We are in winter mode again.  A couple inches of snow on the ground - it's nice to see it white outside!!  This brief cold spell may slow down the melting process a little, although the earth is turning more towards the sun daily, so the warming process is going to be in place regardless of the weather, and there's still slow melting as the thermometer climbs into the 40s today.  

So far, the pond looks pretty normal for this time of year.  There is open water in the channel coming into the pond, but I haven't had a report as to how far beyond the head of the pond area there's open water, if there is any at all.  It still looks pretty solid behind the islands.  Stiles Pond in Waterford and Molly's Pond a mile south of Joe's Pond are both still frozen over, although there's a good bit of water around the edges, just like here.  We are expecting more warm days, but if I had to guess right now, I'd say it will be at least two weeks before things get really interesting.  I'm actually beginning to believe Larry Rossi was right in his prediction that the block won't go down before April 1st.

I was in Cabot last week, delivering Ice-Out tickets, and stopped in at Grandma's Country Thrift Store, next door to the hardware store.  Peggy Duke is great fun to talk with, and she has a great selection of really interesting items - antiques, collectibles and gently used clothing and household items.  I took some photos and made a slide show for you.  I didn't begin to find every interesting item in the three rooms full, but you will get an idea.  Fun place to spend some time.  Peggy said she has lots of kids' toys she hasn't put out yet. 

Fred and I just came back from meeting with Tyler Cadorette, a senior in the   Lyndon State College communications program, who did an interview with us about the Ice-Out Contest.  That will be on tonight, I think - here is the link (click here) so you can watch at 5:30 tonight, and Fred will put a link on the website so you can watch later, as well.  As you can see, the pond looks very solidly frozen over this morning.  We have a couple inches of snow on top of the ice, and there is a sharp southeast wind blowing off the ice toward Rossi's that made us really chilly doing that interview. 


Here is what the block and flag look like this morning - and below, a guardian 'gator watches over the process.

Tickets are moving fast now that we are in the last few days of the contest.  We are urging everyone to get their tickets in soon; even though right now it looks like winter and nothing is happening, we have 45 degrees on the thermometer, so things are still melting, and once the sun comes out, the snow will be gone in no time and there will be water on top of the ice and lots of warmish water flowing off the hillsides to melt the ice from underneath.  We wish everyone good luck - the fun thing about this contest is that it's so unpredictable.