I'm going to write this and finish as soon as possible because our internet has been finicky all day - off more than on - and left us in the middle of doing something with suddenly no internet so many times I finally had to give up. When it was operating, it was much slower than usual - very frustrating, waiting for things to load.  We have also been without our land-line telephone service most of the day, as well.  That has been acting up off and on for a couple days, too, but today it has been more off than on.  We'll get it checked tomorrow, I expect.

Thanks to my temperamental computer, I got to take a few breaks outside on the deck - yes, it was actually nice enough today to do that!  What a great spring day, and tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer, again with lots of sunshine.  We could practically hear the snow melting and the buds on the trees swelling.  There were birds like this pretty flycatcher Fred caught with the camera, and we heard geese scouting out the pond (we hope they are  discouraged by finding no open water and keep flying north!), but no sign of robins yet.  We are gaining a little bare ground here and there, so I expect they will show up any day now.
 
Here is another sign of spring.  The annual Cinco de Meow party.  It was a big success last year and promises to be even better this year, so try to join the fun at the North Congregational Church in St. Johnsbury on the afternoon of Sunday, May 3.  If you have questions, get in touch with Helen Morrison, 802-563-2488.  It will be fun for the whole family. Click image to make it easy to read.

 
Yesterday it was cloudy and there were one or two light  showers in the morning, but the sky began to brighten and it  was comparatively warm in the afternoon, so we walked down to Rossi's to deliver some final Ice-Out tickets I had and to pick up some mail Diane had for me.  I took a few pictures along the way.  The top one is of Talbot's - the fence caught my attention.  It was an optical illusion when I first looked at it, reminding me of a zig-zag rail fence, but then I realized there are alternating down rails and level rails along the steps down the steep incline from their garage to the camp. 

At Craig's there was part of a path, but then a ridge of snow - perhaps from earlier plowing, and the snow looked pretty deep.  And the last one is the Ice-Out flag through the trees.

The road was wet but not really muddy, and there was no traffic.  I think most people are wary of our roads this time of year and don't venture on them unless they have to.  And that's a good thing - the less traffic on muddy roads the better.  We see people speeding past our house and often wonder how their cars stay in one piece.  There are serious dips in the road where culverts go across all the way along West Shore Road, and locals know to slow down, but people not familiar with the road sometimes hit them pretty hard.  We often find pieces of tailpipes or other bits of metal in the road this time of the year.

Woody has enjoyed today, too.  He's been outside basking in the sunshine and this afternoon spent long hours in the garage waiting for a mouse or chipmunk to show up. He has a couple of places up overhead where he can nap.  On sunny days it's nice and warm there with the heat from the roof, and he quietly waits for "game," knowing small critters hang out in the wood pile and overhead rafters.  He spent some time in the driveway watching the birds.  I think they tease him, flying back and forth out of reach.  We'll be outside enjoying tomorrow, too.  I may have to break out the lawn chairs . . . ! No, I won't park them in the snow - I'll put them in the driveway.  That's the only bare spot we have so far except a small patch just beyond the snowbank above - that we can't get to without climbing the bank and wading through a couple feet of snow.