I'm sure lots of you are following our weather closely, wondering if your pick for the time the clock will stop in our Ice-Out Contest will be a winner. I can tell you we have a way to go before the pond is free of ice this year. We're keeping a close watch on the channel as that will be the first to be ice free. We took this picture this morning and I just checked with the binoculars and it hasn't changed much during the day even though we've had warmish temps in the 60's. There is a little open water showing, which I've marked with arrows. Click the picture to make it larger.

The lower picture was taken a few minutes ago, around 5:30 p.m., and you can see there's some water on top of the ice from the melting. There have been snowmobiles out on the pond today, and we don't worry about them at all - unless they go through the narrows. I doubt that the rail trail is still passable for snowmobiles. There would certainly be soft spots and probably mud in places.

We walked early this morning again, taking the loop from W. Shore Road down Meadow Lane and back on Sandy Beach Road. This short slide show will confirm there's a lot of snow and ice to melt yet. We threw in a few pictures of the roads, first Sandy Beach Road, and then looking up W. Shore Road. The last picture is looking at the hillside above Rte 15. On our side of the pond, the mud really isn't too bad right now - it has been worse a few days ago, and we expect it will be worse again if we get much rain, but it is passable with only a few spots broken through badly. Here's the slide show: April 10, Joe's Pond

Evelyn Richer is looking forward to Easter, hoping the weather will be a lot better by then:

There may be hope that we can take a canoe ride on Easter... we have done that a couple of years... usually the pond is completely frozen over and just the channel is open (and so is our shoreline)... that is the best canoe ride all year... hoping this year we can do it again... great way to celebrate Easter!

Since Easter is late this year, perhaps her wish will come true.

The day has clouded in now and the thermometer has dropped back to 48 degrees. I don't think it's going to freeze tonight, and rain is forecast, which might signal the end of sugaring season if the weather warms up as much as predicted. Most report it's been a great season. I expect we'll have more cold weather and probably at least another snowstorm or two before we see open water and daffodils.