A Yankee Rodent who shall remain nameless

So I'm wondering about this large, Yankee, rodent- which shall remain nameless-and just how much stock we southerners should put in its predictions. Because the other day, this large, Yankee, rodent, mammal, squirrel, what ever, was dragged out of its nice warm, (I guess) den and held out to see if it would see its shadow. Legend has it, if it sees its shadow then there will be six more weeks of winter. If it doesn't, then there will be an early Spring.

 On the day of the viewing or not of the shadow, I woke to rain. YES! That would definitely make it difficult for any big rodent to see any shadows. Not thinking clearly- since I had just arisen and not  partaken of any caffeine yet- and not remembering that the rodent was actually well above the Mason Dixon Line and it probably wasn't raining there. As it was, I was nearly giddy with relief as I am not a winter person. Cold temperatures and I are not friends, we're not even acquaintances. When people see me bundled up in sweats, coats, gloves, boots and hats and ask me what's wrong, I tell them, I- don't- do- winter. They're trying to tell me that its seventy degrees doesn't matter. If its Winter, its cold and I bundle up. I waddle, I struggle to do anything with those gloves on, buckling my seat belt is a challenge, but I deal with it. I hate trying to make sure I have firewood, and I hate even more having to ask my son to put wood on the porch or bring any in the house for the stove.

Snow is my nightmare. I have a four wheel drive vehicle, but ice skates were not an option. There is also the fact that living here, we rarely have snow to any amount which means unless you were born elsewhere and moved here, you don't know how to drive in snow. You can try to drive in it. You can show off your own four wheel drive vehicles as you careen into the ditch, across the field and down the embankment.

 Snow also brings out those who fear being trapped in their own home without bread and milk. I've seen reports where people in this area have cleared store shelves in record time. Piranha could take lessons from those people.

 But, to be honest, I love to watch snow falling, (as long as I don't have to go anywhere) covering the ground and hiding all the impurities. If we get enough you'd never know that James did not take all the trash the last time he went to the landfill. It changes the landscape and creates the different kind of beauty. It creates this special kind of quiet, muffling many sounds. It draws me out, dressed in winter wear to the point of barely being able to move, as I carry my camera and begin a hike through the woods. It never fails that I return to the house, cold to the point of shivering, soaked through and in need of help getting my boots off. Yet over joyed at having spent time in a beautiful landscape, that here is so very temporary.

  While, the common sense side of me understands that even this earth needs a time of rest, the stark landscape saddens me. I miss the flowers, bees, birds and butterfly. I miss driving with the windows down, the windows in my house open wide for that spring breeze. I miss and long for the walks in the woods, listening for deer and looking out for snakes.

  So do I really put any stock in a large, sleepy, Yankee rodent whose handlers said that it saw it shadow? Do I believe that a Yankee rodent can predict the weather, do I keep my coats and boots out or can I put them away?

  Especially when we have out own weather predicting ground hog right next door in Charlotte. Queen Charlotte was brought out and she........oh, Queen Charlotte, the large southern rodent, the rodent that was dragged from her warm (I guess) den and held out, saw her shadow. Queen Charlotte, has predicted six more weeks of winter. So I keep out my coat, I continue to dream of flowers and warm sunshine and pray that all the snow stays up with the Yankee Ground hog- who still shall remain nameless..because I'm too lazy to look up the spelling..