[whimsical music]
- ♪ max and ruby ♪
♪ ruby and max ♪
♪ max and ruby ♪
♪ ruby and max ♪
- ♪ max and ruby ♪
- ♪ ruby and her little brother, max ♪
Kids: ♪ max and ruby ♪
[ragtime music]
- Hi, louise. Hi, valerie.
Both: Hi, ruby.
- Happy groundhog day.
[bell rings]
- Hear ye, hear ye, welcome to groundhog day,
The day we celebrate the arrival of east bunny hop bill.
- That's the name of the groundhog we're going to see.
- Okay, everyone, take a seat now.
We don't want to miss it when east bunny hop bill
Makes his appearance.
On this day each year,
A groundhog named east bunny hop bill
Comes out of his hole to see if winter is over yet.
If he sees his shadow, it means there will be an early spring.
[crowd cheering]
However, if he doesn't see his shadow,
Then it means six more weeks of winter.
Brr.
Crowd: Brr.
- So everyone keep your eyes on this groundhog hole here,
And let's see what east bunny hop bill
Will predict for us this year.
- Have you ever seen a groundhog, max?
I've got a book on groundhogs in my backpack.
Can you get it for me, please?
- [gasp]
Groundhog!
- Thanks.
There it is.
It's going to come out of this hole right here.
The hole leads to its home under the ground.
That's called a burrow.
You better keep your eyes on the groundhog hole
Or you'll miss east bunny hop bill.
- He doesn't seem to want to come out, mr. Huffington.
- How long will it take?
- Well, that's the thing.
We never know,
But one way we can try to encourage him to come out
Is to make sounds like a groundhog.
- Come on, mr. H.
You know every bunny wants to hear your groundhog imitation.
- Yes, we'd love to hear it, mr. Huffington.
- Give it a try, mr. H.
- Well, if you insist.
[grunting whistles and squeaks]
[crowd laughs]
[whistles and squeaks continue]
- [gasps] groundhog!
- You won't see east bunny hop bill
If you're looking that way, max.
- Whew.
- It says groundhogs are very shy,
So you have to keep still and quiet.
- How long is this going to take, mr. H.?
- Hard to say.
Bill usually comes out right about now.
He's been hibernating all winter.
- Hibernating means they sleep right through the whole winter.
- [laughs]
I guess he's sleeping in this year.
- Maybe we need an alarm clock.
[rimshot]
[crowd laughs]
- In the spring, they come out looking for food.
[gasps] oh, mr. Huffington,
I brought some food for east bunny hop bill
In case he's hungry after hibernating.
- Great idea, ruby.
- Now that's thinking like a groundhog.
- There you go, east bunny hop bill.
Come out for a yummy apple snack.
- [sniffing]
- Groundhog!
- Careful. We don't want to scare him.
- I don't think it's working, ruby.
- Maybe east bunny hop bill doesn't like apples.
- That's okay. I've got other snacks.
Max, can you bring me the berries, please?
- [sighs]
- Thanks.
- [sniffing]
- Groundhog.
- I don't understand it.
He must be hungry after sleeping all winter.
- Groundhog!
- Nope. No groundhog yet, max.
- East bunny hop bill
Doesn't seem to like berries or apples.
- Could you please get the bag of lettuce leaves for me, max?
- [sighs]
- If the groundhog likes lettuce, maybe he'll come out.
- What if he doesn't come out at all?
- Does that mean spring will never come?
[crowd groans]
Crunch!
- Groundhog.
Groundhog!
- No, max.
No sign of east bunny hop bill yet.
I was sure he'd like at least one of the snacks i brought.
Maybe i'm missing something.
[gasps] wait a second.
It says here that groundhogs usually have
Three or four entrances to their burrows.
Where are you going with that lettuce?
- Groundhog.
- But the groundhog hole is over--
Max?
[gasps]
You found another groundhog hole.
I wonder if--
There he is!
It's east bunny hop bill.
Look over here, everyone.
All: Ooh! Ohh!
- Eep!
- East bunny hop bill has officially seen his shadow,
And there is sure to be an early spring.
[crowd cheering]
[ragtime music]
- I guess your book was right, ruby.
- The groundhog had more than one entrance to his home.
- And now, we all know spring is coming
Thanks to max and the--
- Groundhog!
[engine rumbles]
Build.
- Ahh, it's starting to feel like spring.
[inhales deeply]
Ahh, it's starting to smell like spring too.
But grandma says i'll know it's really and truly spring
When the first robins come back from their winter vacation.
Maybe i'll see some today.
Hm. Maybe over in the tree.
Spring really must be close
If you're playing with your trucks in the sandbox.
- Build.
- [laughs]
If we just see some robins, we'll know for sure.
Winter sure has left things messy back here.
The robins won't visit our yard if it looks like this.
They'll be looking for a nice, neat place
To come and build their nest.
- Build.
- That's right.
After their long trip here, the first thing robins want to do
Is find the perfect place to build their nest.
Hm.
[gasps] i know!
Why don't we get the backyard all nice and neat
So they'll know they're welcome.
You go back to your job.
My job is to get the yard ready for our robin family.
Snap!
Huh?
First, i'll clean up all these twigs.
Oh! I need my garden gloves.
[machinery rumbling]
[birds whistling]
- [humming and singing]
♪ hm, ah, d-doo doo ♪
♪ whoo, doo, da-da-da da-da-da ♪
- [gasps]
[birds whistling and tweeting]
- Oh, it's amazing how many twigs fall on the ground
Over the winter.
There, that's much better.
Now, i just need to put these--
Whoa!
Max, what's your rock crusher dump truck doing here?
Oh, are you helping me clean up for the robins?
Thanks.
Could you please take them
Over to the compost pile beside the shed?
That's a big help.
Now i can gather up all these old, wet leaves.
Ew!
Hm.
A rake! That's what i need.
[machinery clatters]
- Build!
- [tweeting]
[rake scraping]
[machinery whirs]
- Hm.
I guess i should've raked these over to the compost pile.
Whoa!
[laughs] thanks, max.
You can take them to the same place you put the twigs.
Hm, what else can i do to get things ready for the robins?
Oh, the garden!
We'll still need those stakes this year,
But this string is old and messy!
- Build!
- [tweeting]
- Oof!
There, now the yard is tidy and pretty again.
The robins will think
This is the nicest backyard in the neighborhood.
Ahh.
Whoa!
Oh, max.
You're right on top of things today.
If you could take all this old string
To the garbage bin over there,
I'll put the stakes away in the shed.
The robins will be so happy to come here.
- Build.
- I wonder if there are any robins yet.
Hm, still no sign of them.
I guess there's time to fill up the birdbath.
- Build!
- This birdbath is so dirty, it needs a bath.
[laughs]
Perfect.
The robins will be so happy they chose our backyard.
[machinery whirs]
Better fill up the bird feeder in case they're hungry.
They should be hungry
After flying all those miles from the south.
There.
A tidy yard, a full bird feeder, and a clean birdbath
With some nice fresh--
[gasps] oh, no!
Hm...
Max?
I got everything all cleaned up for the robins,
And you've just moved the mess over here.
We are never going to see any robins here if you--
- [tweeting]
- Wait a second.
I know that bird song.
The robins--
They're back!
Of course. If forgot.
Robins don't eat birdseed. They eat worms!
I can't wait to get a closer look.
[gasps] they're making a nest.
You know what that means, max?
Spring is finally here.
And, thanks to you,
The robins have everything they need for their nest.
Now all they have to do is--
- Build!
- Grandma says she has something fun for us to do today, max.
I can't wait to find out what it is.
- There you are.
Are you ready to help me with my spring project?
- What is it?
- Planting my geraniums.
Ta-da!
- [gasps] those are beautiful.
- Every spring, i like to pot nine red geraniums
And one beautiful pink one.
- Where are you going to put them when they're potted?
- On the other side of the fence.
- But then you won't be able to see your beautiful geraniums.
- That's right,
But everybody who comes to visit by the back gate
Will be greeted by a beautiful row of geraniums.
It'll be a beautiful, unexpected surprise.
- Surprise!
- [laughs]
Every bunny likes surprises, don't they, max?
- Like what?
- All i know is
I want to make my geranium display different this year.
I want it to look truly...
Spectacular!
- [gasps] surprise.
- Maybe we'll find a good idea in my gardening book.
I'll go and get it. I'll be right back.
- [gasps]
Max, i just had a great idea.
Why don't we plant all ten of grandma's geranium pots
Before she gets back?
Won't that be a nice surprise?
Like grandma says, "every bunny likes surprises."
We'll have to plant them really fast.
And i know just how to do it.
Okay, this is my plan.
First, we line up all ten pots.
Then, we go down the line and put potting soil in each one.
Then we go down the line again,
And plant the geraniums in the pots.
We'll be done in no time.
Huh?
What are you doing?
- [whispers] surprise.
- Right. We're going to surprise grandma.
Oh, i guess planting geraniums isn't your idea of fun.
That's okay.
I'll have enough fun for both of us.
Eight...
Nine...
Ten.
Perfect!
Now that they're all lined up, i can add the potting soil.
[cheerful music]
♪ ♪
- Surprise.
- One...
Two...
Three...
Four...
Five...
Six...
Huh?
That's strange...
Maybe grandma only had six pots out,
And i didn't count them right.
I'll see if she's got more flower pots in the shed.
- [whispers] surprise.
- Perfect. I found four more pots.
Whew, there.
Now i'll fill them with soil,
And they'll all be ready for their geraniums.
Done.
I better put grandma's wheelbarrow away.
That'll make the surprise even better.
- [whispers] surprise.
- There. Back where it belongs.
Now i'm ready to plant one geranium in each pot.
I'll pot the special pink geranium last,
And then, when grandma comes out,
We'll do something spectacular with them.
Wait a second.
There's no potting soil in this pot.
Hm.
Or in this one.
I'd better go get the wheelbarrow.
And fast!
- Surprise.
- Oh, grandma will be back out any minute.
I just have to put potting soil in these--
[gasps]
Four pots?
I thought there were just two empty pots.
I've got to hurry.
Okay, now they're all filled with soil
And i can plant the rest of the geraniums.
One.
Two.
Three.
And finally, the special pink--
[gasps]
- Ruby!
You've planted my geraniums.
- I wanted to surprise you, grandma.
But your beautiful pink geranium disappeared.
- Disappeared?
Hm...
I think i know who can tell us what happened to it.
[gasps and laughter] oh, my.
- I don't know how you did that,
But now i see where the pots went.
And the potting soil.
[gasps] and the special pink geranium!
- Surprise!
- Yes, it's a big surprise.
- You like it, grandma?
- Like it?
It's just what i wanted for my geraniums.
A display that's truly--
- Spectacular!