Groundhog Day

I love Groundhog Day. I mean, I love the thought of Groundhog Day, which has very little to do with any real groundhog, or woodchuck, as they are called here in the North Country. I certainly don't love them when a groundhog gets into my vegetable garden. But I am getting ahead of myself.

Today, February 2, lies halfway between winter solstice and spring equinox. In other words, the sun has returned!

Yes, it's snowing outdoors right now. Four inches since last night, but the snow is temporary. When the snow clouds pass, the sun will shine. And my passive solar house heats up to a-day-at-the-beach temperature. No matter how cold it is outdoors, indoors will be toasty. We let the wood stove go out, and the furnace won't come on. The day's heat lasts well into the evening when I finally start a new fire, an overnight fire, in the wood stove.

The earth spirits, who went to ground last All Hallows' Eve (Halloween aka Day of the Dead), those spirits are, metaphorically at least, popping their noses up to say "The sun is coming. The sun is coming."