Traditionally, on Feb. 2, if that plump rodent known as a groundhog leaves his burrow to check out the weather and sees his shadow, he is scared back inside.
And thus, for whatever reason, the rest of us have to go through, as the saying goes, “six more weeks of winter”.
This isn’t as bad as it might sound, even if some people are already shivering and shuddering.
Six weeks takes us to March 15 or so. Many folks already have greenhouse stuff started. Days are longer and temperatures are above zero. Spring is in the air.
And guess what? All our local groundhogs did not see their shadow! So, we are supposed to not get those six weeks more of winter. Now, exactly where winter ends we have no idea.
Consider this, long range forecasts say that beginning as early as Feb. 22, just over two weeks from now, daytime temperatures will be just above zero. That is expected to run well into March. They may never go below zero again this winter.
Wow! Last year, such temperatures did not happen until the end of the first week in March.
So, our local crew of fearless weather forecasters get a scratch on the back for this news: Joussard Jimmy, Triangle Tommy, Kinuso Kenny, Faust Freddie, Enilda Eddie, joined by Grouard Gary, Driftpile Denise, East Prairie Pauline, Sucker Creek Samantha, Peavine Paul and Whitefish Willie. Sorry, we couldn’t get the rest in.
Meanwhile, the chorus of our eastern neighbours and their predictions all say Eastern Canada and United States will all be getting six more weeks of winter.
Oh, shucks!

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Are you aware that yoga, that exercise thing, is now “cultural appropriation?”
Cultural appropriation, if you just came out to check the sunshine on Groundhog Day like Sucker Creek Samantha, is where one person, usually a white Anglo-Saxon male, does something [like a dance] or wears something [like a voodoo mask] that is “owned” by another race or citizenry.
Without meaning to be disrespectful to anybody, we always find this confusing. Like, didn’t Greeks invent democracy?
So are we all “appropriating” that? Arabs and Hindus invented the 0-9 number system we all use. Shouldn’t we properly all be using Roman Numerals?
Oh wait! That would be appropriating that from Italians. Speaking of which, maybe we should stop baking pizza. Well, on and on it goes.
But we digress. According to the argument about yoga, exercise is just one component. It also has a spiritual component that is not respected by those fans of yoga. Especially, companies like Lululemon and others which make yoga clothes. Tsk! Bad people, eh?
Actually, the United Nations has defined things like yoga as “intangible cultural heritage”. Included in this are things like song, music, dance, drama, skills, cooking at festivals. Is it debasing these things by using them, or is that a great way to preserve and honour them?
Your call.

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Send your Valentine’s Day wishes, or get a special mention for couples you know, by sending in a note to southpeacenews.com. Free online and only $5 to be printed in our real life edition.

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Groundhog Day fans weren’t the only ones clouded in. Sad to say, we were also clouded in last week on Jan. 31. This was when the “Supermoon” was supposed to be at its peak.
Supermoon. Blood moon. Moon eclipse. All three together. But, when the sky is sort of clear, we saw one heckuva bright moon. Reason being, it’s very close to Earth.

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Calling all photographers! We are looking for pics of ice huts in the region. Any lake. Any huts. Any shape.
We already have a collection of photos online at southpeacenews.com but we are looking for more. Use the contact form there to upload your own pix, or bring in a hardcopy or thumb drive so we can copy them.
Credit lines, of course, will be published.

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Our High Prairie Regals are tied in their best-of-seven NPHL Quarter-Final series at the time of this writing.
We are sure the local boys will lead the series after their game Feb. 3.
The team will host the fifth game of the series Thursday, Feb. 8 at the Sports Palace. Game time is 8:30 p.m.
Go, Regals, Go!

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Have a great week!