Winter persists, but Spring is inevitable - eventually.

I've had the scanner on most of today, listening to the chatter about fender-bender accidents and drivers of plows with salt/sand busy trying to keep the roads safe.  We have had snow falling all day long.  Part of the time it was almost rain with the temperature in the 30's, but mostly it was wet snow that was very slippery on the roads.  Some of the snowfall could be termed "horizontal."  It's been very  windy for the past 24 hours or so, but around noon the wind really picked up and I began hearing reports of limbs and trees blocking roads, power lines sparking on trees or down in the road.  Some of the time when I looked out my office window I couldn't see the trees in the back yard it was a complete whiteout.  The wind has calmed down now, and the temperature has dropped into the low 20s.  I haven't checked to see if it's still snowing.  That's old news.

Woody, our cat, enjoyed those two nice days we had and today has been going outside, testing the weather, hoping it's spring, but five minutes has been his absolute limit, and several times when we opened the door for him after he teased to go out, he changed his mind when the blast of cold snowy air hit him.  Tonight he's testing the weather in the garage, but not finding that very interesting or comfortable, either.  It's been a long winter for all of us, Woody!

We have word that the Ice-Out contraption is going out this weekend - if the weather permits.  It's almost time for the fishing shanties to be taken off the ice - I think it's March 28th they have to be off.  In spite of the prolonged winter, everything moves along pretty much as usual - the days get longer, more daylight means the earth around us is gradually warming, in spite of the cold air swirling around us, the days go by, ice shanties get hauled off the ice and Easter will slip into place, right on schedule, and there will be rain and sunshine and warm winds and finally green grass and blue water.  It's coming!
 
Here's another indicator that spring is waiting in the wings - it's time for Cabot's Maple Festival.  This post was on Front Porch Forum tonight:   This Saturday is Cabot Maple Fest at the school gym, from 9-3, and the National Guard is bringing a brand new climbing wall. Cabot will be the first to use this new equipment. Come check it out, as well as the bounce house and the inflated slide inside. Keep the kids occupied while you enjoy the pancake breakfast in the dining hall, vendors in the gym and entertainment in CSPAC.

These pictures from the Cabot Historical Society collection show a different era of Maple Festival, the 1950's, and there was no snow - it was held in mid-April - there was a big band for the festival in 1955, if the dates are correct - it looks suspiciously like the same day to me - it could be someone labeled one of the pictures with the wrong year. The Tri-Town band I'm guessing was Cabot, Marshfield and Plainfield.  This year there will be different people, different entertainment, but still lots of fun for everyone 60 years later.  The Maple Festival hasn't been an annual event all these years, but was brought back a few years ago after having been dropped for a few decades.  Plan to take a trip down to Cabot Village on Saturday and enjoy the entertainment.  Maybe we'll see you there.