COUNTY LIFE
Groundhog hopes to send winter packing
Saturday update – In a Groundhog Day update, Punxsutawney Phil apparently did not see his shadow this morning in Pennsylvania so Spring could arrive early. Thanks Phil we hope you are right.
The National Weather Service predicts Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 will be mostly sunny with a high near 31 degrees in Punxsutawney, PA, home of Phil the groundhog.
As the northeastern United States was enveloped with a “polar vortex” this week, everyone wants to know if Phil, will give the good word that winter will be leaving early.
The Groundhog Day tradition derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on the Feb. 2 sees his shadow due to clear weather it will retreat to its den and will persist six more weeks. If it does not see its shadow due to cloudiness, spring will arrive early.
While Groundhog Day is popular folklore and Punxsutawney has capitalized on it for an annual festival, there is no correlation between the groundhog seeing its shadow or not and the arrival or spring.
The National Climatic Data Center compared U.S. national temperatures from 1988 to 2012 to determine the accuracy of Phil’s predictions, and he’s only been proven correct 39 percent of the time – significantly worse than chance.
See the last 10 years of predictions in your weekend News.
It has been quite a busy few days at the Montague County Youth Fair with schedule changes, juggling of events and trying to cope with the unexpected snow storm. However, the youth fair always rolls on thanks to the dedicated volunteers, coordinators, parents and students.
Friday the rabbit how starts at 10 a.m., with heifer and steer show at 2 p.m. Ag. mech. check-in at 6 p.m. with that show at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Swine will move into the barn later today with its show at 9 a.m. Saturday.
Saturday the home economics silent auction will start at 6 p.m. and run to 9 p.m. in the show barn. Showmanship buckles will be presented at 6 p.m. in the barn followed by leadership day awards. The premium sale is at 6:30 p.m. Make plans to come out and support these hard working kids and families.
See all the winners in the Thursday Bowie News.
Top photo – Poultry show photo taken by Rashonda Hobbs of Unfazed Creations, official photographer for the youth fair. Make sure and check out her photos.
When we were going through my grandmother’s house in Nocona after it sold, I found a few neat keepsakes, but the biggest treasure I thought I had found was her biscuit cutter. I was so excited to show my mother (her daughter) and just knew she would be happy it was found and would still be used after all this time.
My mother, however, had a different thought about my precious biscuit cutter. She said, “Suzanne, you know that biscuit cutter is just an old tomato paste can that has both ends cut out.”
I was still no less delighted with my cutter. I continue to use it today. My husband has bought me vintage, new and fancier cutters, but this cutter is something I go back to time and again.
My Memaw was recruited to be a lunch lady from 1952 to 1958 at Nocona Elementary, back when lunches were cooked, not “fixed.” Lenora Brown Burnett was an excellent cook and everyone knew it. She went on to work at the Nocona Major Clinic kitchen from 1958 to 1969.
You could only use shortcuts if you knew how to do it the long way. That is how I still approach cooking. You can only use a cake mix if you know how to make a cake with lots of ingredients, time and effort.
Read Suzanne’s Love & Luck column in the Thursday Bowie News on the On the Table page.
Top photo – Grandmother’s biscuit cutter and hand written recipes. (Photo by Suzanne Storey)
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