Frazz by Jef Mallett for March 17, 2024

Except for Caufield and Frazz.

…a lot of people remember what the groundhog saw. Especially if it’s early spring. And I think we’re having that right now, what with all the buds on the trees and such.

On St Patrick’s Day, people worry more about tripping over their own shadow.

St. Patrick’s Day wouldn’t be the same without shenanigans.

Mrs. Olsen and Caulfield have more in common than they realized. Scary.

Punxatawney Phil guards his gold very carefully!

Her first mistake, asking “so?”

I’ve forgotten it already.

Perhaps in a decade or so you two can discuss it over a beverage.

LOVE it when they get along!! Classic, and the colors today are beautiful.

Caulfield and Mrs. Olson agreeing on something? Stop the presses.

Love this one!

Remember what?

Some of the kids might remember. Presumably, any celebrating they do of St. Patrick’s Day will be in an adult manner, while the adults are celebrating it in an infantile manner.

They’ll both remember this moment forever and take it to their Graves.

The idea is that a sunny day on groundhog’s day is indicative of a longer winter. It does not matter the animal that sees his shadow or not, only the prevalence of shadows.

The idea is that a sunny day on February 2nd was indicative of a longer window while a cloudy day was indicative that spring was on its way. After I learned this, I started paying attention and learned real quick that a sunny day did not indicate at all what the meteorologists said the groundhog saw. And they have a horrible record of prognostication. I wonder if they followed the old farmer’s tale, if they would have been more accurate.

Six weeks after St. Patrick’s Day, everyone’s looking forward to May Day or Beltane. (Six weeks after St. Patrick’s Day this year, some of us will be looking forward to putting the matzoh aside and eating food that tastes good again.)

Yeah, Groundhog Day (Candlemas) is a cross-quarter day — approximately halfway between a solstice and an equinox. I.e., just about 6 weeks.

The others are Beltane (May Day), Lammas (August 1), and Samhain (Halloween!)

There’s never been a reason to check those “predictions”. Another bad assumption.

With his penchant for obscure trivia, I’m surprised that Caulfield (who is owned by a cat) hasn’t mentioned St. Gertrude of Nivelles, patron saint of cats and cat lovers, whose day is also March 17th. (Patrick gets all the glory.)

After Steve Lyons did this, he said something about “in XX years, no one is going to care that I did that.” >