today's episode. Music for the show was written by the mysterious Breakmaster Cylinder. Show artwork is by Tom Mike Hill. Transcripts are provided by Aveline Malek at TheWordary.com. If you want to learn more about Groundhog Day visit CountdownToGroundhogDay.com. Any feedback or voice messages can be sent to podcast@countdowntogroundhogday.com. Thanks for listening.
All: Byeeeee!
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Transcribed by Aveline Malek at TheWordary.com