Now, Mr. Groundhog, we must have a talk.

I know you got the letter from my children, begging that you would see your shadow so that we might have more winter yet. They have a snowman, you see, that they want to see live “till the middle of July!” He is a fine snow man, handsome in stature- we have not seen his kind in these hills for many, many, years.

All this aside, you cute fuzzy animal that lives under the hill-

I won’t complain if you happen not to  see your shadow and spring comes soon in all the finery of an Appalachian morning.

I really, truly won’t think less of you.

(And I promise not to tell the children we talked.)

Deal?