Groundhog Day 2023

[Blackadder1916]

February 2 is officially Groundhog Day and while Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania may be the best known of the venues where rodents are fondled in the belief that they can predict weather, it's a Canadian rat that should hold the prize for this year's best performance. Or should I say, best imitation of a Norwegian Blue.

Fred la Marmotte of Val-d'Espoir, Quebec is no more, has ceased to be, bereft of life, kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed his last, saw his last shadow. He is an ex-groundhog.

Quebec's famed groundhog Fred la Marmotte has died; child stands in for Groundhog Day

The Quebec rodent who predicted whether spring would arrive early, Fred la Marmotte, died the day before Groundhog Day.

montreal.ctvnews.ca

 

[Furniture]

I suspect that if Bill Murray hadn't been in a cult classic movie, Groundhog day would have died a few decades ago...

 

[lenaitch]

The same thing happened to Wiarton Willie a couple of years ago. They're rodents - they don't live that long.

If small communities want to have a little fun in the depths of winter, have at 'er. I saw a news clip of a prognosticating lobster from, I think, Shelburne NS.

 

[FSTO]

I always laugh when folks north of the 49th (and not those pretenders south of that line) celebrate groundhog day. It's always 6 more weeks of winter, more than likely 8 to 10.

 

[lenaitch]