I made it out this morning, in spite of a couple of really nasty mudholes - on Gardner's hill and on the hill just past Barre Avenue going towards Rt. 2.

On my way home, I took some pictures. Click to make them larger. The first is taken from the beach. Ice is mostly gone from the first pond, just a bit near Point Comfort and around some protected edges.

Next I stopped just past Point Comfort to see the middle pond. That is nearly ice-free, too, although the eastern end still has sort of an ice jam. Looking up towards the big pond, there's lots of water showing.

Then I stopped at Ned Hamilton's dock - a good vantage point without going through snow or wet ground. The brook by Ned's is a bit high and is cutting out into the ice towards the flag, but there's still quite a way to go. Looking up the pond, the ice is pretty dark - surely no fisherman would want to trust it at this point.

Then I looked for the block and the flag. I'm not sure what was going on there, but it looks as if slush had built up around the pallet and when the temperature dropped last night, the pallet froze slightly tipped up. No harm done, and the clock is still ticking.

Weather forecast is for rain perhaps tonight, and off and on for a couple of days. That could do the rest of the ice in - but even now, it's hard to say. I guess the big question right now is, will the clock stop in April or May?