Today has been a perfect day for working outside. We've had rain every night for a while, which has brought the green out everywhere, and there's been a cool breeze all day. It's good to see the grass and all our flowers coming up after the long winter. All my daffodils are in bloom - not much else, a hyacinth here and there - I don't have many tulips because some little culprit dines on them during the winter. I once planted some in a wire mesh "basket" thinking that would protect them, but that spring nothing came up and when I hauled the basket out of the ground, there were only wizzened remnants of the bulbs. I don't know what happened, but after that I gave up trying to raise tulips.

I sat for a long time on our little back deck where the afternoon sun hits and it's protected from the wind. I had a big clump of twine left from wrapping the shrubs and tying the small trees to stakes to prevent snow damage, so I untangled and saved whatever good twine there was in the heap. Woody, our cat, was stretched out on the grass next to the house, enjoying the sun along with me. I could hear sounds from the farm up above, dogs barking and then a neighbor's motorcycle. I thought how nice this time of year is - not too hot, there are no pesky bugs or biting flies, and everything is verdant and new, and people are outside enjoying it all.

Yesterday Fred and I enjoyed a walk in our woods - and explored a little of our adjoining neighbors' as well. It was lovely in the woods. Lots of birds and signs of wildlife. We even spotted a few wild flowers, but no May flowers. I had hoped to find some. We took some pictures, of course! A Walk in the Woods

Today Fred went with Bill Rossi to Littleton. They stopped at the Welcome Center at Moore Dam, just west of Littleton. Back in West Danville, they had some ice cream at Hastings Store and chatted with a Boston couple who were vacationing in the area. Again, Fred took pictures . . . Fred and Billy go to Littleton NH I think you can follow where they were - first on the road to Littleton and then the river that flows by Walmart's parking lot, a stop at the welcome center and at Hastings. Oh, yes, they got their shopping done, too.

Ray and Cyndy Rouleau are back! Welcome home, Joe's Ponders. There will be more and more of our friends coming back now that the weather and roads are better. Our first official Joe's Pond Association meeting will be on May 30, and our board will meet on the 23rd. If there is something you'd like to have brought up, either at the board meeting or the regular meeting, contact me, President Tom Dente, or any of our Board members. You'll be receiving the sping newsletter and your dues envelope shortly. The envelope is pre-addressed so all you need to do is slip your check inside and mail it off to us. The date for dues to be in is July 1st.