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Post by daylilydude on Jan 30, 2018 5:38:32 GMT -5
Do you truly believe in this when counting on gardening?
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jan 30, 2018 7:56:11 GMT -5
Nope.
This is one thing I've never paid any attention to.
why shucks, the weathermen/women can't even predict our weather.
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janr
Junior Member
Posts: 31
Joined: July 2015
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Post by janr on Jan 30, 2018 8:34:25 GMT -5
No matter what the groundhog says, we are getting at least 6 more weeks of winter in Manitoba, so it really doesn't matter.
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Post by spike on Jan 30, 2018 9:13:51 GMT -5
why shucks, the weathermen/women can't even predict our weather. LOL I feel your pain!! Try living in NE Ohio! Sheesh even. BUT to answer the question, yes I do pay attention to "ground hogs day" because I know I am getting closer to being able to start seeds inside in about 8 weeks.
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 30, 2018 9:16:35 GMT -5
No, but the movie was funny.
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Post by meandtk on Jan 30, 2018 10:13:13 GMT -5
No Spring planting shouldn't start here until after Good Friday anyway. That usually puts us past the last frost, and is about six weeks or so after GH day.
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Post by paulf on Jan 30, 2018 10:28:24 GMT -5
How does a rodent in PA see all the way to NE?
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 30, 2018 10:47:23 GMT -5
Nope, don't believe in it. Even when I was a kid, it didn't make sense to me to let a rodent predict the weather.
But if I were going accept whistlepig prognostications, I wouldn't take them from a groundhog who lives in PA. In many years the jet stream settles just a bit north of me in February, so Florida gets an early spring while the NE has a lingering winter. In those years, Punxsutawney Phil can't be right for both his area and mine.
Fortunately, there's General Beauregard Lee for the Southerners who believe in such things. I guess he's as close to a Florida groundhog as there can be, since groundhogs don't live in Florida.
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 30, 2018 12:25:30 GMT -5
Really??? You guys living in other states don't have your OWN groundhog? I didn't know that. No wonder our own Punxsutawney Phil is so famous!
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Jan 30, 2018 13:21:09 GMT -5
I go pretty much by no plants out until the last week of March or the first week of April, regardless of when Good Friday is. This year it will probably be the later after all of the snow fall we had.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 30, 2018 13:22:03 GMT -5
Closest famous groundhog to me is General Beauregard Lee (just north of Atlanta, GA). Some other famous groundhogs I know of are: Balzac Billy (Balzac, Alberta, Canada) Buckeye Chuck (Marion, OH) Dunkirk Dave (Dunkirk, NY) Staten Island Chuck (Staten Island, NY) - In 2009, Chuck bit then-NYC Mayor Bloomberg during the Groundhog Day ceremony. In 2014, Chuck was replaced by his granddaughter Charlotte, whom the new Mayor De Blasio dropped during the ceremony that year. Charlotte died a week after. The NY Post claimed her death was due to injuries suffered in the fall, but the Staten Island Zoo said her death was due to unrelated "natural causes." Charlotte was replaced by Charlotte Jr. (Charlotte Jr. is actually "Chuck's daughter...confusing, huh?) But Mayor De Blasio is done handling groundhogs; in 2015 "Charlotte Jr." performed from inside a Plexiglass enclosure while the Mayor waited safely outside. In 2016 and 2017 the Mayor skipped the ceremony altogether. That's probably for the best - apparently NYC Mayors don't get along well with groundhogs! Wiarton Willie (Wiarton, Ontario, Canada) There are probably plenty of other prognosticating groundhogs that I don't know about. Hopefully not too many of them are mayor-munchers!
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jan 30, 2018 13:24:53 GMT -5
Really??? You guys living in other states don't have your OWN groundhog? I didn't know that. No wonder our own Punxsutawney Phil is so famous! I've seen a ground hog once in my life or it's what I assumed was a Groundhog. I can tell you exactly when and where it was too. We had made a trip to Branson back in 07, while we were there we also drove over to Bakercreek so I could visit Jere and the gang. When we got back to Branson, I had heard about Deno's Fried Pies. We drove around looking and finally found it. We ordered our pie's and took a seat. I was looking out the window and saw a little creature underneath one of the trees. We sat there and watched him for a bit as we were eating our pie I recon I should dub him Sir Deno Fried Pie GH
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Post by tomike on Jan 30, 2018 13:30:40 GMT -5
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Post by paquebot on Jan 30, 2018 13:42:18 GMT -5
The PA one is a phony! Only our Jimmy is the official one. He's the one who bit our mayor's ear a couple years ago. Also the only one that I've ever petted that didn't try to take a finger off.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 30, 2018 13:45:02 GMT -5
Really??? You guys living in other states don't have your OWN groundhog? I didn't know that. No wonder our own Punxsutawney Phil is so famous! We have Jimmy here in Wisconsin, who apparently has had quite a history with Phil, duking it out for who really knows their weather! www.cityofsunprairie.com/840/Groundhog-DayA couple of years ago Jimmy bit the mayor's ear.
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Post by ladymarmalade on Jan 30, 2018 13:46:08 GMT -5
The PA one is a phony! Only our Jimmy is the official one. He's the one who bit our mayor's ear a couple years ago. Also the only one that I've ever petted that didn't try to take a finger off. Martin The truth is more important than the facts. Ha-ha! You posted while I was looking for the Sun Prairie website. You got to pet Jimmy? I'm sure there's a story there.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on Jan 30, 2018 13:46:50 GMT -5
So, when I read about these stories about groundhogs biting mayors, should I take it to mean that groundhogs are good judges of character?
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 30, 2018 13:48:53 GMT -5
He can't be a phoney. I saw him on TV! hairymooseknuckles , I have been to TX only one time and I said to a group of people that were gathered at my friends house that I had never seen an armadillo and that I wanted to see one. I was met with a shocked silence. I guess that armadillos are not a popular animal in TX. Groundhogs may be popular around here on Feb 2 but the rest of the time they are not too well liked especially by gardeners and farmers. They dig holes that a tractor wheel can fall into and cause a broken axle, horses can break a leg in them and they also eat our garden produce. They LOVE tomatoes by the way!
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 30, 2018 13:50:40 GMT -5
So, when I read about these stories about groundhogs biting mayors, should I take it to mean that groundhogs are good judges of character? Probably but in addition to that they are snoozing away in their nice warm burrows when some guy yanks them outside into the cold February air and into the glare of TV spotlights and a bunch of spectators. What would you do?
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jan 30, 2018 13:50:42 GMT -5
At one of the cafe's here, they keep a roll of sausage in a pet taxi. The name tag says Ground Hog.
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Post by paquebot on Jan 30, 2018 15:56:21 GMT -5
So, when I read about these stories about groundhogs biting mayors, should I take it to mean that groundhogs are good judges of character? Yes, I think that it was an overly exuberant kiss. That was a good mayor! He didn't want the job but did a super job when he had it. I'm not allowed to say what I think of the present one. Martin The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by bluelacedredhead on Jan 30, 2018 16:19:44 GMT -5
Balzac Billy (Balzac, Alberta, Canada) I don't know if I'd call Balzac Billy famous? I'm Canadian and I've never even heard of him! The fact that I only live a couple of hours from Wiarton Willie and that Phil's only 5 hours away to the south might have something to do with the lack of familiarity I pay little or no attention to the predictions but I do think it's a great excuse for a Festival especially in areas that have long, cold winters!
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Post by tomike on Jan 30, 2018 16:47:50 GMT -5
Balzac Billy (Balzac, Alberta, Canada) I pay little or no attention to the predictions but I do think it's a great excuse for a Festival especially in areas that have long, cold winters! YES.....
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Post by Gianna on Jan 30, 2018 17:11:38 GMT -5
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Joined: January 1970
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Post by Deleted on Jan 30, 2018 21:02:29 GMT -5
Armadillos are a "love/hate" thing down here in Texas. They can tear up an area fast, real fast, but if they are tearing it up,means you got bugs and grubs. They love to eat lawn grubs.
But they are unique and funny critters. They can carry Hansen's Disease and not suffer from it, they have litters that are not only exactly identical, but are all of one sex, depending on what sex is needed in that area. Very poor eyesight, and as they trundle along, they mutter and make soft grunts and grumbles. If you stand still, they'll walk right past you. Never straddle an armadillo with a vehicle, if startled, they jump straight up and kill themselves on the undercarriage.
They are sort of cute in a committee put together sort of critter.
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 31, 2018 12:28:11 GMT -5
@imp , that is so interesting. I still have never seen a living armadillo except on TV. I saw a dead one along the road when I was in TX but that's it. The lady who answered me about wanting to see one said that they were terrible and "rooted up your yard". At the time I was in my 20's and didn't know anything about lawns or grubs.
Here in PA skunks dig in our lawns for Japanese Beetle grubs. Many people hate skunks because they dig up the yards and because they "stink". I like skunks but I am not a lawn nut so if they are digging in my yard I am happy because I do hate the Japanese Beetles. They are an invasive species and very destructive. Many of my neighbors would rather spray toxic chemicals to kill grubs than to let the skunks dig some small holes and eat them. I imagine that armadillos are thought of in the same way in TX.
I would still enjoy seeing one. Ever since I was young I have called pill bugs "armadillo bugs" because I think that they look like miniature armadillos without tails.
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jan 31, 2018 12:39:47 GMT -5
Skunks pretty much hated down here. Chicken killers, usually they eat the tail end off a chicken. You kind of have to watch out for them at night cause if provoked they will come after you and they are known to carry rabies.
Dillos are much much left alone. You really don't see them too often. Don't kid yourself, they can run if they want to. I've chased them through the woods a time or two.
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Post by brownrexx on Jan 31, 2018 12:46:36 GMT -5
I've chased them through the woods a time or two. How cute!
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Post by daylilydude on Jan 31, 2018 12:57:22 GMT -5
Ummm... hoping not to offend or gross anyone, but if you pressure cook armadillo, they taste and look just like roast beef...
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Post by hairymooseknuckles on Jan 31, 2018 15:06:26 GMT -5
Ummm... hoping not to offend or gross anyone, but if you pressure cook armadillo, they taste and look just like roast beef... I may or may not have gotten chased out of the house about 40 years ago for trying to put one in the oven. LAUGHING!
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