Punxsutawney Phil 2011: As a native of the Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania area, I got the local scoop on Punxsutawney Phil's big morning today, marking Groundhog Day 2011. It's the first piece of good news in a few years, friends: according to Phil, spring's set to come early. There's no scene like the one on Gobbler's Knob early -- I mean early -- the morning of February 2.
(How much do we love this day? We take it pretty far: a local brewing company started making a Groundhog beer a little over a decade ago!).Punxsutawney Phil emerged just after dawn on Groundhog Day to make his 125th annual weather forecast in front of a smaller-than-usual crowd who braved muddy, icy conditions to hear his handlers reveal that he
had not seen his shadow.Including Wednesday's forecast, Phil has seen his shadow 98 times and hasn't seen it just 16 times since 1887, according to the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club's Inner Circle, which runs the event.There are no records for the remaining years, though the group has never failed to issue a forecast.Not only does an early spring mean the snow will melt a little bit earlier, it also means the spring foods will be on our tables before long. Lemon cake, Easter lamb, tender asparagus – there is so much to look forward to! To help you get in shape for spring foods here are some delicious recipes to add to your spring menus!
The celebration usually draws 10,000 to 15,000 spectators when it falls on a weekday, Groundhog club spokesman Luke Webber said. The area was under a winter weather warning and while heavier snows and sleet never materialized, rain falling in about 35-degree temperatures made for a below-average crowd, said Webber, who offered no specific estimate.
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