Folklore tells us “If the groundhog sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter.” Here in the United States, Feb. 2 is Groundhog Day. James L. Morris, in his Feb. 2, 1840, diary entry, commented on Groundhog Day. That comment is the earliest known mention of Groundhog Day in the United States.
But the roots of Groundhog Day go back much farther, perhaps to Roman times. There is a Latin couplet similar to the old English rhyme “If Candlemas is fair and clear, There’ll be two winters in the year.” The couplet also has versions in French and English.
Candlemas, a Christian festival, i...
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