Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Historically, February the second is best known as a Christian holiday called Purification of the Virgin, or Candlemas. On this day, the Anglican and Catholic churches give candles to worshippers. In the Greek Orthodox churches, this holiday is the anniversary of the Presentation.
Somehow the Candlemas has been associated with a rent-paying day, and weather forecasting ever since the Middle Ages. It is the latter that this area is best known.
That furry critter is becoming the center stage on Friday. The groundhog is the most common name of this ground squirrel. It goes by other names such as the woodchuck, land beaver, whistler, and even whistle pig. Whatever the name, there is a strong belief that this little burrowing mammal predicts the weather on February the second. This tradition is best known amongst the German ancestors.
February the second is the half-way point of winter. The claim is that if the groundhog sees his shadow, he goes back in his hole on that day because there will be six more weeks of winter weather. If it its cloudy, rainy, or snowy, and he doesn’t see his shadow, the winter is almost over.
So, what will the prediction be on the second of February? Time will only tell.
Life’s little instructions include the following:
- When one really likes someone, tell them. Sometimes a person only gets one chance.
- Take a tour of one’s hometown.
- Show respect for teachers, police officers, and firefighters.
- Whistle.
- Let people pull in front of a person when one is stopped in traffic.
The river is swollen from the gentle rains the area has had in the last several days. Brooks, creeks, and streams have sent their water downstream. The answer to the need of water replenishment has come, and it is gratefully accepted.
Along with the moisture comes the fifth season of mud!
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- London opened the world’s first public flushing toilet in 1852.
- Groundhogs are lousy weather predictors.
- Originally, February was made the last month of the calendar year.
- Massachusetts, Oregon, Arizona and Mississippi entered the United States in February.
- In some cultures, winter is a time for storytelling.
Sitting by the fireplace is where one can hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Shaun, Ava, and Leslie Bowers enjoyed a weekend in Davis with Laura George and Brian, Reshella, and Hudson Leary. They went sledding at Blackwater Falls and celebrated Hudson’s birthday.
Visitors of Rosalee Grogg were Terri Grogg, Marleta Wimer, Claude Castleberry, Madison Grogg, and Asher Mauzy.
Visiting with K.D. Puffenbarger was his neighbor, Phil Downs.
Eddie Rader of Davis visited in the home of Willard and Judy Rader Thursday. They had 28 inches of snow in Davis.
Helen and Rhonda Nash enjoyed meeting daughters/sisters, Terri Lowery and Vickie Nash, for lunch at the Cracker Barrel in Waynesboro, Virginia, last week. It was a belated celebration for Terri, Vickie, and Helen, all with January birthdays.
The Sugar Grove Lions Club held its monthly meeting this past Thursday. Planned activities for the coming year were discussed. The Lions Club International Foundation gave Brandon Mitchell, club president, the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“I need a long, cold winter.” — John Rzeznik
“To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary to stand out in the cold.” — Aristotle
“In seed time learn, in harvest time teach, in winter enjoy.” — William Blake
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” — Martin Luther King, Jr.
“One kind word can warm three winter months.” — Japanese Proverb
February birthdays include Dave Gillispie, first; Carolyn Smith, second; Bernie Sasscer, Tom Mitchell, Vanessa Moats and Steven Grogg, fourth; Patsy Bennett and Rhonda Stump, fifth; Eddie Smith, Liz Armstrong, Charles Cook and Gloria Moats, sixth; Hannah Koontz, seventh; Lannie Mitchell and Mary Eye, eighth; Danny Gillispie, ninth; Pat Hoover, Violet Aumann and Dennis Hull, 11th; Virginia Propst, 12th; Madison Grogg, Peggy Bodkin and Pam Rexrode, 13th; Jennifer Simmons, Donna Ruddle and Dick Rexrode, 14th; and Calvin ‘Buddy’ Ruddle, Lisa Jamison, Judy Vance and Joyce Moates, 15th.
Concerns for this week are many, and they are as follows: Bob Adamson, Rick Adkins, Charles and “Pidge” Anderson, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Lynn Beatty, “Bo” Boggs, Dewayne Borror, Jane Conrad, Marie Cole, Norma Propst Cunningham, Christian Dasher, Isaac Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Neal Eye, Loralee Gordon, Lola Graham, Jordan Greathouse, Patsy Green, Rosalee Grogg, Marlene Harman, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, George Hevener, Jackie Hill, Edsel and Mary Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adelbert Hoover, Myrtle Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, the Herbert Paul Ketterman, Jr. family, Danny Kimble, the Linda Weaver Kimble family, Dennis Kincaid, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Rev. Angela Lambert’s father, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Ronnie Lambert, Rex Landis, the Pat Lang family, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Anna Mauzy, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, Tom Mitchell, Barbara Moats, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Cheryl Paine, Alda Propst, John O. Propst, Kathy Propst, Mike Propst, Sheldon Propst, Brandon Reel, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Dennis Riggleman, Donna Ruddle, Annie Simmons, Phyllis Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Kent Simmons, Robbie Sites, Donnie Smith, Stanna Smith, the Michael Steele family, Steve Stump, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, Evelyn Varner, Raymond Varner, Amy Vaus, Judy Williams and Margaret Wimer.
