We have had a mostly rainy day today, but now, at about six o'clock, I'm seeing a mix of rain and snow out there.  The temperature is about 38 degrees on my weather station, but it's obviously colder in the higher elevations and we're getting the benefit.  The pond has lots of water on top of the ice, and there is a lot of water flowing in from the brooks.  I can see open water now in the channel, but it hasn't cut all the way into Loon Cove as near as I can tell.  If the forecast is correct and we get really warm weather in the next few days, that will certainly change.  The narrows between the big and middle ponds has opened up again, and that will move things along in the two smaller ponds.  

Speaking of ponds - a new sign went up this morning at Three Ponds restaurant where the old Joe's Pond Country Store was.  The opening is a week from today, and Lynda said that's a promise.  There are lots of people anxious for the new spot to open.  I have to say, it's looking really good, and Lynda and her son, Caleb, are both very friendly, outgoing people - a good team and anxious to meet Joe's Pond people.  

We were impressed when we came home from St. Johnsbury today that the Cabot road crew was working with the grader on the rough road between Mason's and LaPrade's.  That stretch is often pretty bad during mud season, but they are doing everything possible to keep it from getting really bad - and we are all hoping it will work.  I'm sure the frost is nowhere near out yet, but the big grader was still able to scrape off the high spots and fill the potholes.  Then they brought in new material to resurface where they scraped it off.  The repair work at the Danville end hasn't improved that short section of the road as much as we'd hoped.  It is still very rough with potholes.  

Right now it looks like winter is far from over at Joe's Pond, so no news on the Ice-Out Contest for a while.