Now this is indeed a funny old world. I just went looking on Google to see what the groundhog predicted as far as this gray old winter persisting, and the only current referrence was the Manchester Guardian newspaper from England! Looks like Punxatawny Phil has gone global!
We had our 2nd Annual Groundhog Day Party on Saturday nite here at our house. The driveway was solid ice, the snow is still a foot deep in places and 15 brave friends and neighbors showed up bringing food and libations with them. I sent to the Ground Hog Day website last year for a beanie-baby Phil, which I placed in a molasses based bundt cake powered with confectioners sugar. Looks like Old Phil himself coming out of his den!
Our neighborhood will party just about anything, anytime - but there's something about this party that really breaks up the dead of winter and makes us think -- although Phil said differently this morning -- that spring cannot be far away.
The chocolate fountain has undergone a rehabilitation since New Years Eve and may even get a more powerful motor (then there definitely will be chocolate on the ceiling!)
As I look out on our garden space -- with snow half-way up a nearby tree, I'm already thinking about what we should plant differently this year. I can see cardinals and junkos at the birdfeeders outside the dining room window and I can't help but think of red ripe tomatoes on the vines, fresh basel in the herb bed and wonderful meals out-of-doors.
Just not today. . .!
