Ass viel vun eich schunn wisst, mariye, der zwette Hanning, iss en abaddicher Daag fer uns Deitsche un fer en gleene Schteddel in Naddwescht Pennsylvaania. Ya, mariye iss Grundsaudaag. Frieh am Mariye in Punxsatawney, der Phil, die gut bekannte Grundsau, waerr aus seim Loch rauskumme un saag uns sei Wedder Vorherrsaage. All die Media, mit viel Kameras, un dausend vun Leit waerre aa datt sei um ihn zu sehne. Der Phil iss warricklich so en Celebrity. Eb ee paar Woch hawwich die Leit in Punxsatawney gschriwwe ob ich der Phil interviewe kennt. Zum Glick hen sie “YA” gsaat, un selles Woch hawwich via Zoom en Interview mit dem Phil ghatt. Do iss was mir driwwe gschwetzt hen:
Guder Mariye Phil! Ich bin so froh mit dir zu schwetze. Loss mich so aafange: wie waar dei Winderschlof?
Ya, guder Mariye! ‘Sis en grosse Blessier mit dir aa zu schwetze! Ich les dei Blog un gleicht es arrig viel…un dei YouTube Channel iss aa arrig gut. Ya, mei Winderschloof waar gut awwer wie immer, zu katz. Bevor ich in mei Loch gegraddelt bin, hawwich en grosse Party mit all mei Freinde ghatt, wie immer. En grosse Fan aus Lebanon hot mir letschdes Yaahr en scheener Blaenket genaeht un hot es zu mir zerick in Oktower gschickt. Ich hab sell des Winder geyuust un man waar es warm. So ich muss Gross Dank an die Verna Kellerfeich saage!
Letschdes Yaahr hot dir Recht ghatt. Congrats, awwer was saagscht du zu re Leit die saage: “Der weess gar net was er duht.”
Was kann ich saage? Es waerr allsfatt Unglaawiger gewwe. Ich kann duhe yuscht was ich duhe kannscht. Ich saag es Wedder wie ich es find. Wann Leit denke as ich dumm bin odder ass ich net weess was ich saage, so iss es. Ich weess ass es gebt viel Leit die nemme was ich saage ass die Waahrheit un sell iss gut genunk fer mich. Ich daet aa saage ass die Leit die net glaawe, sie sin arrig Willkumm dohie zu kumme un mei Tschopp fer ee Yaahr mache. ‘Sis net leicht! Awwer die waerre sell net aa duh. Manniche Leit gleiche yuscht zu grexe. So iss es un so waerr es allsfatt sei!
Was denkscht du vun all die Science ass mir nau hawwe fer Wedder vorherrzusaage?
Ya, dihr Mensche sin arrig weit mit Technology kumme. Awwer, mannichmol sin die alde Wege graad so gut, wann aa net besser, ass die neie Wege, gell? Ich brauch ken Radar odder Digital Kaarte fer mei Tschopp zu duh. Ich kann mei Antwatt in mei Gnoche fiehle….un mer soll unser Gnoche net iwwergucke. Dihr hett viel Technology, awwer ich froog eich: mache die Weddermannsleit ab un zu Fehler? Fer dausend vun Yaahre hemmer soddiche Technology net gewwe un mir hen iwwerlebt.
Hoscht du Blanne fer der Summer?
Well, ich hoff so. Ich will mit der Fraa uff en Cruise geh. Fer die letsche paar Yaahre hawwich Commercials fer die Pennsylvaania Lottery gemacht. Sie hen mich zimmlich gut dafer bezaahlt. So ich denk ‘sis Zeit ee paar Dallers auszugewwe. Im Moi gehne mir nooch Florida un dann uff en grosse Boot in die Caribbean fer 10 Daage! Dann in Tschulei will ich mei Cousin in Nadd Dakota bsuche. Er wuhnt net so weit Weg vun en grosse Schteddel vun Prairie Dogs. In Tschulei gebt es en grosse Myusik Fescht datt un ich will es sehne. Mei Cousin saagt yedes Yaahr ass ich datthie gehne soll, so endlich des Yaahr duh ich. Es soll gut sei, awwer sell iss en langi Faahrt.
Du bischt en Symbol fer Pennsylvaania un aa fer uns Deitsche, wie fiehlscht du dich iwwer sell?
Ya, ich bin. Weesscht du, normally wann ich rauskumm, ‘sis wie en Blitzschtaerm! Ich fiehl mich ass ich uff der rote Karebet bei de Oscars bin. All die Kameras waerre am blitze sei un Leit waerre greische: “Phil, Phil, Phil! Mir liewe dich Phil! Guck mol do, Phil!” ‘Sis warricklich eppes. Awwer, Doug, loss mich des saage: ich bin yuscht en Grundsau aus Pennsylvaania. Ich duh mei Hosse aa ee Beh uff ee mol. Ich bin net anners vun eich. Ich duh mei Tschopp un am End es Daag bin ich graad wie all die annere Grundsei, un ich bin OK mit sell. Wann ich Freed zu alde un yunge Leit bringe, sell find ich gut.
Gross Dank Phil fer des Interview. Es waar en grosse Blessier mit dir zu schwetze. Ich winsch dir Gut Glick fer mariye! Bevor ich geh, soll ich mei Schneeschipp wegduh odder raus losse?
Doug, du musscht bis mariye fer selle Antwatt waarde! Mach’s gut!
Do iss en Audio Klip:
As many of you already know, tomorrow, the 2nd of February, is a special day for us PA Dutch and for a small town in northwest Pennsylvania. Yes, tomorrow is Groundhog Day. Early in the morning in Punxsatawney, Phil, the well known groundhog, will come out of his hole and tell us his weather forecast. All of the media, and thousands of people with many cameras, will also be there to see him. Phil is really a celebrity. A few weeks ago I wrote to the people in Punxsatawney if I could interview Phil. Luckily they said “yes”, and this week via Zoom I interviewed Phil. Here is what we talked about:
Good Morning Phil! I am so happy to talk with you. Let me begin with this: how was your winter nap?
Yes, good morning! It is a pleasure to talk with you! I read your blog and really enjoy it…and your YouTube channel is also really good. Yes, my winter nap was good but like always, too short. Before I crawled into my hole, I had a big party with all of my friends, just like always. A big fan from Lebanon had knitted me a pretty blanket last year and sent it to me back in October. I used it this winter and man was it warm. So I have to say a big thanks to Verna Kellerfeich!
Last year you were right. Congrats, but what do you say to the people who say: “He doesn’t know what he is doing.”
What can I say? There will always be people who don’t believe. I can only do what I can do. I tell the weather how I find it. If people think that I am dumb or that I don’t know what I am doing, so it is. I know that there are many people who take what I say as the truth and that is enough for me. I would also say that the people who don’t believe me, they are very welcome to come here and do my job for one year. It’s not easy! But they will never do that. Some people just like to complain. That’s how it is and it will always be that way!
What do you think about all of the science that we now have for predicting the weather?
Yes, you people have come a really long way with technology. But, sometimes the old ways are just as good, if not better, than the new ways, right? I do not need radar or a digital map to do my job. I can feel my answer in my bones…and we shouldn’t overlook our bones. You have a lot technology, but I ask you: do your weather forecasters make mistakes from time to time? For thousands of years we didn’t have such technology and we survived.
Do you have plans for the summer?
Well, I hope so. I want to go on a cruise with my wife. For the last few years I have been making commercials for the Pennsylvania Lottery. They paid me pretty well for that. So I think it is time to spend a few dollars. In May we are going to Florida and then on a large boat in the Caribbean for 10 days! Then in July I want to visit my cousin in North Dakota. He lives not too far from a large city of Prairie Dogs. In July there is a large music festival there and I want to see it. My cousin says every year that I should go there, so finally this year I am going to do it. It should be good, but that is a long drive.
You are a symbol for Pennsylvania and also for us PA Dutch, how do you feel about that?
Yes, I am. You know, normally when I come out of my hole, it is like a lightning storm! I feel like I am on the red carpet at the Oscars. All the cameras will be flashing and the people will be screaming: “Phil, Phil, Phil! We love you Phil! Look here, Phil!” It is really something. But, Doug, let me say this: I am just a groundhog from Pennsylvania. I put my pants on one leg at a time. I am not different from you. I do my job and at the end of the day I am just like all of the other groundhogs, and I am ok with that. If I can bring joy to old and young people, I find that good.
Thanks so much Phil for the interview. It was a pleasure to talk with you. I wish you lots of luck for tomorrow! Before I go, should I put my snow shovel away or keep it out?
Doug, you will have to wait until tomorrow for that answer! Take care!