This has been a snowy day. We had received 9 in. of snow by 3 p.m. and we've had a little more since, although it is now mainly blowing around.

Our neighbor's son, Michael, was supposed to be arriving in Burlington at noon from Alaska, so Fred went with her to pick him up - but even though he took off from Denver at around 10:30 a.m. our time, he ended up back in Denver because of the weather. I guess they'll try again tomorrow if he can get another flight. I think if the weather isn't a whole lot better they'd better not leave here until they get word from him he's on the ground in Burlington.

Fred said the driving was not good. It took them at least twice as long as normal to get home. In the meantime, I had heard from Bill Rossi how bad the road was between here and Montpelier this morning when he went there for an appointment; then I got an e-mail from Terry Powers after I'd let him know I wouldn't be dropping off Ice-Out tickets for him today at Hastings as promised. Terry said he left Williston, where he has a Natural Foods store, early and was on Rt. 2 traveling at about 30 m.p.h. because he'd heard conditions on the through way, especially in the Bolton Flats area were terrible. I didn't begin to worry as I knew Fred is an excellent driver and would be careful. Conditions were bad all over, but fortunately not too many serious accidents as far as I can tell now.

Bill said it was one of those days when everything ahead looked white and you really couldn't tell where the road was and I talked with son, Jamie, this afternoon and he said he followed a truck this morning that was a real hazard because the whole back of it was snow covered, including the tail lights and it was visibly lost in the snow. Fred said his worst trouble was the windshield wipers couldn't keep up with the snow and visibility was really poor, but he was really impressed with the performance of her all-wheel-drive Ford sedan.

He took some pictures along the way - or maybe Elizabeth did - and I've made a short slide show. It starts off as he's waiting for her at the end of our driveway at 10 a.m. this morning, then Rt 2 to Montpelier and the intersection by with Rt. 302, on to I-91. That's Elizabeth, probably about the time she learned Michael, her son, was back in Detroit and she would likely be making the trip all over again tomorrow or whenever he can get a flight. The last shot was on the way home late this afternoon and the storm had let up considerably. Slide Show

Woody and I were very comfortable here and spent the day mostly in my office, me at the computer and Woody mostly snoozing on the desk beside me. A couple of times he got up, stretched and walked across my desk to block my view of the computer screen. That does get my attention, if that's what he's trying to do. He's sometimes a handful this time of year when he can't be outside.

I went outside at about 3 p.m., when the storm had lessened, and measured the snow so I could make a report. We had gotten 9 inches between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. It was still snowing lightly last time I looked out, and the wind was blowing it around, too. There are some pretty good drifts around the house tonight. Snow is plastered on the clapboards and along windowsills and up doorways. It's a chore keeping doors and walks shoveled. I made a shovel-width path to get to the mailbox and so Fred could get up the driveway without wading through the drifts - and about an hour later, Jamie came with "The Peach" - his jeep with a plow - and plowed the driveway for us. It was fun being out in the storm, though, since I was dressed warmly and didn't HAVE to be there. It's nice to be retired.

I've had lots of communications on the computer today. One I think lots of local folks will be interested in is about Jesse Larocque, known for his super abilities for diagnosing and fixing computer problems and also his expert basket weaving skills. Jesse is an Abenaki Indian and makes traditional baskets. He has also made lots of friends here, having lived on Brickett's Crossing Road for quite a while before moving to Danville and now St. Johnsbury. Andy Rudin sent me this link to an interview done with him a while ago: www.abenakination.org/interview", and another to his web site: www.abenakibaskets.com His baskets are the real deal and beautiful - but the point of my story is that we recently heard that Jesse had been seriously ill, and we were concerned. Andy Rudin, a Joe's Ponder from way back, and a good friend of Jesse's, confirmed Jesse had been ill. I then contacted Jesse to let him know his Joe's Pond friends had been inquiring about him.

Jesse assured me he's making good progress after a bout with first pneumonia and then a stroke which landed him in the Veterans' Hospital in White River Junction. Here's what Jesse wrote in an e-mail this morning:

It has been quite a ride .. these last few months for me. I did have a stroke last month and spent a few days at the Veterans Hospital in White River. I am on the mend now thankfully.

I am not driving any great distance for a while. I can walk a couple blocks before I get tired. Typing is even a challenge .. but I am slowly getting better each day.

It means a lot to me to have friends who care and are concerned. I do want to thank you and please let all the folks up by the Pond know I am back in the saddle .. almost.

Thanks again,

Jesse

We are very happy Jesse is doing better. Perhaps some of you will get in touch with him - his e-mail address is on his web site.

Here's a schedule of coming events at the Cabot Library:

January 23 – 2pm Susannah Blachly and Patti Casey – In Concert at the Cabot Public Library!

Described as "a master composer and performer of many styles of music" by Robert Resnik (VPR) Susannah Blachly has been writing songs and playing the fiddle for nearly 10 years. During that time she's recorded four solo albums, two of which were named among the top ten albums of the year by Seven Days, Vermont's premier arts newspaper. The Times Argus described her newest recording, All The Colors, as her best recording yet. Her song "The Line Between" was chosen Song of the Year by Vermont Public Radio in '05. That same year, Sing Out! Magazine featured one of her songs in their summer issue. Two of Susannah's songs were featured on the score of the hit musical "Shout It Out!" and several Vermont musicians have recorded her songs on their own albums. Susannah is a member of the band Two Shoes Off. She currently works as a therapist in Barre and lives in Marshfield with her son, Adam, and husband Tom.

“Music that isn’t afraid to get its hands dirty on the backroads of life”—

Native Vermonter Patti Casey has been called ”...the voice of Vermont contemporary music” by the Times Argus. With a voice that’s strong and sweet, a catalog of timeless songs, and a history of penning classic songs that have found their way into the folk music world across the United States, Patti has become the vocal backbone for many of our region’s finest musical productions.

Her list of awards includes Kerrville Folk Festival Songwriting Contest winner, Chris Austin Song Writing Contest winner, South Florida Folk Festival Songwriting Competition finalist, A Prairie Home Companion “Talent From Towns Under 2000” winner, and Telluride Songwriting Competition Finalist. Patti has written and directed music for Burlington’s Vermont Stage Company, and has produced 5 independent label recordings of her music. http://www.patticasey.com

Vermont Reads

Together, the Cabot Public Library and the Cabot Public School applied for and were awarded 50 copies of Katherine Paterson’s new book, The Day of the Pelican, by the Vermont Humanities Council’s 2010 Vermont Reads program. Vermont Reads brings communities and people of diverse ages, abilities, and experiences together in reading and discussing a book of high quality and acclaim. The program promotes community building, open dialogue, intergenerational exchange, a focus on the humanities, and literacy.

Tuesday, January 18, 5:30-6:30 pm, at Cabot School Performing Arts Center (CSPAC), please join the Cabot Middle School students for an evening of dramatic performance exploring stories of human struggle and endurance surrounding the ethnic conflict in the former Yugoslavia. Using this year’s Vermont Reads novel, The Day of the Pelican, students will share snapshots of the lives of young people during these turbulent times. For more information, please contact Kathleen Hoyne, at the Cabot Public Library.

Thursday January 27^th, 6:30-7:30pm, please join us at the Cabot Public Library for a showing of the film Parallel World. Following the film, there will be a student led discussion of The Day of the Pelican and how it relates to the film. There are several copies of The Day of the Pelican in the library available for reading in advance of this event.

And at Marshfield's Jaquith Library:

Mammoth book sale,
Jaquith Public Library,
School Street, Marshfield,
Saturday, January 22, from 9 to 1:30.
Thousands of books on every subject, priced from $2 down.
For further information call 426-3581.