By Michelle Forbes

Canadians love talking about the weather. It is one of the most common topics in Canada, along with hockey, beer, and how much longer winter will last before road construction season arrives.

For this reason, the beginning of February has a critical holiday, with near sainted animals revered on February 2, as they predict an early spring, or six more weeks of winter.

Kootenay Kirk, a local groundhog at The Kimberley City Bakery, has been with the Forbes family for years, and every year, radio stations start phoning the bakery at the crack of dawn to see what the future holds for the area.

Eric Forbes has been bringing out Kootenay Kirk every year on Groundhog’s Day for several years, now. “As Douglas Adams said, that cat knows where his towel is, or, in this case, that groundhog always knows where his shadow’s at,” Forbes says.

And this year? Well, it looks like spring is just around the corner, which is great news for spring splash, golfers, and anyone waiting to smell the flowers. So, hold on, folks, Kootenay Kirk has not seen his shadow, with a prediction for an early spring, so get ready to get outside and enjoy it!

As for what other groundhogs are saying about the future of winter, Wiarton Willie says six more weeks of winter, but Shubenacadie Sam in Nova Scotia was not bothered by any shadow business and concurs with Kootenay Kirk that spring is right around the corner.

Lead image: Eric Forbes helps Kootenay Kirk make his prediction this morning in front of The Kimberley City Bakery. Photo by Michelle Forbes

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