Posted on 02/04/2006 3:26:30 PM PST by NapkinUser
LILBURN, Ga. -- Georgia's groundhog, Gen. Beauregard Lee, reluctantly emerged from his mock-up antebellum mansion Thursday morning and spied no shadow, predicting an early spring.
The Southern varmint's prediction differed, for the second year in a row, from that of his famous Northern colleague, Punxsutawney Phil, who did see his shadow, which portends six more weeks of winter.
Under overcast skies and amid a brisk 39 degree temperature, Beau ambled out onto his front yard -- complete with shrubs, green yard and an American flag -- before a crowd of about 100 cheering fans. As his wake-up call, the fans yelled, waved pompoms, held signs saying, ``Go Beau'' and rang a large bell.
After the groundhog performed his yearly duty, he quickly ran around his house to hide in the shrubs, eschewing his Waffle House breakfast of sweet potatoes.
``I'm going to tell all my friends I was on TV first, and then I'll say we'll have an early spring,'' said Molly Dillard, 11, one of a few dozen children who saw Gen. Lee before having to attend school. ``I thought it was kind of exciting. He's kind of fat.''
Last year, Beau failed to see his shadow at his home at the Yellow River Game Ranch in Lilburn.
No official records of Beau's forecasts have been kept, but his owner, Art Rilling, has said he's only missed once in his career.
"Nobody else is even close'' to Beau's accuracy, Rilling said. ``We don't worry about the Northern groundhogs if we can help it."
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailytimes.com ...
NC's Sir Walter Wally predicted 6 more weeks of winter.
Let's compromise---three months more of winter will suit me fine here in northern NY.
I know that a few states like North Carolina and Wisconsin have their own groundhogs, but to me anyway, the south has General Beauregard Lee and the north has Punxsutawney Phil and the west....I guess nothing.
That damned Phil always sees a shadow.
oh i'd be happy with that!
the south has General Beauregard Lee and the north has Punxsutawney Phil and the west....I guess nothing.
I think they have a "jumping Frog".
How you could tell when winter is in california is beyond me.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.