Mr. Beaver and Ground Hog Day

Ground Hog day is coming on Feb 2.
Punxsutawney Phil in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania is a big deal out there you know.
But I have my own groundhog.
My daughter calls him Mr. Beaver and their relationship goes back a few years to when she was attending religious school.
She sometimes came in through the back door of the cottage if there were papers, etc to throw in the trash bin in the backyard. This day that was the case and she was walking through the back gate and adjusting her school uniform when she caught sight of a furry person on the ground.
He was sitting eating Ziti that had been thrown out. His two fists were holding a huge wedge of it and his face was covered with sauce and cheese.
He saw her too.
He screamed.. she screamed, they both leapt high in the air and turned running and screaming to their respective corners for safty. His was under the shed where he had dug an escape route.

That was the beginning of Mr. Beaver the name she gave him when she entered the house to tell me of the great disasterous first meeting.

"There's a huge beaver in the back yard eating your Ziti!!" she yelled.
We were to discover that Ziti is one of a ground hogs most favorite foods.

Not long ago in the spring I saw Mr. Beaver's first little family. Three little chubby balls of fur playing in the back yard and munching merrily on tender spring grass shoots. So cute.
Mr and Mrs were no where to be seen but I know they were close by.

I have never seen Mr. Beaver come out of his home on February 2 though and I do know they pull Punxsutawney Phil out of his.
If I see him this year early on that decisive day I will let you know! I will examine the situation closely to see if a shadow doth appear or not.
Who knows , maybe Ziti loving Mr. Beaver will be the new Season Predictor!