So.  How was the first day of spring for you?  Snow?  Clouds? Rain?  All of the above?  I think that's what we may be getting tomorrow.  Then Sunday we're back in the deep freeze.  The day started off with some weak sunshine this morning, but it didn't last.  We talked to our three-year-old granddaughter, Tangeni, at supper time and she told us she didn't have a good day at school because "the sky was white."  Of course it was.  I tried to convince her we'd see blue sky and green grass pretty soon, but she insisted the grass and the flowers are all covered up and white, too, and I got the impression she believes they are gone forever.  Try convincing a three-year-old when you barely believe what you're saying yourself.

Actually, just to prove we here at Joe's Pond do believe, Larry Rossi put the block and flag out on the ice this morning and the Lyndon State Channel 7 TV guys were on hand to film it.  That's a true sign of spring approaching when we get the flag out for Ice Out.  You can see the very short piece the students put together by going to Lyndon State News 7.  On the little screen that comes up, there will be a menu on the left listing archived newscasts.  Click on tonight's, March 20, at 5 p.m. and move the little arrow at the bottom of the screen about half way along the bar to skip to where the interview is, right after the weather and a piece about northern lights.

This is a closeup of the new streamlined block and flag setup.  Fred was there just after Larry left, but before the TV crew left, so was able to take   pictures of them taking pictures.
The middle picture is looking towards West Danville.  That shows the extent of the sunshine we saw today behind the clouds - just a pretty glow.  Looking in the opposite direction the bottom picture  shows there was a little more blue sky in the west, but that didn't last.  We don't usually see the flag from this perspective - looking back at the Rossi's where the clock is located.   The clock isn't hitched up yet, by the way - it was too windy and cold today and Larry said he'd be back when it was warmer.  We aren't in a rush to get the clock going - there's nearly three feet of ice and near zero weather expected on Sunday night, so no melting going on yet.  We'll keep you posted.  The weather could turn on us any day now.  In the meantime, I really like the Henry Van Dyke quote on the picture at the top of the page, "The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another.  The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."  I just hope it isn't greater than a month.