The day has been blustery and very March-like! It's almost as if there has been a distinct marker saying, MARCH WEATHER BEGINS HERE. We've had sunny periods (a few), snow showers (most of the day) and white outs (numerous) from blowing snow. All the while it was warmish with temperatures in the 30 degree range. Now the temperature is dropping pretty rapidly; 15 degrees outside my window, and the sun is still on the thermometer, so we know it's going to be a bitter night.

I've had a note from Sam Lewis, our neighbor on Sandy Beach Road, saying he had an opportunity to speak with our road commissioner, Larry Gochey, yesterday. Sam asked about the unusual road condition and Larry explained the wing plow is broken, but they should have it back in service soon.

That said, I can't help wondering why they haven't used the grader with all the snow we've had. Not only that, according to the inventory published in the 2011 Town Report, the town has four trucks with plows. Can't be all are out of service. Not only that, there is another item listed, Highway Department Plows and Sanders inventoried at $5,000, which would indicate they have other plows they could put on a truck if needed. I'm sure it's not as simple as it would seem, but I'm just saying.

I'm actually amused because for years my father always noted that a few weeks before town meeting the roads were kept in better shape than any other time of the year, no matter what the weather. We might have a really big storm, but they'd be out there plowing through the night, keeping all the voters happy. After town meeting, that would all change and the plows would come when the storm was over and sometimes plow only a narrow track that meant you couldn't meet another vehicle and someone would have to back up to a wider spot in the road to let the other guy by.

That was known as "breaking open the road," and days later, if we didn't have another storm, the plow would come by and drop the big wing down to widen the road. There was only one plow back then and it took a long time to get to all the roads, so we had to be patient. The plow was a big tractor with a V-plow and large wings on either side that could be let down. These pictures tell the story better than I can. The first one shows how the road was "broken open" and the big old plow is making another pass to push the banks back. I don't know for sure what road the picture was taken on, but I think it may have been what is now called Brickett's Crossing Road. The closeup photo was taken when my father drove the plow, about 1928, and was taken near our farm on the Plain. With high banks and no trees for wind breaks, like these pictures show, the snow would drift right back into the road very quickly.

There was a lot more open farm land in those days, and the wind would really pack the snow into the roads. Not only that, but the truck plows we have today go much faster and more frequently than plows then, so the snow gets tossed back from the roadway more and the banks don't get built up as much. They then use the grader to wing the snow banks back, especially important in the spring so the ditches are opened up for when the snow begins to melt and water runs. Something we won't be seeing for a few days . . . !

Here's something you may want to attend: Click on the picture to make it large enough to read.

Also, don't forget that Cabot's Maple Festival is on March 19th.

I just heard from someone in New Jersey who may come up to see what Joe's Pond looks like in the winter time. They come on vacation in the summer, and now want to get up to see the fishing shanties and all our snow. I told them to come before March 27th, when the ice fishing shanties have to be off the ice, and urged them to wear warm clothing. With March weather what it is, it's hard to predict if it'll be spring-like or bitter winter weather. It's nice to have visitors at Joe's Pond, no matter what time of year it is. I hope they buy a few Ice-Out tickets while they're here!!