By Mike Miller
Six More or Folklore?
Today is Ground Hog Day. The tradition of lifting the modest size rodent into the air in Punxsutawney, PA has been happening on Gobler’s knob since 1887. This morning he saw his shadow which, according to lore, means another six weeks of winter. Not a fan of that personally. That said, Ol’ Punxsutawney Phil, the special star for the day, has only predicted correctly 40% of the time. Interestingly enough, around these parts, winter coming to an end in 6 weeks is pretty normal. We will always get a few fake springs along the way. Ground hogs are a different story around the lake.
Last fall Dave Williams, our Executive Committee Member for Environmental, trapped one of those little guys (about a 10 pounder) near my deck. Lotawana Lou (Hey if Punxsutawney can name a rodent so can I) was having fun digging a giant hole underneath my concrete landing. I’m pretty sure he was seeing his shadow while he was clawing his tunnel. But not when he was taking a stroll across my deck. While groundhogs aren’t that big, they’re big enough to get the attention of more than one of the family dogs. Dave put out the trap, baited with an apple and a few days later he was kindly relocated at a nearby refuge. If you have any critters around like beaver or groundhogs, call the office and they can get Dave on the case. Like many of the traditions we practice, Ground Hog Day finds its roots in the religious beliefs and customs. The beginnings of this nearly 150-year tradition go back to the Christian blessing of candles which was thought to provide God’s favor through the winter. The candle blessing coincided with the holy day of Candlemas which recognizes the first presentation of Jesus at the temple and celebrates the Virgin Mary. At some point in the European celebration, the German Hedgehog entered the picture. Why a rodent and why Germany? Not really sure. In the 1800s, German immigrants to the U.S. brought the tradition with them and I guess the closest thing to a German hedgehog was a groundhog. I always find it interesting how traditions develop and how they change over the years. How in the world did we go from a holy day to a rodent day? We have a lot of traditions at the Lake and many have evolved over the years. And while several take place in warmer seasons (Lotawana Day, Independence Day), a winter tradition returned this past week to the lake.
The iceboats were out in full force over the last week or so. The reason the ice boats are such a treat is that we don’t get to see them every year. Thanks to all of those ice sailors braving the cold and wind to give some lasting memories and additions to Lotawana lore. With temps dipping below zero and in the single digits, the ice on the lake was a place of adventure for boating, skating, and other activities. Of course, it’s always essential that extreme caution is used when approaching lake ice. It may look thick enough but can have thin spots. In fact, by the time this article is published, the ice will likely be too thin to approach safely as temps are warming into the 50s this week. Lake ice melts primarily from the bottom up making it difficult to see changes and thinner spots. Darker ice, or black looking ice melts even faster because it retains heat from the sun. From the time the thermometer went into single digits and the ice thickened, classic Lotawana lake activities were in full swing creating a winter wonderland for those willing to brave the cold temps. Even some of our local artists got into the game creating some wonderful photography I saw posted on the Lake Rats page. Check it out if you get the chance.
Yes, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow today indicating another six weeks of winter. Fortunately every season on our beautiful lake is filled with activities and Lotawana traditions that lead to memories that last longer than any winter. So light a candle, count your blessings, have Dave trap your groundhog, and may God’s favor be with you through the rest of the winter! Until next time, see you around the Pond!
References:
https://www.groundhog.org/groundhog-day/what-is-groundhog-day/
https://catholicstraightanswers.com/candlemas-day/
https://www.noaa.gov/heritage/stories/grading-groundhogs
https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/climate/summaries_and_publications/ice_out_description.html
Safer Seven is thawing out, bundling up, and getting ready for six more weeks of winter. We are taking the week off but get ready for some more prizes coming next time!