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w]; 1 long '3! INF L ‘ Sun WIARTDN'flHOW «elderly do " thai take all that Wiano'n Willie groundhog-and-ahad around here? Officially. it‘s serious business. But sometimes during the week- festivai that follows the animal's Feb. 2 weather forecast. it gets a little hard to separate fact 1 from malarky. Some people actually not part of the festivi- thal's what they said around the Wiarten and Dis- I trlct Curling Club as the annual groundhog bonspiel went into its groundbog as At least. ties. .. H7. 1‘ final ends Saturday afternoon. "There's nothing wrong with ' festival organizer Pa» "They only eat the I youndhog.‘ tar Pegg said. best of grass." Ray Marklevitz's Groundhog Stew recipe is on page V 28 ol the curling cluh'a cookbook. l right hnsitln lovre Brown's Bavar- lon Suppnr For 2 and Pat Sams Heel Willi BnL Chnv. The tnulilinnal midnight meal at the annual grunmlhog bonspiel is Martin-rum Slr'w And runners- up rewive: n stnflurl goundhog trophy lint lmttml organizers have llillh'tl tin-n- .n'v internal disputes urnnng Winrlmnnns about the true llll'illtll.‘ nl lltlt town's weather lnrm hating l-‘ur nlnnnl u generation now. ‘Hll t’nuslnl tnwn mayors have unrrmi mnlv lmrn bad annually on Feb. 2 to wander ll'll! snowy rnea- rtnwx north of here looking [or animal smnll slimlnws linstnln luv: it that the furry er-ntnrn emerges lrom winter hi- lmrrmtn-n tn smut the approach of spring Nu alnnlnw means spring is lust .munnl thu rzurner. my stuff J . Wlarton1 camp Phil against Willie in w ' a conâ€" tinent-wide publicity hinge ‘Ior both communities; The animal weather watch has become an elaborate ritual com- plate with formal attire. But in Vr'liarton. there's another stde_to it a . Pegg suggested Saturday that the albino youndhog advertised to the world as Wlarton Willie may actually be an impostar. "The real Willie is..a brown one," Page said cautiquplg.‘ ; ,_ The community‘fes‘ “A it! follows Groundhog _ e‘maior source at lunds for local‘proiects. This year. the money goes toward renovattons'of the Bruce Peninu- sula hospital. Broomball toumamenia. a casi- nu night. festival queen pageant and several dances all with a groundhog theme form the core of an intense weekend of activity co- ordinated by the Lion's Club. Pegg worried about offending officials of the town's Business improvement Araa who handle the albino Willie. But that didn't stop him from raising questions about the accuracy at this year's ‘ mg t young animals shot in summer and frozen for use in February. This year's slew came from the home at” curllng club president Bill Glasstord and his wife Judy. "It tastes the same as rabbit." Marklevitz said. But groundhogs are very fat. and cooks must take care to remove musk glands from under the animal's legs before cooking. Groundhog Ray Marklevltz's Wiarthn Groundhog Stew recipe: g" 1 groundhog ' ' 4 large potatoes 4 large carrots 2 large cooking onions 1 cup peas t4. cup cornstarch 1 parsnip '2': small tumtp 3 tbsp. wamastershim sauce 1 clove garlic . salt and pepper to taste flour ’ butter ' ' Skin and clean ground“; Re, {nova mus fa vut.._.?; ' . “I! 1W ' r 1?: traditions usmg 'We don‘t shoot any white a'igm Frid y,. pressed his. but. , '1' the curling But t a n Qf 7 ,‘ t able 511:3:th on he pennant is And the trop'h foe he ‘ runners-up is a' miffed gunfight; with brovvn fur and a small holle- that: ilehlfld one ear. " I v or revirz, the man weed groundhog stew andzcaii: ago, was actually accused of cock- mg Willie o ‘ year when nobody could find :a , your.de day. Sroundhcig:r on c‘uh members take rum. ones." Marldevitz said with a‘tiin smile. As he smiled he added that . the groundhbg weekend helps shorten Wiarron‘s lengthy winter no matter what the groundh‘o forecast says. ‘ ‘ . "it‘d be pretty hard'to existall Elmer without a weekend like is.” tew recipe pieces. Place in presdme'dhh ‘ with water. ‘ ‘ " Cook until rmth tailgotf'lihnds; ‘ Dust with flour and fry i u . until brojwri. Add water t_ gravy an o ean f Clean. dice an? 135:; all ables. Place in large pH on until tender. Ad ‘lu groundhog and gravy out, .