My family actually celebrates Groundhog Day. That’s because my mom used to be the Groundhog Lady of Ottawa. For about ten years, she adopted orphaned baby groundhogs from the Ottawa Wildlife Coalition and took care of them all summer until they were ready to be set free.
She fed them first with eye-droppers, then with baby bottles, and then they’d graduate to dandelion shoots and fruits and vegetables. They lived in a cage in the house until they were ready to move into the Groundhog Hilton, which was a huge groundhog hotel right beside the cottage, with hiding spots and tunnels and ladders and toys.
Even after they moved to the Groundhog Hilton, they were allowed into the cottage each day to play. They’d chase each other around and climb to the things they wanted, like the bananas in the hanging basket. They’d come when they were called. They all had names – I can’t remember them all, but there was a big fat one named Walter. She even had an albino groundhog.
You might not know this, but groundhogs are cuddly and they make noises. This is what they say: chugachoo.
Most groundhogs are orphaned in May or June, and there are usually three in a litter. When they were full-grown and healthy, usually in September, she’d drive around looking for somewhere good to release them: somewhere a groundhog would be happy, but not in the city, not in a farmer’s field, and not too close to a highway (groundhogs are notorious for not looking both ways).
After she released them, she’d visit them for a few days to see how they were doing. She’d call them, and they’d come running, squealing “chugachoo, chugachoo, chugachoo.” She’d talk to them and cuddle them and give them some dandelions, and then she’d be on her way.
I bet my mom has more photographs of groundhogs than she has of her grandchildren. But I don’t think there are any digital ones, since all this took place in the 80s and 90s. All these photos are of other people’s groundhogs.
My mom raised orphaned baby groundhogs every year until she fell in love with the Norwegian in Swaziland.
I have a picture of Lindsay, Kati and Billy (mine) with Walter, Martha and Orley’s Dad’s name…can’t remember it…at the cottage. I will scan it for you to post.
Was it Albert?
I think so.
Or maybe it was Arnold? (I think Albert might have been the very first groundhog…)
That’s fascinating. I never heard a groundhog speak before, beyond an irritated cough-grunt.
It was Arnold who was part of the Martha, Walter trio … so many happy memories of groundhog babies. Thank you for your birthday wishes. I will keep those fingers crossed that this latest lump is nothing to worry about … and celebrate your latest good news.
Oh … and the Norwegian was in the Namibia … Swaziland was the first trip to Africa … where I fell in love with a continent and its people.