The groundhog has spoken!

[Patriarch of Constantinople]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070202/.../groundhog_day

Every groundhog day I've been wondering,

Why do we predict weather by a groundhogs shadow?

[Fisherking]

Sssssssssshhhhhhhhh!

It's an old pagan thing…..but don't tell anybody…ok!

In Europe they used hedgehogs…not as cuddly or as good to eat….so I am told.

But this is Imbolc or something…an old Celtic holiday.

Imbolc (or Oimelc)

The next festival on the Celtic calendar took place on Feb. 1st or 2nd and was called Imbolc. It centered around the fertility goddess Brigit and was concerned with the fertility of livestock and other pastoral matters. Brighid is invited into the house on the eve of this holiday. Candles were blessed. Auguries were often taken at this time. From from Samhain to Imbolc was considered the winter. As there were few daylight hours during the season of cold work outdoors, the family spent their time round the fire which was the source of their light, heat and warming food. It was also the gathering point for the seannachaidh (story teller) who, with the fire of inspiration, would tell the stories of the people.
The sacred fire is strongly associated with Bride. Her name translates as 'fiery arrow'. One of her aspects is the Goddess of poetry and it is She who is the 'flame of inspiration'. Another term given to Bride is 'the flame in the heart of all women'. This relates to the absolute authority of the woman in the house. Imbolc was a fire festival only for the household.

But mayday is better…that is about sneaking off with the girls and human fertility…

[Duke Malcolm]

Heathen!
No, it's Candlemas, when priests bless the candles, or also the day of the Presentation of the Lord and the Purification of the Virgin Mary.

Good weather today means worse weather later, I think...

[Hosakawa Tito]

Dang Varmint Cong!

[Crazed Rabbit]

Answers, man, I want answers - how deep does this groundhog conspiracy go! Who's protecting them?!


CR

[macsen rufus]

From from Samhain to Imbolc was considered the winter

Shurly you mean Samhain to Beltaine, the two "boundary" festivals?

Sorry, I'll go off and be pedantic elsewhere now

[Fisherking]

I just found that as a quickie….can't say its 100% right….think the site was a Wiccan one anyway…who knows what they think…

Samhain to Beltaine is the dark half of the year! Winter may be a separate issue but I don't see it being that short my self.

[macsen rufus]

Yeah, well Wicca was all made up in the 50s and 60s by one of Crowley's relatives (his daughter I think....) but in the old Celtic sytem, the year had two seasons - winter and summer, with Samhain and Beltaine as the boundaries between them, Imbolc and Lughnasa coming somewhere near the middle of each. Reflected in Arthurian legend through the characters of the green and black knights, and the story of Pwyll and Arawn in the Mabinogion.

Much as I like the Celtic stories, I still prefer my seasons to be defined astronomically personally, by the equinoces and solstices

One of my favourite pagan hangovers, bearing in mind Beltaine is May 1st:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Hurray, hurray
The first of May
Outdoor sex
Begins today!

[Gregoshi]

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is all hogwash.

Awful puns aside, the rodent does have a cool name and the tradition has some charm. And what better excuse to wear tophats in today's world?

[Major Robert Dump]

This is the only American holiday that is based on good, solid science

[Hosakawa Tito]

Beyond a shadow of a doubt, this is all hogwash.

Awful puns aside, the rodent does have a cool name and the tradition has some charm. And what better excuse to wear tophats in today's world?

Punxsutawney Phil is quite a handle, no wonder few Native American tribes had a written language. Good thing today isn't the day, as sunny as it is...


Beyond a shadow of a doubt....Gregs got a million of 'em

[Fisherking]

Uninteresting side note… Wicca was founded by Gerald Gardner who was a contimporary of Aleister Crowley. I think I heard something about golden dawn involvment in some book or other…

It would seem he stared making it up in the 1920s some time maybe earlier, and introduced a few rites to give him a chance to boff a few of the ladies… He looked like he could use all the help he could get…

All in all I guess that is a better reason for a religion than most….. I mean god doesn't seem to mind so much so far.

[Ice]

I'm proud to say I was only a few hours away from where this glorious event happened! (Yes, I'm in the middle of nowhere)

[Gregoshi]

I'm proud to say I was only a few hours away from where this glorious event happened! (Yes, I'm in the middle of nowhere)

If you are going to be in the middle of nowhere, Happy Valley is the place to be.

[Ice]

If you are going to be in the middle of nowhere, Happy Valley is the place to be.

Oh I know! It's a great place to be, minus this ugly weather we are having. Great weekend night life. Oh, and the school is ok too!

[Gregoshi]

BTW were you ever told why it is so windy in State College?

[Ice]

BTW were you ever told why it is so windy in State College?

If I had to guess, I'd assume it would have to do with the mountains, but i really have no idea.

[Gregoshi]

It's not the mountains.

It's because Pittsburgh sucks and Philadelphia blows.

That's always been one of my favourite Pennsylvania jokes. Come to think of it, it may be the only Pennsylvania joke I know.