It is February 2nd, which means we put our hope and faith into a rodent to determine whether or not spring will come early.

Punxsutawney Phil didn't see his shadow today, which means an early spring.

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That's great and all, but how much about Groundhog Day and Punxsutawney Phil do we actually know? Here are 6 facts you probably didn't know.

1. USA Today says you guessing if spring will come early or not is as accurate as a groundhogs guess. Since 1988, Punxsutawney Phil has been correct in his prediction 13 times and wrong 15 times.

2. Groundhogs are vegetarians. Ernest Thompson Seton, according to Wikipedia, points out in his studies that groundhogs don't drink water, instead consuming water through the vegetation they eat.

3. In 1887, the first Groundhogs Day took place at Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania according to History.com.

4. The holiday of Candlemas served as inspiration for Groundhog Day. Candlemas is a tradition where candles predicted the length of winter.

5. Punxsutawney Phil isn't the only weather predicting groundhog. There is also Birmingham Bill, Staten Island Chuck and Shubenacadie Sam in Canada.

6. According to Silive.com, Europeans originally used badgers or bears as their weather forecasters because the animals hibernate and wake up when days are longer.

One thing I'm surely happy about, is that Phil didn't see his shadow. I'm ready for spring!

 

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