Another really nice day.  Not as much sun as we had Sunday, but nevertheless, a very nice spring day.  

We worked outside on Sunday, but today was mostly spent doing other things.  No matter what direction you go from Joe's Pond, it seems spring is further along than it is here - it gives new meaning to "the grass is greener."  The grass IS greener, there are more daffodils blooming, fields are drying out, folks have cast off their heavy coats and boots, and gardens are looking perkier than here even just a few miles in any direction.  Even so, things are looking pretty good here, too.  The pond is sparkling blue, there are more birds singing and animals frolicking than anywhere else I've seen recently, regardless of the green grass and flowers.  Just this morning a big brown and white rabbit zig-zagged across our back lawn like a torpedo gone a-wry.  As near as I could tell there wasn't anything chasing him, but he sure was in a big hurry.  

Last week I think I mentioned that Emmett Fitzgerald, a producer for Living On Earth, PublicRadio International, out of Boston had interviewed some of us here at the pond about the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest.  He was here just before the clock stopped, and later I sent him the information about Gary Clark in Barre winning this year's contest, so he talked with Gary, too.  Emmett hails from Montpelier and said he's known about the contest for a long time, but had never known anything about how it is actually set up or how it works, so when he was visiting his family a week ago, he stopped by.  He was too late to buy a ticket, however.

We took a big chance and got our car washed today.  The mud season seems to be pretty well over with and wasn't a really big deal this year anyway, and even if it rains as predicted, it's good to have at least some of the mud off.  I went to Cabot to check some files at the town offices, and then we went to Montpelier to pick up the Joe's Pond Association newsletter from Leahy Press.  It will be in the mail to all our members tomorrow, and Fred will also have it posted to the web site.  I'm not sure when he'll have it ready, but should be soon.  He has some other stuff in the pipeline and I have to wait my turn, just like anyone else.  We're trying to get the Ice-Out pages updated - it's easy to miss something, but we keep trying and appreciate when someone lets us know if we missed something.  Watch for the new newsletter - you'll find it under Joe's Pond Assn. on home

page.

We took this picture today on Cabot Plains Road, just a little west of the school house.  This was only a small part of the herd - the rest were far off in the meadow below.  This is looking north towards Jay Peak and Newport area.