Groundhog-speak should have been the topic of today’s Angelkeep Journals’ enlightenment. After all, tomorrow, February 2nd, is the day all winter-loathers anticipate with greater awe than any white Christmas with Santa sliding in with his sleigh-filled seasonal visit. Tomorrow, every major newscaster worth his, or her, winter sidewalk salt, will be leading with the unspoken, but somehow fully-attributed, prognostication of spring’s arrival.
Angelkeep has always found it suspect that a groundhog was never personally asked for a prediction, whether it be Punxsutawney Phil, St. Paul’s W. Chuck Paul, or Poneto Philomena. It’s an abomination of the original celebration of Candlemas (perhaps a topic for 2025.) If the official groundhog was truly asked why it staggered out of its winter slumber, the likely reply would be…
“I’m old in groundhog-years, I had to pee.”
Or, “Leg cramp! Youch!”
Or, “Who dragged me outta my hole on a winter day? Don’t you own a calendar? Six weeks yet to spring. Six months yet to a Hobomok Skipper. Now that’s something to write about.”
Angelkeep warmly anticipates another visit from Hobomok. Not two (2) days into February, but two (2) centimeters of delight more likely to appear spring to summer than in February. 2 cm, according to the latest Angelkeep groundhog calibration, equals 13/16 inch, or the width of Alan Daugherty’s end pinky digit.
“But he has fat stubby fingers,” pipes up Poneto Philomena.
Angelkeep spotted it August of 2023. Two (2) portraits were accomplished before it flew off. Angelkeep began searching for information to identify this beautiful insect with wings of orange with dark brown trim. Research failed. Finally a brother-in-law tipped off Angelkeep that Hobomok Skipper was not a moth, as originally suspected. Hobomok set a record for the tiniest butterfly ever photographed at Angelkeep.
Hobomok, is a fun name to say three times fast…without spitting. It takes to wing, as they say, in the spring and lasts through summer. Hobomok, Hobomok, Hobomok only flies between the Rocky Mountains and the Atlantic in the northern part of the States, plus some of lower eastern Canada. Angelkeep falls pretty much smack dab in the center of Hobomok society.
Learned through research, once Angelkeep understood the small lovely creature was a butterfly, not a moth, was the fact that Hobomok Skipper females come in two (2) forms. Two (2) forms, and neither of the two (2) ladies will appear looking for any shadows on February two (2.) The two (2) forms of the female are the “normal” as compared to the “Pocahontas” form.
Wikipedia provided no knowledge regarding the reason for one female to get a fancy name like Pocahontas, while its counterpart had no name, just a referral as “normal.” Regarding science names, that’s not normal.
“DYK Wikipedia turned age 23 last month?” asked Poneto Philomena.
“What’s DYK mean?” questioned Punxsutawney Phil groggily.
“How come you’re so Pfat, Phil, if you’ve been hibernating all winter?” chimed in Ouabache Philabache, who, by the way, had never previously uttered a Groundhog Day spring arrival prediction in its life.
Butterflies have two (2) antennae. You will not see any February two (2) tomorrow as it will not be spring for six (6) more weeks. There you have it, Angelkeep declares, ahead of Phil, Philomena, and Philabache, that spring’s arrival, as per the calendar, is on March 19. Okay, that’s not normal either, and it likely has to do with Leap Year with that extra day added to the end of February.
Hobomok Skipper had capitate antennae in the portrait of last August. That means it had a knob or club at the end of each antennae. Moths have feathery antenna. Angelkeep learned a thing. Moths tend to be out at night, and Hobomok was photographed in sunshine. Angelkeep relearned a thing and two.
Full disclosure regarding the lowly groundhog. Angelkeep’s columnist has eaten roasted, smoked, groundhog. Once. Tasted like picnic ham.
Mr. Daugherty is a Wells County resident who, along with his wife Gwen, enjoy their backyard and have named it “Angelkeep.”
