Sometimes it's just uncanny how things take unexpected turns.  When I posted the letter yesterday from the person in California with all the questions regarding the Ice Out setup in 2003, I had no idea this mystery person actually had ties to Joe's Pond - even though he mentioned a friend, "shall we call him 'Steve' in northern Vermont . . ."  Turns out "Steve" is the real deal, none other than Steve Allen (Meadow Lane).  Steve said this person has been a friend for well over 50 years, and added, "I just wanted to tell you that he always writes (and speaks) just like the contents of the letter!"

Of course, now I'm wondering if he then, or has since entered the contest?  I'm pretty sure we were completely flummoxed by the letter at the time, and not having any of the information he requested at hand, likely never responded.  In hindsight, we should have let him know the contest directors then (and still) take a firm stand against making such data readily available and thereby rendering the contest prone to such scientific analysis.  Our aim over the years has always been simplicity - with the winning picks depending on the whims of Mother Nature, and plain Dumb Luck.

This is a lovely day - really like spring, with bright sunshine and temperature already in the 40's. I took this picture at around 9 this morning.  Now there is a lurking dark cloud bank heading our way from the west, and more clouds closing in from the south, so the sun is getting blotted out periodically and the wind is increasing, probably indicating a swift temperature or weather change is on the way.  We had about half an inch of measurable snow overnight, and I was surprised that we lost only a couple inches of our snow cover to the pretty intense rain yesterday.  There's a crusty undercoat on some surfaces (like our deck and the driveway) but the trees seemed to have escaped being coated with heavy ice.  

Yesterday was a tough day for Woody.  He seemed to sense it was warmer outside, but couldn't seem to figure out it was raining and not a day for cats to be outside.  He gets fidgety at times like this and goes from door to door, hoping one of them will open to pleasant weather.  Sometimes, like yesterday, his humans disregard his pleas . . . so he stages a "sit-in."  It isn't hard to figure out what he wants; Fred says he's a "great communicator."  We both know he has us well trained, but sometimes we have to persevere.  Fortunately, his protests only last a few minutes and then he usually has a snack and goes back to sleep.  He manages to sleep through most of the bad weather . . .