Groundhog Day...Is it cruel?

This morning at dawn Punxsutawney Phil awoke and, according to the official Groundhog Day website, cast "a joyful eye towards thousands of his faithful followers." He then saw his shadow and decreed six more weeks of winter. Hmmm, not what I was hoping for after a week of snow and frigid temperatures.

I've always thought Groundhog Day was harmless fun until I heard our local weatherman talking about it yesterday on the news. He mentioned that the Saint Louis Zoo's resident groundhog was peacefully hibernating and would remain so, while the folks in Punxsutaney would once more drag poor Phil out of his burrow for a little unscientific silliness. Ouch!

So I'm wondering how others feel about the Groundhog Day tradition. Has it become one of those traditions that's lost its luster? (Feel free to comment.) For me, I'm proud that our Saint Louis Zoo has taken the high road and let sleeping groundhogs lie. Ellen
BestFriendsStudios