Another cold day yesterday - one more day closer to a warm-up trend.  Again, the sun was bright and that alone lifts our spirits; but tonight will be in the zero or below zone again and then a gradual warming spell to, dare I say it?  RAIN perhaps by the middle of next week.  This has to be the most cockeyed weather ever recorded.

Today is beautiful - 8 above here at 9 a.m., and that makes it almost like a spring morning.  We're finally in that "warming trend" the forecasters have been promising.  Good news, and in addition, we had just a skimming of snow overnight to keep things fresh and clean.

On to other aspects of living in the north country.  A few days ago we had an inquiry as to whether JPA is following the Shoreland Bill currently in our Vermont Legislature.  We contacted Rep. Kitty Toll, and he sent a quick response - I'll have more from her perhaps later today (Thursday).  In the meantime, she sent a link so you can follow, as she said, the side-by-side progress of the bill.  After clicking on the link, type in shoreland in the search box.

http://www2.leg.state.vt.us/legdir/committeeinfo.cfm?CommitteeID=211

Sen. Rodgers mentioned in an article in yesterday's Caledonian Record that there have been significant revisions in the bill while in committee, and that voting "in favor of the revised bill was better than just voting against it and not getting compromises to help Northeast Kingdom cottagers."  He said the Senate version of the bill is much better than the House version; however, the reaction to the changes by the House is "unknown."  If you have further questions, you can contact Sen. Rodgers at: jrodgers@leg.state.vt.us.

Many of us here at Joe's Pond will remember Sen. John Rodgers from his work along waterfronts with his father several years ago, long before he became senator.  The senator owns lake shore property at Shadow Lake in Glover, so no doubt has a property-owner's perspective on the issue in addition to understanding the realities of waterfront construction and maintenance.