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Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Groundhog Day

February 2, Groundhog day. Supposedly the day when the groundhog emerges from his hibernation to see if he casts a shadow thus predicting how soon we can expect spring. I've never given it much credibility especially since we don't have groundhogs in Sask. Any ground dwelling creatures that do live here are deep underground (and snow) until spring truly arrives.
Its not just groundhog day, Feb 2 was my great Uncle Alf's birthday. I guess he would have been about 140 years old today but he died in January of 42. I've blogged details about him here before. He homesteaded here in Sask. in April of 1903 and farmed the rest of his life, nearly 40 years. It sounds like a long time but actually I've been farming the same land for as long myself.
Heres a short video I shot this winter driving across Alf's homestead quarter on my way to town on my winter road
Alf never got to town very often in the winter, understandable considering a 12 mile trip with horses and sleigh in these conditions. I have it a little more comfortable with a heated 4 wheel drive vehicle to get me there and back but still only get to town once a week.
This was a birthday card that Alf received from one of his sister's that still lived in England.

2 comments:

  1. Neat old card, Ralph!

    Well, I was told the groundhog DID NOT see his shadow today, meaning we will NOT have six more weeks of winter. I guess that means we'll only get about a month-and-a-half of it then!

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  2. I like old post cards. I once had quite the collection of them. Interesting to see what people had to say on the back.
    People lived their lives and all we know of them is an inscription on the back of a card. They lived and loved and were happy and had adventures and did interesting and boring things and their legacy is whatever would fit on the back of a card. Interesting. We will just vanish as you can't collect email and phone pics.
    I would sure like to know what the weather was going to do!

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