Not much new to report. Weather remains about the same - cold, snow showers, lots of wind, and we're ready for spring!!

Did you hear about the explosion in Middletown, CT over the weekend? That's where Tom and Camilla Dente live, but they probably weren't close to where the blast happened, although the news reports said it could be heard 10 miles away.

We had a break in at a home in Walden last night - looking for prescription drugs, apparently. Police caught them right away. Here's a clip: Break In at Walden

A while back I mentioned that Anne Michals was going to sell her cottage here at the pond. We just heard from her that someone contacted her after that appeared on the blog but she misplaced the e-mail address, so whoever it was - get in touch with Anne again, please.

Perhaps you remember my mentioning the Dakota quilt that my cousin, Marilyn (Bolton) Perrin and her husband, David, came across while vacationing out west in 2004. Dave and Marilyn have been busy tracing the names on that "friendship quilt" here in Cabot. The quilt was given to Mary Jane Bickford when she married in 1856 and went west with her new husband, Charles Howe to Wisconsin, and later to the Dakota Territory. Marilyn recognized names on the quilt that was part of a display in Pierre, S. Dakota, as familiar Cabot family names. That began the search, and now, Marilyn and David have self-published a book about the quilt and the girls and women who sewed and signed it for their friend, Mary Jane Bickford. Marilyn and David were here today to give me a copy. It's impressive, to say the least. Many, many names and family connections to early Cabot, Peacham and perhaps Danville people. Since the Howe family lived in E. Cabot, near where the Goodrich farm is now, people in Peacham, W. Danville and Danville were considered neighbors. While it isn't a "story" type book, it does have lots of connections that are interesting to those of us who enjoy delving into history some. Their book, "The Vermont Friendship Quilt Goes West in 1856," are available in local libraries and in the spring will be at the Cabot Historical Society.

We took these pictures of our cat, Woody, last night. He has numerous soft beds throughout the house, as well as overstuffed chairs or our bed, but he very often cuddles up to the wood in front of the stove. He seems to enjoy using the wood as a pillow, and sleeps soundly through almost any activity we may be doing. We had no idea how apt the name "Woodpile" would be when we named him. We think he likes the smell of the wood because it reminds him of the great outdoors and what fun it is to hunt and prowl about there. During these long cold days and nights, he misses that, and the chunks of wood help him make it 'til spring.