Good to see Friday here. This means we can take a short break from the week and do some fun things.
Today’s Good News story is about Bee Cave Bob You all have heard of Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog who predicts the arrival of spring . This year he predicted 6 more weeks of winter. I bet not too many of you have heard of Bee Cave Bob.
You see,, Bee Cave Bob was born in Bee Cave,, Texas, which is a short way up the road from our house, and he is an Armadillo. Bob has the distinction of being the Texas answer to Punxsutawney Phil. Now you may wonder why Texas feels the need to have its own version of a prognosticator of the duration of winter. The answer is best explained by Bob’s owner Ralph Fisher. “The Armadillo is the Texas state small mammal.”
Athough Bob lives in a farm community named Swiss Alp he travels back to Bee Cave every year to predict the end of winter. In an event, sponsored by the Benevelent Order of the Racoon (Not a typo), Bob is released on Feburary 2nd and watched. If Bob sees his shadow there will be 6 more weeks of winter.
In contradiction to Punxsutawney Phil, Bob is predicting an early spring. As I sit here with below freezing temperatures and a wind chill in the teens I can say Bob’s prediction is good news indeed.
Here is a Video telling the story.
Today’s JohnKu is about the weather. I hope you have a great weekend
Predictions by John W. Howell © 2022
There is Bob and Phil,
Trying to decide how long . . .
I’ll wait for mother.
Fiction Favorites 
I always use to listen to the farmers (not the agribusiness executives, the farmers with dirt on their boots and under their fingernails). Those that I knew in what was my part of France replaced forecasting with a gallic shrug when the world’s weather started to go mad.
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Gallic shrugs are good for many different situations. Too bad they are not transferable. Thanks, Keith.
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I’m with you, John. Happy to wait and see.
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😊
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Be safe in the storm, John!
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So far so good. Tonight 19 degrees. 🥶
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Thanks for the introduction to Bee Cave Bob. Fabulous! Hope you still have electricity.
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Yes we do. Big peak this morning but so far all is good.
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Great news!
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We have a deep freeze headed our way by next weekend at the latest. Thanks for sharing your weather! 🤪 Hope you stay safe and warm, John and everyone. I’m thinking hard about Spring, Spring, and more Spring! I love the line about “waiting for mother”. So spot on 💕🙂
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No matter how much we gnash our teeth nature will deliver the spring when it is time. Thanks you, Harmony and I hope you stay warm and dry. 😊 Have a super weekend.
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You too, John! 💕🙂
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😊
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I love it! Straight from the West Pole!!
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Yes indeed. Thanks, GP. 😁
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Who doesn´t love an armadillo? I love that news story. Stay warm. Sun shining here in Spain. Sorry.
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Enjoy the sun, Darlene. We will get some sooner or later.
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Not sure I trust any animal that can go underground to avoid the snow. Don’t think they have the same worries we do.
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So true. A polar bear might be a better source.😁
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True. They definitely have some weather concerns.
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For sure. 🤣
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Bee Cave Bob is a new one on me! Thanks for passing along a fun story. We’re getting sleet at the moment.
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Ugh. Our rain moved on but the ice is still here. 23 degrees right now. Stay safe. 😊
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It’s still sleeting here, and then it’s all going to freeze. Stay off the roads, people!!
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Yes indeed. Thanks for the warning, Liz.
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You’re welcome, John!
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😊
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“He is no rodent!” But he is kind of cute. Tough on the outside and soft on the inside. Just kind of how I think of Texans. That was hilarious.
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Pretty stubborn too. (Hmmm just like Texans) Thanks, Pamela.
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It makes sense TX would have an armadillo. Like you, I’m sitting here with ice on the roads and temps below freezing until possibly Sunday.
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I figured you Kentuckians would have the same problem. Hope the wine holds out. 😁
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I love it, John. And I’ll take Bee Cave Bob’s prediction over Puxatawney Phil every day!
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Especially when he says early spring. Thanks, Joan.
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It’s nice that Texas has its own season predictor. Bob and Phil are as accurate as the highly educated weather forecasters we have up here. 🙂
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Ha ha ha. I agree. It’s a 50/50 deal.
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I’ve never heard of this character. I’ve been to Swiss Alp; if I’d known he was in the neighborhood, I would have visited. Next time! (And it seems that ERCOT Earl was right!)
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He lives there but I don’t know if you can visit or not. I guess knocking on a door would give an answer.
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I’ll bet a could find a local in the grocery store or at a gas station who could provide an introduction.
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There you go. That would work.
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Now how cool is that? I’d never heard of Bee Cave Bob, but I’ve always loved armadillos, despite never seeing one in real life. For some reason they fascinate me.
One that can predict the weather AND thinks Puxatawney Phil’s prediction is wrong is A-okay in my book. Bring on the spring and a high five to Bob.
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Thank you, Mae. Yes Bob has a better forecast for sure. Have a great weekend.
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How funny! I never knew about Bee Cave Bob. 🙂 And the contradictory forecasts are typical. Great JohnKu! I agree. I’ll wait for Mother Earth to decide.
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I agree with you, Jan. Nature rules.
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I’m with you. I’ll trust Mother over some little beasties. Mother and farmers.
Hope you’re holding up!
We are blanketed in snow today… which I will take over ice any day!
Stay warm, John and happy Friday!
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I would rather have snow but can’t be choosy. Looks like it is thawing out. Low tonight of 19 which will put us near zero wind chill.
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I don’t blame you for preferring snow over ice. Glad it is thawing out and hope it doesn’t refreeze
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I just got back from the gym and the roads are clear. It is going to 18 degrees tonight.
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You went out there? Glad the roads are clear. And 18 is not too warm!
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Yes. I skipped exercise yesterday because of the ice. Needed to go today for sure.
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I hear ya. Keeping the body fit also keeps the mind fit 🙂
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Yes, and I have to watch both.
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Don’t we all… you’re proof of that.
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😁
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Here I lived in Texas all those years and never heard of Bee Cave Bob! Who knew? I like his prognostication much better than Phil’s anyway. Stay safe and warm, John.
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I do too, Debbie. I’ll try to stay warm. You as well. 😊
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I’m sooo looking forward to Spring, but with temps in the teens, I doubt it will arrive early. I loved your story and the cute clip. I didn’t know about Texas Bob until your post. 😊
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Well as I always say. Just give an old guy a computer and no telling what he will come up with. Thanks, Gwen.
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People are so entertaining, aren’t they? I also like Bob’s prediction much better. Stay warm, John, and hang in there for spring!
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I do too. Diana. You still in the sun?
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No. Back in the drizzle and gray skies. Sigh.
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AW. Sorry.
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Bee Cave Bob is a handsome gentleman! Did you know: Nine-banded armadillos nearly always have litters of four babies, identical quadruplets.
Stay warm!
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I did not know that, Noelle. Thanks for the information. I can’t wait for the next cocktail party to share it. 😊
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I sure hope Bee Cave Bob is right! Though I’m fairly comfy here in California, some blogging buddies are shivering in below-zero weather!
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Yes we are in the 20s here in Texas. No fun for sure.
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Bob looks like he takes his job seriously. Out here we’d probably get a beaver or something, but he’s kind of hard to lift up to the microphone.
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I was thinking in Michigan they should use a wolverine. Of course surviving the claws and teeth might be a different issue.
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I have not heard of Bee Cave Bob, but I sure hope he’s right!! Thanks for sharing this fun story, John!
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Thank you, Mar. I’m glad you liked it.
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I say, dear John! Do Armadillos know winter & frost? I suppose that you should invite our bears to predict spring. 🙂 🙂 Anyway, let it begin faster.
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They tend to stay in the burrow but will come out. Yes faster is better. 😁
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Hope its warmed up for you. Spring has been here since the beginning of January. I’m hoping for a bit more winter here.
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So soon? Lucky you.
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Groundhogs and armadillo two of any gardener’s least favorite pests. And pest is way too mild a word in both cases. One is a plant eating machine and the other is a rototiller looking for snacks. As an added bonus armadillo can carry leprosy. What’s not to love. It would probably be considered inappropriate to invite the coyote and the acme anvil to the prognostication events. So at this point the only graceful choice is to say my what a quaint winter festival. I think I will pour 3 three fingers and preorder a backup pour to celebrate moving past these events. That and surviving the dig out from Landon. And any day one can pour three fingers is a good day. Cheers ! Is it spring yet ?
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You have earned your potable reward.
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I hope Bee Cave Bob is right! He’s a cute little critter 🙂
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I hope he is right too. Thanks, Jacquie
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How fun and cute!! The ground squirrels are waking up here. I saw two this morning sunning themselves so, I’m leaning toward early Spring like Bee Cave Bob, but we need more snow and rain here!
Stay warm and safe!
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Well let’s hope you get a lot of snow and rain. Thanks, Deborah.
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One thing is for certain. Nothing is for certain when it comes to weather in these times. PS Armadillos really creep me out. And they make a righteous mess out of your yard if you let them. 😂
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Yes they do. They love to excavate.
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Like giant moles.
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Yes.
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Oh, I’m with Bob! How have I never heard of him before? Good news indeed! TGIF to you.
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I don’t know why you haven’t heard of him before. Just like I never heard of him before and I don’t know why either. I like his predictions though.
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Armadillos rock! This is the first I’ve heard of “Bee Cave Bob” though!
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He has a Facebook page if you want to see more. Just search on Bee Cave Bob
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I don’t know what Phil said and I don’t care either.
I’m going with Bob.
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Good choice. 😊
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You know it.
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Guess I have to go with Wiarton Willie. He’s from Ontario, where I live.
He has predicted an early spring.
I’m a tad suspicious that he and Bob are in cahoots. They might be writing a tell all about spring book!
Your JohnKu is JohnKute!
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I think they know each other so I would not be surprised. Is Wiarton Willie related to Horton Harry?
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236th cousins – 119 times removed on the mother’s side.
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I thought so. 🤣
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🤣🤣
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Everyone wants to be a meteorologist. I hope Bee Cave Bob’s prediction holds true.
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Me too. Thanks, Pete
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I’ve heard of Bee Cave but not Bee Cave Bob! Leave it to Texas:)
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Of course. 😁
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Reblogged this on NEW BLOG HERE >> https:/BOOKS.ESLARN-NET.DE.
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Thanks for sharing. 😁
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So these armadillos really do look very extraterrestrial. Lol I first read about it on Teagan’s blog. Great, if Texas has its own Armadillo driven weather forcast. Lets hope spring will come soon. Best wishes, Michael
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Bee Cave Bob says spring will be early. I’m going to go with that, Thanks, Michael.
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I’m counting on Bee Cave Bob!
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Me too.
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I might be the only one here who would welcome six more weeks of winter. Florida tends to skip spring and head right into summer. Eh, what will be will be. I’ve never known Nature to follow a calendar 😉
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You re so right. Marie
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[…] Good to see Friday here. This means we can take a short break from the week and do some fun things. Today’s Good News story is about Bee Cave Bob You all have heard of Punxsutawney Phil, the famous groundhog who predicts the arrival of spring . This year he predicted 6 more weeks of […]Friday JohnKu – AKA – TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News […]
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Thank you for sharing my post.
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How funny! It seems to me Bee Cave Bob should get more attention. I guess he’s more a local celebrity, a hidden jewel of Texas.
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I think some folks have trouble warming up to an armadillo. Thanks for the comment Betsy.
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I must admit that I prefer animals that are furry, but that armadillo in someone’s arms did look rather sweet.
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Ha ha ha.
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I have read that poor Phil is forced out of his burrow for commercial purposes. Hope not!
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So true.
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