TulsaPets Magazine January 2024

26 TulsaPets • January / February 2024 was steadily disappearing, his produce being ruined bite by bite — https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=EkOmaLlXiVs. A camera revealed a groundhog as the culprit. Several times a day, it would snag a choice vegetable, seat itself before the lens, and munch away in something akin to performance art, eyeballing the audience while enthusiastically smacking and chew- ing. As the scenes unfold (and the garden shrinks), the owner becomes attached to “his” groundhog. Then it appeared with a groundhogette. Fast-forward to a happy ending: The pair is allowed to fatten up before hibernating, and Our Hero plants TWO gardens in the future — one for him and his family and the other for his furred and feathered neighbors. Awwwww…. And Don’t Forget Friday, February 2, is Groundhog Day, woohoo! In honor of this wonderful tradition, I’ve been inspired to write an article perfectly suited to … groundhogs, with a nod to the movie Groundhog Day. (Surprise!) Let’s revisit the Pennsylvania Dutch (synonymous with Pennsylvania Ger- man), circa 1880s. A movement begins for further celebrating Groundhog Day. To extend the event, Elks Lodge mem- bers planned a groundhog hunt, then an ensuing picnic of cooked groundhog and groundhog punch. The effort didn’t stick. (Maybe because the punch was a broth of groundhog meat, but what do I know?) Nevertheless, they persevered, finally forming an organization of social clubs to preserve their language and culture. Beginning in the 1930s and dubbed Groundhog Lodges, the meetings — called “versammlinges” (with a strictly male membership) — don’t sound quite as serious as one would guess. Existing photos reveal a decorated eight-foot groundhog mannequin being crowned, with allegiance pledged by about 400 members. The rest of the evening was spent toasting their lodge and groundhog, eating, singing, perform- ing, joking, and fining anyone who spoke English. I daresay beer was involved. In this day, the most famous Groundhog Day ceremony happens in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, where the current Punx- sutawney Phil (said to be 133 years old) is consulted for predictions at Gobbler’s Knob. Members of the Groundhog Club’s Inner Circle — gentlemen in formal suits and top hats — gather at the podium to hoist Phil (with great care and respect) for his proclamation. Since the release of the Groundhog Day movie in 1993, the festivities have grown to an all-night party on February 1, with fireworks, dancing, and more. Events in- clude the groundhog banquet, the ground- hog ball (always a sellout), and of course the dawn reckoning of Phil. If I’m starting to sound like a travel agent, I must admit, researching this critter and a community having that much fun has started to sound pretty good for a midwinter holiday. One More Time Friday, February 2, is Groundhog Day, woohoo! In honor of this wonderful tradi- tion, I’ve written an article perfectly suited to … groundhogs, with a nod to the movie Groundhog Day. To no surprise. A groundhog anticipates life as a weather prognosticator. Photo by Stacey Price.