Introducing Punxsutawney Phil, the Pennsylvanian groundhog!!

Back in South Africa, I'd heard about Groundhog Day, but never quite understood it's meaning, and what the heck is a Groundhog anyway???

Well, today is Groundhog Day, and in true 'American Tale' fashion, I have delved into the history of this special day so as to enrich your lives and impart knowledge! (that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it!)

Let's see....it started off in Germany, where farmers waited till late in the winter months to see the hedgehog come out from his underground home. If the hedgehog saw his own shadow on a sunny day, then that meant another long six weeks of winter were still ahead. And back in his hole he went!

Years later, German settlers in Pennsylvania, brought the old belief with them, and the hedgehog was replaced with the American groundhog.

Today there is a very famous groundhog residing in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. His name is Punxsutawney Phil. Every year, residents and paparazzi await anxiously to see what Punxsutawney Phil's prediction will be.

Will he see his shadow, and sentence us to another 6 weeks of winter, or will there be an early Spring this year.

This is serious stuff here people!!

Anyway, here is this years prediction, as per Punxsutawney Phil from Pennsylvania............

Greetings from Punxsutawney!


Phil Says Six More Weeks!
Phil's official forecast as read February 2nd, 2010 at sunrise at Gobbler's Knob:


Hear Ye Hear Ye Hear Ye
On Gobbler's Knob on this glorious Groundhog Day, February 2nd, 2010, Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of all Prognosticators awoke to the call of President Bill Deeley and greeted his handlers, John Griffiths and Ben Hughes.


After casting a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers, Phil proclaimed, "If you want to know next, you must read my text. As the sky shines bright above me, my shadow I see beside me. So six more weeks of winter it will be."

(That's not my words by the way, that's actually on the official website!)

So there you have it. If you didn't know, now you know!

Here's a little more about Punxsutawney Phil, in case you are interested........

Plesh-hul-hay-jans

No, the above title was not a typo! And no, I have not OD'd on my Dunkin' Donuts caffeine.
Let me elaborate.....

My 8 year old started to tell me how he made his school TV debut during his pleshulhayjans.

Pardon me Kellan??

While I was doing my pleshulhayjans mommy...

You're WHAT Kellan???

(Heavy sigh of frustration from 8 year old) My PLESHULHAYJANS!!!!

Kellan.....I'm sorry my boy, but I have NO idea what you are talking about! Give me a clue please......

(Severe rolling of the eyes from 8 year old) Mommy!! You know what I mean....that thing we do every morning at school........

 Okaaaayyyyyy?????? (still clueless at this point!!)

It's that thing where we talk about America & the flag.........

Suddenly light dawns! I start to smile, and it erupts into a full blown bellylaugh!!

Kellan, do you mean the Pledge of Allegiance?

(a satisfied grin breaks out on his face..) YEEESSSSS Mommy!!

You gotta love it!!



                         {photo source}

Rewind

I've had a few days of sick children, and probably ended up catching their bug too, so it's been about 4 days of coughing and blocked sinuses. Medicine, nasal sprays and hugs as well. But kids are once again off to school, and the house is crying out for some attention. However, I thought I'd first catch everyone up on what's been happening in the Hersey home lately. (I will get to the housework.....I promise!!)


The kids are doing really well in school. They love it....no, really!! I kid you not!! Never thought I'd hear myself say that, but it's true. They seem to have gotten used to the longer school hours, as opposed to what they were used to in South Africa. They have made friends, and are now starting to say "class" with an american accent! Some things haven't changed however, it seems the game of "kissing catches" is universal, as Connor has been playing here just like he did in SA. Lets hope it's a health conscious version of the game, what with the school worrying about swine flu etc, etc.


The only hiccup we have had to deal with, is Kellan's reading level. It seems SA is much further behind in this area, and Kellan has to have some extra tuition in order to catch up with the other kids in the class. It's actually quite concerning to me just how behind South Africa is, in this regard. I cannot vouch for Private schools in SA, as we only had experience in Public schools. But, I'm trusting he'll be caught up real soon.


Last week, I was invited by some neighbours, whom we have recently discovered are South African expats too, to a ladies get-together. They are all from SA, and call themselves "The Koeksusters". It was really nice getting together with them, and finding some answers on questions I've had since arriving in the US. It was basically the first social get together I've had since we've been here, and because I haven't made any other friends yet, it was great to mix, and meet other people. We had soup and salad, which is a very American lunch menu, and at first seemed a strange mix to me, but I'm really getting into it now. Especially brocolli and cheese soup...yum! It was very encouraging, and in the midst of all my homesickness, and loneliness, it gave me hope that soon I will have friends, and the homesickness will start to subside.

The 411 on Vermont

Well, the kids and I are off to Vermont on Thursday for 12 days...woohoo!! Andy is in Germany during that time, on business, and yes...he would much rather be with us!

In honour of our upcoming trip I have decided to give y'all the 411 on Vermont (had to do some research myself anyway...)
As those of you who have been following this blog know, I am a fan of interesting facts, and useless snippets of information about places. Therefore, I didn't want to disappoint you all, by not giving you some more of these nuggets of information. Which I know you all can't wait to read, and are sitting on the edge of your computer chair in anticipation , *wink*

So here goes.....

1. Vermont is 160 miles long and 80 miles wide.
2. Vermont is the second smallest state in population.
3. Vermont has the least amount of violent crimes out of all 50 states.
4. The capital of Vermont is Montpelier.
5. Montpelier is the smallest state capital in the U.S.
6. Montpelier is the only state capital without a McDonalds.
7. More people live in a rural setting in Vermont than in an urban setting.
8. Rudyard Kipling, living in Vermont in the 1890's invented the game of snow golf.
9. In 1846, the first postage stamp in America is printed in Brattleboro, Vermont.
10. The Green Mountains, one of the oldest mountain ranges in the world, run up the center of the state. In fact, the state’s name is derived from it: Ver, from the French word for green, vert; and -mont from mountain.
11. Ben & Jerry's Ice cream gives their ice cream waste to local farmers who feed it to their hogs. The hogs seem to like every flavor except Mint Oreo!
12. In 1886, Ebenezer J. Ormsbee and Levi K. Fuller ran for Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Vermont. Each were one-armed amputees. Their campaign slogan was "two good arms between the two of us."
13. Until 1996, VT was the only state without a Wal-Mart.
14. Three quarters of Vermont is covered with forest, including ash, beech, birch, maple, hickory, oak, pine and spruce trees.
15. Champ is a legendary sea creature believed to live in Lake Champlain. Champ might be a reptile, fish, or mammal, or just an old myth or story passed down through the centuries. There have been over 300 Champ sightings recorded: the first as early as 1819, and most recently in 1995.

Well, there you have it, my expounded list of all things Vermont!! Or "The Green Mountain State", as it is also called.

Never let it be said you learn nothing from reading this blog!!