Groundhog Day 2012: Woodstock Willie Says 'In Your Face' to Punxsutawney Phil

This just in: Woodstock Willie rules!

Yes, our Woodstock champion says we're done with winter, while the "famous" Punxsutawney Phil says it's six more weeks. I'm willing to say, as my daughter Tricia sometimes does, "We win."

Yes, the next time you think about calling it "dense fog," try picking a kinder adjective, because that's what kept Willie from seeing his shadow this morning, Feb. 2, Groundhog Day, in beautiful downtown Woodstock.

Phil, meanwhile, saw his shadow, read some bad poetry and proclaimed that the reports of winter's demise are greatly exaggerated.

"Many shadows do I see, six more weeks of winter it must be," says the guy in that funny hat in the YouTube video attached here.

And while PP says we'll see six more weeks, I'm not buying it any more than Willie. We haven't seen six weeks of winter in the winter months (December, January and so far in February), for gosh sakes, let alone halfway into March.

Today also happens to be, as the Daily Herald reminds us, the anniversary of the big blizzard of 2011. A year ago, the forcasted low temperature last year was minus 2, today's is 33 degrees. (That's 35 degrees of separation, more degrees than even Kevin Bacon or Will Smith could overcome. But enough of the non sequitur celebrity references. Note to self: Be sure to do a hashtag for "Will Smith," think about adding the hashtag "Divorce"... How's that for 35 degrees of digression!?)

Anyway, if you're keeping score, it's Woodstock 1, Gobbler's Knob 0.

If you'd like to read more about Woodstock's Groundhog Day, see this .

You can find fun Groundhog Day things to do (I like simply repeating the words "Gobbler's Knob" as often as possible), read on this Cinnaminson Patch (we are not making that name up) by Rebecca Savastio.

Thank you, Rebecca; thank you, Stephanie; thank you, Woodstock Willie. In your face, Gobbler's Knob!

And happy Groundhog Day to all.