Tuesday, February 02, 2010

Another Six Weeks of Glorious Winter


(image borrowed from the World Wide Interwebs)

In the timeless spirit of making a big deal out of nothing, we are commencing a family tradition of celebrating the fairly unremarkable calendar event known as: Groundhog Day. It is our intention to break up the monotony of a "long" winter, with frivolity, randomness, song and hoopla.

For many years the boys have inquired about this second day of February and the rumored observation of the behaviors of a certain Marmota monax, aka Punxsutawney Phil. Ironically we have consistently marked the occasion by realizing on the third day of February that we had forgotten to tune in and join in the celebration-observance-calendar event. The realization is generally followed by a discussion about the injustice of this not being a real holiday, and school break.

No more. We are taking charge and from this day forward Groundhog Day is real. It will mark the time when we look to the ground and think of the whistle-pig, the tree climbing, able swimmer, burrowing sciurid. We intend to write songs and sing them aloud, preferably around a campfire on Groundhog Eve. We will develop decorations and finalize what will henceforth be traditional Groundhog Day foods.


Ground hog has been suggested as a tasty, if somewhat insensitive, offering. We did have a vegetarian option this morning: Groundcakes: Groundhog shaped pancakes. While they did tend to resemble gophers, cats, bears and rats, we are certain that over time the form and flavor of Groundcakes will become distinctly Groundhoglicious.

I thought I might have to resort to Groundhog initials if my Groundcakes were going to look like bears.


Ooops
This won't work.


Holidays don't just happen. It takes thought and effort.


So, while I was whipping up a steaming, golden platter of Groundcakes, the boys were waking up in the tent. They spent the night camping in the backyard, a few feet away from where we spent the evening before gathered around a campfire. Smiley and Junie were over for a visit and joined us roasting marshmallows and counting stars.


Real campers, winter campers, deserve Groundcakes for breakfast. And I think this groundhog profile really captures the tasty beauty of the whistle-pig.


A herd?
Flock, covey, posse?
What do they call a pack of groundhogs?
******************UPDATE************************
"The collective name for groundhogs is "repetition". The easiest way to remember that is to think of the movie Groundhog Day :)" This came from Jill of "Because the Alternative is Unthinkable."
Awesome, Jill. Thank you.


Yes, we have a lot to learn, a lot to work out in terms of our theme and purpose.


Or do we?

Seriously. I think we are going to accept Groundhog Day as our very own sanctioned yet uniquely personalized unserious calendar event. We have six more weeks of winter, so there may be rain in our future and there may be mornings when we cannot sit on the lawn eating our breakfast. We will bear this as best we can. Do not pity us, please. And we have a whole year ahead of us in which to anticipate the next observation of Groundhog Day... we are very excited about this. Will there be costumes, a band? Maybe just top hats... Should we always pitch a tent, no matter what, and be super obsessive and formal? Is prognostication and weather lore the emphasis, or are we all about enjoying any weather, any season? The possibilities are limitless and so is our humor. I foresee a bright and absurd calendar-event future for us to enjoy.

10 comments:

angela said...

We in Australia only really became introduced to groundhog day through the movie. But now we eagerly awaite his prdictions. If you have 6 more weeks of winter, then we must have 6 more weeks of summer.

angela said...

We in Australia only really became introduced to groundhog day through the movie. But now we eagerly awaite his prdictions. If you have 6 more weeks of winter, then we must have 6 more weeks of summer.

Anna Banana said...

As usual, the pagans are way ahead of us in celebrating dead of winter holiday:
http://www.chalicecentre.net/imbolc.htm
Love the groundcakes!

TCavanaugh said...

It is hard to pity you having breakfast on the lawn, when we can not even see our lawn through the snow! Love the pictures and the pancakes.

Jill said...

The collective name for groundhogs is "repetition". The easiest way to remember that is to think of the movie Groundhog Day :)

mtnchild said...

Boy, I wouldn't mind another 6 weeks of winter if I could picnic on the lawn! I have wet, muddy and dirty lawn strewn with pine needles. And little bits of snow now and then. Boy, some people have all the luck!

Be sure to mark your calendar for next year on Feb 1st so you can remember this holiday ... LOL

Yvette

nikkipolani said...

I love your pancake creations -- much more fun than my boring round ones!! Clearly Marie loves them, she's got them up by her cheeks :-)

Julie said...

Funny, post!

I assume this wasn't one of the chocolate chip cakes Maria warmed her face with?

judy in ky said...

I will trade my six more weeks of winter with your six more weeks of winter! It'll be three more months till any breakfasts on the lawn here.

warren said...

I feel the need to correct you on one item...Groundhog day is a very serious holiday. I think you must feel the burden of it because you had a great celebration! Well done well done!