Groundhog Day originated with the sighting of real groundhogs. Someplace, sometime, a number of rural residents regularly saw groundhogs emerge from their winter slumber on February 2. The furry fellows almost immediately disappeared and were not seen again until six weeks later.

The emergence of Punxsutawney Phil on February 2nd is not voluntary and does not mean anything.

In the course of my lifetime, I have yet to meet one person who ever saw a groundhog in the wild exit his or her burrow on February 2.

On Monday, February 7, William Taylor reported sighting a groundhog on Hurricane Creek.

February 7, without a doubt, was the real groundhog day on Hurricane Creek. Perhaps, the sighting means spring will be early this year.

First robin and first spring peeper reports are heralded as signs of spring. The Breeze received a December robin report but none in January.

Only time will reveal the meaning of the February 7 sighting.