We call him Phil...

Today... is Groundhog Day.

I live in central Pennsylvania; one need not be native to this state to know about "Punxatawny Phil" (we PA-ers know him as just, "Phil"). The responsibility that rests upon his well-fed, chubby little shoulders is not taken lightly.

Phil lives in western Pennsylvania which is many miles from here but we still look to Phil for our forecast as to spring's arrival. Many people throughout the US, and I know a few Europeans as well, that enjoy stories of our furry, rodent friend.

Phil is a popular critter, unlike his close relatives, the consumers of all things seed-like... squirrels. He is even more popular if he gives us the report we want to hear.

Unfortunately, Phil did not predict an early arrival of spring as I had hoped he would; we've got six more weeks of winter ahead of us. Today my mantra seems to be: "I think I can...I think I can.... I think I can..." Instead, I need to think about the positive and remind myself of the slogan I decided to live by in 2010: "It is...what it is."

So like Phil, I will take a deep breath, stretch when I can, and settle in for a little while longer.