Groundhog Caroling
Younger Daughter called on Thursday. She said she had a surprise for me, and then sang The Groundhog Carol, carefully translated into Thai.
Surely you know The Groundhog Carol! No? Well, then, allow me to enlighten you:
The Groundhog Carol
(Sung to the tune of Are You Sleeping)
See the Groundhog, see the Groundhog,
Popping up, popping up!
If he sees his shadow,
We'll have lots more winter.
Yup, yup, yup! Yup, yup, yup!
One of the years we lived in Williamsburg, February 1st fell on a Monday. Family Home Evening night, and it was my turn to be in charge. Our three older children were all teens, and not particularly eager about participation in FHE, and Older Daughter had a play rehearsal that wouldn't be out until 7:30, anyway, so I racked my brain to think of something -- anything -- we could do, as a family. There was an older couple in the Williamsburg Ward who had been very kind to our family. Perhaps we could do something for them. And then I realized that Tuesday was Groundhog Day. So that afternoon, I baked a big batch of blueberry muffins, loaded them into a basket with a selection of oranges and grapefruit and a jar of my own gourmet hot chocolate mix, and tied a big green bow on the handle. Then, after dinner, we all piled in the van to pick up Older Daughter from her rehearsal and drop the basket off at the Mallorys.
Williamsburg Ward was geographically large in those days, stretching from the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, where we lived, on the south up the Tidewater Peninsula almost to Richmond. After we picked up Older Daughter, I quickly taught the family The Groundhog Carol as we drove. When we arrived at the Mallorys' home, I explained that the next day being Groundhog Day made that night Groundhog's Eve, that we had come Groundhog Caroling, and had brought them the traditional Groundhog's Day Breakfast -- citrus for sunshine, hot chocolate for warmth, blueberries for the promise of sweet harvests to come, all tied up in a green ribbon as a reminder that the cold of winter is always followed by the green of spring. We sang our little song, visited for a few moments longer, during which time it became obvious that the Mallorys thought that we were serious (?!?!?!?), and then drove home to our own blueberry muffins and hot chocolate.
As a Family Home Evening, I did not count it as much of a success at the time. The boys obviously felt a little foolish about it all. Older Daughter was, of course, absolutely mortified at having the zany-ness of her family thus exposed to the world. The Mallorys didn't catch the joke.
But Younger Daughter remembered it. Fondly.
Surely you know The Groundhog Carol! No? Well, then, allow me to enlighten you:
The Groundhog Carol
(Sung to the tune of Are You Sleeping)
See the Groundhog, see the Groundhog,
Popping up, popping up!
If he sees his shadow,
We'll have lots more winter.
Yup, yup, yup! Yup, yup, yup!
One of the years we lived in Williamsburg, February 1st fell on a Monday. Family Home Evening night, and it was my turn to be in charge. Our three older children were all teens, and not particularly eager about participation in FHE, and Older Daughter had a play rehearsal that wouldn't be out until 7:30, anyway, so I racked my brain to think of something -- anything -- we could do, as a family. There was an older couple in the Williamsburg Ward who had been very kind to our family. Perhaps we could do something for them. And then I realized that Tuesday was Groundhog Day. So that afternoon, I baked a big batch of blueberry muffins, loaded them into a basket with a selection of oranges and grapefruit and a jar of my own gourmet hot chocolate mix, and tied a big green bow on the handle. Then, after dinner, we all piled in the van to pick up Older Daughter from her rehearsal and drop the basket off at the Mallorys.
Williamsburg Ward was geographically large in those days, stretching from the Yorktown Naval Weapons Station, where we lived, on the south up the Tidewater Peninsula almost to Richmond. After we picked up Older Daughter, I quickly taught the family The Groundhog Carol as we drove. When we arrived at the Mallorys' home, I explained that the next day being Groundhog Day made that night Groundhog's Eve, that we had come Groundhog Caroling, and had brought them the traditional Groundhog's Day Breakfast -- citrus for sunshine, hot chocolate for warmth, blueberries for the promise of sweet harvests to come, all tied up in a green ribbon as a reminder that the cold of winter is always followed by the green of spring. We sang our little song, visited for a few moments longer, during which time it became obvious that the Mallorys thought that we were serious (?!?!?!?), and then drove home to our own blueberry muffins and hot chocolate.
As a Family Home Evening, I did not count it as much of a success at the time. The boys obviously felt a little foolish about it all. Older Daughter was, of course, absolutely mortified at having the zany-ness of her family thus exposed to the world. The Mallorys didn't catch the joke.
But Younger Daughter remembered it. Fondly.
posted by MLEH | 10:41 AM
4 Comments:
I've been looking for a way to celebrate Groundhog's Day, and this seems to be just what I was looking for :-D
Of course I remember it, Silly Mother ... It was a devilish good time, and (as my husband will remind you) I am a fountain of obsurd knowledge with a frightening ability to recall obscure lyrics.
For anyone who's interested:
Du mu Groundhog,
Du mu Groundhog
Bai soong keun,
Bai soong keun
Ta kaow ha si tao kong kaow
Raow ja yang mi rudu naow
Jing jing jing, jing jing jing
[See the groundhog rat,
See the groundhog rat,
Going further up
Going further up
If he sees his grayness
We will still have winter
Really really really, really really really]
All together now!
In my defense, it had been a very very long day (starting with seminary at 6:00 a.m.) and all I wanted to do was go home so I could do my homework and fall into bed so I could get some sleep before getting up at 5:30 again.
But you definitely have to give my mother points for creativity. :)
I certainly don't remember it...
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