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Winter is here, shadow or no shadow
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Not to sound like a groundhog-is-half-blind sort of guy, but I figure that regardless of whether old Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow in Pennsylvania on Groundhog Day today, those of us in the rest of the country still are looking at six more weeks of winter. I believe this to be the probability even if we quickly organize a Woodchuck Day in Ohio and a Whistle-Pig Day in Indiana, in a desperate attempt to determine our weather by making it the best two-out-of-three. It's winter. Winter won't end until March 20. Bundle up and live with it. And I don't think that if March comes in like a lion it necessarily will go out like a lamb, either. It might just keep snowing. It might go out like a polar bear. Seasonal Superstitions I don't buy into any of the other weather superstitions, either. If wind blows down your chimney, expect cold weather, one of them claims. I think you just need to close your flue. Chickens crowing at midnight or crowing more than 10 times is supposed to indicate bad weather. Well, I don't live within earshot of any chickens that aren't packaged in parts, and their crowing days are pretty much over, but the Weather Channel often tells me to expect the same snowstorms as people who own still-pecking poultry. And, if birds gather on the ground in groups, I doubt that it's because a superstition says it's supposed to snow. I suspect that it means somebody just spilled a container of bird seed in the parking lot on the way to a car. Lucky for the birds, but not particularly meaningful in a meteorological sense. Taking It Personal I'm not the kind of guy who goes around petting people's dogs early in the season so I can judge how cold the rest of the winter is going to be by the thickness of a canine's coat. Oh, I'm friendly. I pet whatever pooch approaches me. But, I don't attribute to them any more long-term knowledge -- instinctive or otherwise -- about high and low temperatures than meteorologists on the nightly news, and those guys seldom extend their forecasts out farther than five days. That's why, when it comes to weather superstitions about winter, I choose not to believe. If I believe superstitions now, then I have to believe them later, too. And, there's one superstition which apparently says that if sparrows mate in March -- right about the time the groundhog's prediction is dwindling out --then we can expect six more weeks of cold weather. Now, I don't mind that. My winter coats and gloves will still be available. It's just that intentionally watching sparrows mate makes me feel sort of creepy. Waking up the groundhog is bad enough, but I think that what sparrows do in the privacy of their own nest isn't any of my business. 
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Today is Friday, May 24, the 144th day of 2013. There are 221 days left in the year.
1863 -- 150 years ago: A military escort will be at the square at 9 a.m. tomorrow forthe funeral of Lieut. Joseph Eaton. The county judge is absent in Chicago, which willaccount for his not being in the procession.
1888 -- 125 years ago: Rock Island's City Council last night appropriated $95,000 forexpenses for the 1888 and 1889 fiscal year.
1913 -- 100 years ago: Mrs. F.W. Reimers last night was re-elected president of the RockIsland Musical Club at a meeting in the New Harper Hotel.
1938 -- 75 years ago: Seven members of Boy Scout Troop 21 got their Eagle badges lastnight. They were Ralph Hurt, Robert Nelson, Howard Schersten, Cecil Nelson, RobertFryxell, Clarence Stone and Rollin Hurt.
1963 -- 50 years ago: Mayor Morris Muhleman has resorted to a form letter in an effort toanswer objections to the wheel tax increase. "It was my hope that I could, in some way,restore the faith of the citizens in our city. In order to do this I knew I must face the factthat I would become very unpopular."All they are trying to do is protect the citizensproperty and build their town.
1988 -- 25 years ago: RICCA, the Rock Island County Council on Addictions, inconjunction with the Quad City Downs, will hold its annual "Night at the Races" June 2.The benefit "Night at the Races" will raise funds locally to assist in maintaining the twohalfway houses, New Hope Lodge (for women) and Beacon House (for men).
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