Groundhogs, Candlemas and Imbolc

Whoa! Put me down, man!

That's a rather horrible picture, but if you Google "groundhog images" there's worse-- in some parts of the country, groundhogs are considered a nuisance and you can shoot as many as you like and then post a trophy picture on the Internet. Since they are bumbling herbivores and don't stray more than a few feet from their burrows, this isn't exactly big game hunting. Maybe it's fun if you're into that sort of thing.

Well, we don't have groundhogs in western Washington, and if we did they would probably be protected by the local PETA. Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks or whistle pigs— the most famous of all is Punxsutawney Phil. This morning at 7:20 he saw his shadow, which means six more weeks of winter. Or maybe it means winter will finally get started in many places.


This Groundhog's Day tradition comes from German immigrants (Pennsylvania Dutch) who brought the superstition along when they settled in the Pennsylvania countryside. If a hibernating animal cast a shadow on February 2, winter would last another six weeks. If no shadow was seen, legend said spring would come early.

A Celtic festival called Imbolc was also celebrated on February 2, marking the beginning of spring. It is still a Wicca holiday of some sort. In modern Ireland and Scotland, Imbolc morphed into the Feast of Saint Brigid.

Today is Candlemas -- "the feast of the purification of the virgin." The Gospel tells that forty days after his birth, Mary and Joseph took Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem and made a ritual sacrifice. On the Christian calendar, Candlemas is the final, final celebration of the Christmas season. On to Lent...

We are halfway between the winter solstice and spring equinox. Notice how there is suddenly more light in late afternoon? The happy news here is that a big ridge of high pressure is building over the Pacific Northwest, sending the rain north and giving us a long stretch of dry, springlike days. High temperatures in the 50's for the next week. That will wake up the tulips.

Hans Holbien

A creepy painting showing the presentation of a sad little Jesus at the Temple.

The old saying goes:

If Candlemas be fair and bright,
Winter has another flight.

If Candlemas brings clouds and rain,
Winter will not come again.