Everyone wonders how long winter will last, but la marmota knows

It has been a cold winter! Lots of snow and lots of wind. We love to play in la neve (la neh-vay)) the snow! It’s a great deal of work for mamma and papa because every time we come inside, they have to asciugarci (ah-shoe-gar-chee) dry us off and wipe and clean our paws. The best part is when papa lights a fire at night. It is so warm and cozy that we go to sleep even earlier than usual.

Mamma told us spring starts this month on March 20 so we were wondering how much longer we will be able to play in the snow. That question was answered by Punxsutawney Phil il mese scorso (eel may-zay scor-so) on Feb. 2. This beloved marmota (mar-mo-tah) groundhog was taken out of his tana (tah-na) den in a decades-long tradition that takes place ogni anno (own-yee ah-no) every year. The celebration takes place in Young Township near Punxsutawney, Pa.

It is una tradizione (ooh-na tra-deetz-e-oh-nay) a tradition that began in 1886 and is based on a Germanic credenza (kreh-den-za) belief that if an animal who hibernates projects a shadow on Feb. 2 on the Christian celebration of Candlemas, winter and its chilly weather will continue for another six weeks. This belief became a tradition which was brought to the United States when immigranti Tedeschi (eem-e-gran-tea ted-es-ski) German immigrants settled here.

The popular cerimonia (chair-e-moan-e-ah) ceremony is organized by the “Inner Circle” a group of uomini misteriosi (wo-mih-knee mis-tair-e-oh-zee) mysterious men who wear top hats and tuxedos. On Feb. 2, Punxsutawney Phil wakes up in his burrow on Gobbler’s Knob and is put on top of a stump. The president of the inner circle, with his powers granted through an ancient acacia wood cane, then speaks to Phil in “Groundhogese” to get his previsione (pray-veez-e-oh-nay) prediction. The result is read out to the crowds who gather each year in increasing numbers. While thousands now attend the event in person many more tune in to newscasts or ricercano (ree-chair-cah-no) they search online to find out the results.

The event has become so popular that even the governors of Pennsylvania now attend. In fact, last year Gov. Josh Shapiro named Phil the “Official” meteorologo statale (may-tay-or-low-go stah-tal-a) State Meteorologist during the 2024 ceremony.

So, what was Phil’s prediction this year? It was proclaimed that he saw his shadow so we would have six more weeks of winter! Since it’s been almost six weeks we don’t have much longer to wait!