WOO HOO!
It’s Groundhog Day!
And you know what that means, right?
First of all, it means we have an announcement to make!
And that is that Punxsutawney Phyllis, Sage of Sages, Seer of Seers, Prognosticator of Prognosticators, and Weather Prophet Extraordinaire did set forth from her burrow on Blueberry Hill this Monday February 2, 2015 at 7:25 AM and declare, “Six more weeks of winter!”
Obviously with the howling winds and heavy, blowing snow there was no possibility of seeing her shadow, but Phyllis’s weather sense (possibly motivated by her desire to get right back in the burrow!) saw no signs of an early spring. We are disappointed because we are tired of winter, but we are eating strawberries to make us think of warm summer days 🙂
Second, that means it’s my little Phyllis’s 10th Anniversary Birthday Bonanza!!!
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| illustration copyright Jeff Ebbeler 2005 |
“We’re having a party! We’re having a party!” [That’s Phyllis. She’s a little excited.] “We need CAKE!!!” [She’s a girl after my own heart :)]
I said, “How about cupcakes?”
Phyllis said, “Something BIGGER!”
So I said, “How about this?”
Phyllis said, “But there’s no ICING!”
So we settled on this:
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| and in case you are wondering, those little brown things are groundhog graham crackers… which makes this a Groundhog Day Cake 🙂 |
“Now we need festive balloons!” said Phyllis.
“Here!” said I.
“You’re kidding, of course,” said Phyllis.
“What? It’s blue! It’s pretty!”
“It’s only ONE!” said Phyllis. “ONE is not festive!”
“Fine,” I said, ever accommodating.
“I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that,” said Phyllis. “Otherwise I might regurgitate my recently ingested natal day pancakes. What do the words GROUNDHOG and BIRTHDAY mean to you?”
“You’re being just a tad demanding, Phyllis,” I said patiently. “But I’ll humor you. Will these do?”
“At last!” said Phyllis. “And now, for the most important part… my POEM!”
“Uh, yeah, about that… I’m not quite done yet.”
“WHAT???!!!”
“I want it to be perfect,” I explained. “After all, it’s for you. It can’t be just any old thrown together thing!”
“That’s true,” agreed Phyllis.
“But I’ve got to finish it quick. Everyone’s going to be here soon.”
“Also true,” said Phyllis.
“So it would be helpful,” I said pointedly, “if you would be quiet and let me concentrate.”
“Okay,” whispered Phyllis.
I tapped my pen against the table top.
AN ODE TO PHYLLIS
I wrote across the top of the paper.
“Good start!” said Phyllis.
“Thank you.”
I tapped some more.
There once was a groundhog named Phyllis
“Stop,” said Phyllis.
“What do you mean, stop?”
“Nothing rhymes with Phyllis. Believe me. I know. That’s a nonstarter.”
“How about There once was a groundhog named Phyllis/Who made so much noise that her poem will never get written?“
“That doesn’t rhyme,” sniffed Phyllis. But she stopped talking.
tap tap tap tap tap
In the hollow of old Punxsutawney
Lived Phyllis, whose fur was so . . .
“STOP!” said Phyllis.
“What now?”
“What is it with you and these impossible words? NOTHING rhymes with Punxsutawney! You’re supposed to be writing me a poem! Poems are supposed to RHYME!”
“For your information, Miss Smarty Pants, I was going to say ‘whose fur was so tawny‘, but forget it.”
“Yeah, well, that’s pretty much cheating. Punxsutawney and tawny – it’s practically rhyming the same word with itself.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be outside looking for your shadow or something?”
“It’s too early,” said Phyllis comfortably, helping herself to a strawberry.
I sighed.
tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
Oh, Phyllis, you forecasting marmot
“Er. Ahem. I don’t mean to interrupt, but seriously, marmot? Where can you possibly go with that?”
“Harm it?!” I suggested.
“No…” said Phyllis, oblivious. “I don’t think so. And I don’t think you’re quite getting the sense of an ode. You’re supposed to be praising me. You have to set the mood.”
“I’ll set a mood all right.”
Phyllis ignored me and gazed out the window. “Maybe something like:
Phyllis, your fur is so fine
Your eyes sparkle like finest wine…”
“Hacksputtercough! I’m sorry. I just had to gag a little there.”
“It’s better than yours!”
“How do you know? You won’t let me get past the first line!”
“Here’s what we’ll do,” said Phyllis. “I’LL write a poem and YOU write a poem and then we’ll see whose is better.”
“You’re going to write an ode to yourself?”
“Who better? I know me and love me well!”
“Fine!”
“Fine!”
tap tap tap tap tap tap tap
“Stop tapping your pen!”
“Stop talking!”
Hmmpphh!
* * * * * denotes passage of time * * * * *
“I’ve got one,” said Phyllis. She cleared her throat and read,
Roses are red
Violets are blue
I can write poems
Way better than you!
“Well in that case,” I shot back,
Two poems diverged in a snowy wood
And I,
I chose the better one…
Which was not yours!
“Hmm…” Phyllis said primly. “I don’t think we’re there yet. Ready, set, write another one!”
* * * * * denotes passage of time * * * * *
“Done!” I said.
“I was done first three times in a row,” said Phyllis. “That means you have to read first.”
Really, it is hard to follow groundhog logic. Actually, groundhog logic is probably an oxymoron.
I sighed. “Okay. But let me read the whole thing. Don’t interrupt.”
“I would never do that,” said Phyllis sweetly. She sat up on her haunches and prepared to listen attentively.
AN ODE TO PHYLLIS
by Susanna
Beauty, wit, charm, grace
Fuzzy little marmot face
Unsurpassed intelligence
Never-equaled weather sense
Even though you’re not a boy
You’re Punxsutawney’s pride and joy
My furry friend, you know it’s true
There’s no one else on earth like you!
Phyllis jumped in my lap and gave me a hug. “See? I KNEW you could do it! Now I’ll read mine.”
ODE TO PHYLLIS
by Phyllis
Lavender’s blue dilly dilly lavender’s green
It’s really true dilly dilly I should be queen
Lavender’s green dilly dilly lavender’s blue
I’m a Punxsutawney dream-come-true.
“Ye-ah…,” I said. “You should have quit while you were ahead.”
“Yeah, probably,” said Phyllis. “But never mind. Happy birthday to me!”
Happy Birthday, dear Phyllis,
Happy Birthday to you!!!
And now, Phyllis and I are looking forward with GREAT anticipation to reading YOUR poems for Phyllis, and hopefully seeing some videos too (no pressure, Erik) since we totally failed on that score!
If you wrote a poem for Phyllis, and/or have photographs, drawings, videos, or other fun feature accompaniments, please add your post-specific blog link to the list below, or post your poem etc in the comments, or Email it to me and I’ll post it for you so that we can all enjoy everyone’s creativity!
Maybe Phyllis and I will pick some top finishers, or maybe we’ll have a vote later in the week, but either way, some people will win a signed copy of PUNXSUTAWNEY PHYLLIS (if there’s anyone left on earth who doesn’t already have one or who wants another for someone), a signed copy of Pat Miller’s wonderful SUBSTITUTE GROUNDHOG along with audio CD!, and there will be some other non-groundhog-day-related picture books up for grabs too.
Happy Groundhog Day to everyone! May spring come early in your hearts, even if the weather outside fails to comply! 🙂
Have a marvelous Monday! 🙂
And please don’t miss Julie’s amazing and clever poem in the comments! HERE
And Karen’s delightful poem HERE
And Sarah’s wonderful ode HERE
And Jilanne’s terrific limerick HERE
Susanna Leonard Hill 
POEM POSTED FOR JULIE A
Happy Birthday, Phyllis! (Gefeliciteerd, Susanna!)
By Julie A
Ten years ago on Groundhog Day,
Punxsutawney Phyllis came to play.
It’s party time, we can’t be late,
This second of Feb. we’ll celebrate!
Ava and her merry sheep,
Who in excitement cannot sleep,
Kleine beer and Rose mouse too
Climb aboard the Freight Train choooo!
They ride to catch the Airplane Flight,
The pilot’s name is Captain Bright,
It’s time to land; they’re good to go
Landing safely in the snow.
In Ted’s Taxi they all hop,
To take them to the very spot
Where Phyllis sleeps, snug in her quilt
In The House that friend Mack built,
“Stop it sheep” says Rose the mouse!
“No sword fighting in the house.”
Her friends all wait on Blueberry Hill,
For Phyllis to wake and feel spring’s chill.
So, Mr Sun, for this one day,
Please find a cloud and stay away.
We plan to sing and laugh and play,
To celebrate our friend’s birthday!
For Phyllis is ten year’s old today,
Happy Punxsutawney Day!
Happy Birthday Phyllis!!
Since I own a balloon store I had to bring balloons too!
Now that I've delivered your balloons, your poem Phyllis (sorry I couldn't scare up more than a haiku–that's the other reason I figured I should bring balloons !)
Phyllis’s Alter Ego
By Kimberly Cowger
She’s Punxsutawney’s
own Superhero known as
The Shadow Hunter.
Phyllis says she LOVES your haiku, Kimberly! “The Shadow Hunter” sounds like a superhero and she's all for that and here is a thank-you strawberry just for you 🙂
Oooh! Shiny! Thank you, Kimberly! There can never be too many balloons! 🙂 Happy Groundhog Day!!!
Happy Birthday, Phylllis. Cake was delicious! Thanks Susanna 😊
Thou are more humorous than a summer's day, Susanna! 😀
My poem for the birthday girl is at my blog – http://homesteadnotes.blogspot.com/2015/02/happy-birthday-phyllis.html . I was going to pose my paper cut-out of Phyllis with a cupcake, but I'm trying to finish my art for the conference so guess what won out? 😉
“Happy New Year!”
~ Frosty the Snowman
Well at least someone is happy about 6 more weeks of winter! Enjoy the berries, the balloons, and rhyme time with Phyllis!
What a fun way to start the morning, cake and groundhog graham crackers for Phyllis's birthday! Here's a little poem to add to the fun, I hope you like it when its all said and done 😉
It's time for a birthday.
It's time for some fun.
It's time for some raucousness
hop, skip, and run!
But wait my dear princess
–forgotten the day?
The world is waiting for your
shadow to play.
Will it not show itself?
Or be on the ground?
Answer the riddle first, stop
messing around!
Come now, Miss Phyllis.
Don't tease us this way.
Is Spring soon to come for us
or be delayed?
Happy 10 Phyllis … I've been enjoying the poems. I wanted to say tributes, but Hunger Games flashed in my head. Let's hope Phyllis never has to deal with that. Happy Groundhog Day.
Your poem is beautiful, Susanna. I love how we can whip these things up last minute. Hooray for Phyllis!
Happy Groundhog Day, Phyllis. Hope you are showered with strawberries!
Happy Birthday, P. I love Susanna's poem. It was worth waiting for. Yours is…. Um… Also a poem. FYI, I'm fine with 6 more weeks of winter, or whatever, as long as the snow doesn't touch my belly! Enjoy your day!
Love and licks,
Cupcake
Brilliant, Susanna! Loved the entire dialogue, which is why I am taking your Picture Book Magic”course.😉 I wouldn't blame Phyllis, if, for the first time in her life, she refused to come out of her burrow (was it snowing in PA today??). What an adorable groundhog is peering out of the bundt cake!
Down the road from me lives General Beauregard Lee, our local prognosticating marmot, who did NOT see his shadow and I thought I was happy. But then I happened along your Phyllis and various Groundhog Day shenanigans and poems and I realized what true happiness on Groundhog's Day could be. 🙂
Just finished pilates and I want one of those Groundhog day cupcakes. Just kidding, I want TWO. Happy to add my silly link to the party–Happy birthday, Phyllis!
Brilliant!
I'm waiting for P.Phyllis, the movie! Don't you all think it's about time? Have another strawberry, chocolate-covered of course. Helps the imagination, which is why I eat so many! Happy birthday, darling Phyllis!
Thanks, Julie 😊
Loved the post, Susanna. 🙂 Happy Birthday, Phyllis!!!
Love this!
If you did pilates, you may have THREE, Wendy! 🙂 Thank you for the birthday wishes, for being such a friend of this blog, and for your wonderfully entertaining post! 🙂 Happy Groundhog Day!
Hahaha! You ALWAYS make me laugh, Cupcake! And Phyllis is laughing on the inside… I think… 🙂 Good luck keeping the snow off your belly! My dogs are quite a bit bigger than you, and the snow is up to their shoulders – they are plowing through, but their belly's are definitely in the snow! Happy Groundhog Day!
Brilliant? Why THANK you, Jarm! I love the sound of that 🙂 You have made my day 🙂 I amused myself hugely writing this post, but I get the impression it was lost on a lot of folks! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! I don't know what it's doing in PA, but it's snowing like the dickens on Blueberry Hill!
You know Beau, Cathy? How cool! He actually stars in the Phyllis Valentine story that never got picked up. I'm very fond of him. My niece and nephews who live in Georgia gave me a stuffed General Beauregard Lee for Christmas a few years back… which was what sparked the ill-fated valentine story 🙂 I'm glad you enjoyed the shenanigans over here, and hurray for you for early spring! 🙂
Why thank you, Catherine! Actually, you don't want to know how long it took me to come up with that final poem – it's a little embarrassing. One of those can't perform on demand situations 🙂 Phyllis says thank you for hooraying her and hooray for you too – have a strawberry! 🙂
Thank you, Cheryl! I'm glad you enjoyed it 🙂 And Phyllis says thank you for the birthday wishes (she can be polite to other people) and sends you a warm, furry groundhog hug 🙂
Thank you, Stacy! And oh, my! Hunger Games style tributes are pretty much every groundhog's nightmare, so I hope that never happens! It's a little too close to reality when you're a groundhog 🙂 Happy Groundhog Day to you too! 🙂
Thanks, Karen! It's all good fun isn't it!
Such a fun movie, Stacy!
This post was an absolute delight to read! You clearly have a good relationship with Phyllis. It's always a joy to read anything by people who know and love their characters as well as you clearly do.
Isn't it, though?! Such fun!
Did you hear me laughing when I read your banter this morning? So lovely!
Thank you, Phyllis! 🙂
Oh, Karen! So delightful and clever! Phyllis and I LOVE it! Thank you for joining in Phyllis's celebration! You have made it even more fun with your wonderful poem! 🙂
Hahaha, Nancy! 🙂 Lucky Frosty, poor us 🙂 Ah, well, it's just more time for hot chocolate with marshmallows, right? Happy Groundhog Day!
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Heather! I had fun writing it, but just because I amuse myself doesn't mean anyone else will like it, so I appreciate your comment! 🙂 Happy Groundhog Day!
only slightly sticky strawberry smooch!
HaHa! 🙂
May I wish the springiest of Groundhogs the happiest of birthdays? Alas and alack, the furry muse did not perch on my shoulder, and I didn't get a poem written. I will read the other offerings with joy — and I loved the exchange between you and Phyllis! I'm also filled with joy to learn that there will be ONLY six more weeks of winter. It will be a treat to have spring come in mid-March. That's early in this neck of the prairies. May celebrations abound for the hog-in-the-ground, let bloom Amaryllis for the groundhog named Phyllis, and all give a cheer, Phyllis' birthday is here! (That was just off the top of my head. It ISN'T an entry. Just so you know.)
I'm glad you enjoyed it! I had fun writing it 🙂
Thank you for the birthday wishes and the WONDERFUL poem! And you are most welcome for the cake – it was the least we could do 🙂
My apologies as I do not have a poem, or ode, or whatnot for Phyllis. I do want to pass along my joy, joy, wish that she have a wonderfully, blissful Birthday filled with lots of chocolates, strawberries, warmth, and love *Hugs!*
Thank you, dear Joanna! I hope you are too! 🙂
Thank you for appreciating my sense of humor, Teresa. I laughed myself silly writing this, especially when I got to Phyllis being a thing without feathers :), but then I was afraid that others might not find it so amusing! Phyllis forgives your for putting your art for the conference above her and wishes you the best of luck with it! And she thanks you for posting at all and can't wait to come see what you did for her! 🙂
Wonderful ode to your groundhog girl, Susanna. Happy Birthday, Phyllis!!!
“Phyllis” and “Bruce Willis” rhyme. Work with that.
And can you pleeeeeease write about an animal who likes vanilla cake?
A capybara perhaps? 🙂
Happy Birthday, Phyllis! My daughter and I (and our silly big bears) had fun writing a poem in your honor at the Bearsdoingstuff facebook page. It's called A POEM FOR PHYLLIS, GIRL GROUNDHOG WONDER. It does not compare to your own spectacular poem, or to your friend Susanna's, but we hope you'll accept our humble gift!
This is awesome! You and Phyllis' poetry face-off was amazing! There's just one problem – I FEEL THE PRESSURE!!!! 😉
I got done editing the video this morning.
Great prizes! 😀
Thanks for another great Hare-Brained scheme! 🙂
Happy Groundhog Day! 😀