Re: Egg Tempera Print Shadow Day

Hi Pete,

I'm glad you asked.

Well Groundhog Day sorta like Easter, but a little bit earlier—on February
2nd in the United States. If Jesus, ooops, I mean the groundhog (not "ground
hog" or suasage made thereof), comes out of his burrow (just slightly smaller
than the last residence of Saddam Hussein) and sees his shadow, that means
there will be 6 more weeks of bad weather and he returns to his burrow in a fit of
bad tempera for a bit more hibernation and everyone is depressed. If the
groundhog doesn't see his shadow, then Spring has arrived and everyone is happy.
  It all seems counter-intuitive, doesn't it? It would seem that this
tradition has its roots in ancient European peegan myths and holidays.

The most famous porcine prognosticator is Punxsutawney Phil —
http://www.groundhog.org/, who resides in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. Each year on February
2nd, there is a celebration held around his burrow and television cameras
record his emergence and response to the weather. It seems that Phil has been
doing this for decades, which defies the current data regarding the longevity
of groundhogs. There are records of Phil's performances dating back to 1887,
when he first emerged from his burrow located at Gobbler's Knob (repeat that 3
times very fast).

This year, 2004, Phil Saw his shadow, as did everyone else—there were,
however, no Weapons of Mass Destruction observed in or near the burrow, though "W"
and Cheney have not given up on the search yet.

I am not sure of the exact derivation of the word Punxsutawney, which is
eggstremely difficult to pronounce, but it probably has roots in some obscure
hybrid of Dutch and Native American culture.

There was also a movie by the name of "Groundhog Day", which starred Bill
Murray. It was shot in a small town near where I live in Illinois. Due to
recent tornadoes (31 in a 3 hour period near Chicago) this past week, there are
fewer small towns near where I live in Illinois.

Unlike Easter, on Groundhog Day, women do not feel some primal urge to adorn
their heads with eggstravagant hattery.

I hope this answers your questions regarding Groundhog Day and you now
understand eggsactly how this important holiday is interwoven with American culture
and tradition.

Mark Nelson
Precision Digital Negatives

In a message dated 4/22/04 2:16:56 PM, temperaprint@blueyonder.co.uk writes:

> Mark,
>
> I just know that I am going to regret this question !!!!! But what is
> Groundhog Day ? I am very eggcited to find out
>
>
> Pete >;--<<
>

Mark Nelson
Time flies like an arrow.
Fruit flies like a banana.
—Groucho Marx
Received on Thu Apr 22 15:25:59 2004