Today has been dreary and rainy - sort of cool, but really not bad as long as one stayed dry.  I took this picture a few minutes ago - it's dreary, but still kinda nice, don't you think?  A good night for dinner by the fire.  

We have been in St. J. most of the morning, and this afternoon I've been catching up.  It always seems as if when I'm away from my computer is when I get the most mail.  

I have a couple of mysteries to solve.  The map shown here was drawn in 1975, but the question is, who did it?  We think it was for the Fall Foliage Festival that year, but so far I haven't been able to find anyone who knows for certain.  A Massachusetts may got in touch with me by e-mail last week wondering who made the map, and so far I haven't been able to find out.  One of my contacts thinks perhaps Leonard Spencer did it.  Leonard taught art at Cabot School at one time and was also very active at the Cabot Historical Society.  I haven't been able to reach him yet, but I expect he'll have knowledge of the map.

The next mystery is a "History of Joe's Pond" that Ted Chase has.  He says it's printed, as if perhaps for a newspaper, but there is no byline and no author listed that he can see.  It is framed and has been at his home for many years.  He said it mentions numerous cottages by names of owners many years ago, so he believes it probably is quite old.  It might have been printed in one of the local newspapers - the Caledonian Record or perhaps The Northstar.  Ted said he will bring it over to me so I can scan it - that way I may be able to track it down.  I don't believe I've ever seen it, but I could be mistaken.  I'll know once I've seen it, I expect, and anyway, I'm anxious to read it.

This next picture is no mystery.  It was taken on one of those lovely fall days we had a few weeks ago and shows George Baxter, Andy Rudin, and Ted and Barbara Chase on the freshly stamatted (is that a word??) rail trail.
Ted was telling me today that there have been some sponsors of mile markers in the area of Joe's Pond - donations are of course still badly needed if the trail is to be completed.  As of now it stretches from the trestle bridge over the channel leading into the pond at the north end, all the way to the trail coming out of St. Johnsbury.  Fred is putting more details about this on the website home page, so check there.  

We were noticing that the filling station/convenience store at the foot of Western Avenue coming out of St. Johnsbury is shaping up quickly.  It is good that is going in, I guess, being immediately off the interstate and close to the Fairbanks Inn.  Now if someone would put a restaurant in that area . . .  Between the hillsides and the river, there isn't a lot of room for businesses along that stretch, although there's plenty of opportunity in the area of the Comfort Inn, a little south of there.  I expect within a very few years, things will begin to happen all over the St. Johnsbury area.  Certainly the town should benefit from the development of Burke Mountain, and St. Johnsbury could be a very nice tourist destination again, with a little rejuvenation. 

I need to update you on Garey Larrabee, too.  His son-in-law, James, told me this morning Garey has been moved to Cottage Hospital in Woodsville, NH, where he will be doing rehabilitation.  This is good news, to have him in a good rehab facility that is closer to home but not too far from Dartmouth Hitchcock.  We are all looking forward to seeing him back at the store in West Danville, though.

Woody is in his "mopey mode" where he wants to go outside but seems to know it's rainy and cold so he sits on his bench by the window and gazes out longingly; or like right now, he's hunched on the desk beside me with a very sour expression on his furry face.  He is really only half asleep, hoping that when he opens his eyes the weather will be warm again, I think.  It will be a long winter for Woody, I'm afraid.

This just came from Jack LaGue - click HERE and be sure your speakers are on.  (This is what I call funny bordering on downright mean and maybe even dangerous.  I wouldn't be surprised if one of those people had a heart attack.)  But don't worry, it's perfectly safe to watch.