This stretch of great weather is altogether too weird. Who would think we would be almost entirely without snow in the third week of March, with soaring temperatures ending skiing, boarding and sugaring season? But with the unusual weather comes slimy, muddy roads, winter's collection of trash revealed along roadsides, and lawns and fields tinder dry. It's not without delight for some people, though - like die-hard skiers loving the best spring skiing they've had in years, and early gardeners who are taking advantage of the warmth to get some crops and flowers going early.

In case you wonder what your friends here at Joe's Pond are doing these nice spring days, these pictures from Bob Dimick say it all. He writes:

Hi Mom,

Here's something I thought you might like for the blog. Joes Ponders Jack & Sue Lague, John Gebbie and yours truly spring skiing on Smugglers Notch today. What a great day!

In the top picture are, left to right, John, Bob, Sue and Jack; in the bottom picture, Jack, Bob, Sue and John. Bob and John have skied nearly every week this winter, along with several other buddies. They hit the slopes at Jay, Mad River, Stowe, Burke - depending on time and conditions.

I think Bill and Diane Rossi went to Burke to turn in their skis today, and most areas are will be closed up for this year by the weekend.

We are watching the ice in Joe's Pond turning blue-gray as it pulls away from the shoreline, the open water in the both narrows lengthening in a matter of hours, carving a ribbon of sparkling blue from the upper narrows to the dam in West Danville, and we begin the twice-daily "watch" to check the Ice-Out Contest clock. This picture was taken late Thursday morning.

Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire expects the an early ice-out. Bob Labrie in Goshen, Massachusetts, runs the annual Meltdown there, and the flag went down on March 19th. We reported Lake Dunmore's contest finished on the 20th. Can we be far behind?

Fred and I were on WSTJ radio and WKIX-FM this morning. The top picture is Jessica at KIX, and when we finished talking with her, we went next door and did an interview with Don Mullallay. It's always fun to do these interviews.

When we left the radio station, we went to all our ticket outlets and picked up the tickets they had sold and gave them a supply that we hope will take us through the remainder of the contest.

Ticket sales seem to be good so far, and people are listening to us and getting their picks in early, just in case the ice goes out before the April 1st deadline.

We are nearly out of printed tickets, but people can still get on line tickets, make them out, print them and send them to us in the mail. We don't want anyone to be left out of this fun contest where the winner could get around $5,000. Tickets are still only $1. Just be sure you get them in the mail right away because we don't know how long it will be before the flag goes down, and if it's before the close of the contest on April 1st., the game will have to stop. We won't sell more tickets and tickets that aren't already in our hands will not be accepted. If the ice holds until the April 1st. deadline, you will have until close of business April 1st to get your tickets, and tickets mailed on March 31 will be allowed. Any mailed after that date will not be accepted into the contest.

Here's an update on Sue Fitts Martin, who recently had an operation:
WE JUST GOT IN AND HAVE A MESSAGE FROM ERIC THAT CAME ABOUT 7:00. SUE IS DOING GREAT AND HAD AN EXCELLENT TURN AROUND AND WILL BE GOING HOME FROM THE HOSPITAL TOMORROW. SURELY GREAT NEWS ! HOMER

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An Evening About Vermont Yankee

Wednesday, March 28 at 7 p.m.

Hear about Entergy and Vermont Yankee from Marshfield area residents who are involved in and knowledgeable about the issue.

At the Jaquith Public Library in Marshfield, VT, 122 School St. For information call 426-3581 or e-mail: jaquithpubliclibrary@gmail.com.