This is to let someone know that they left the wrong portion of their Ice-Out Contest tickets at Hastings Store recently. If you kept the large portion of the ticket that has your name, address, etc. on it, you kept the wrong portion and turned in the section that has no identification on it. Therefore, we don't know who you are so if one of your picks were to win, we would have no idea who you are. Diane Rossi let me know they are holding the ticket stubs, hoping you turn in the identifying section so you can be entered in the contest. Every year we have one or two of these, but usually they come in the mail so we have a return address and can solve the problem. This time, the tickets were dropped off at Hastings, so we don't have a clue.
     What a beautiful day out there today! The ice is going to be melting today!! But then we're expecting some colder weather again, so things will slow down. The earth is warming as it turns into the sun, though, so in spite of all the snow and cold air, everything is gradually warming up. Spring and open water will get here, along with green grass, flowers and balmy weather - we hope!
     Don't forget that you can buy Ice-Out tickets on line until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 1st. You can do the printable tickets today, as long as you get them in the mail before the post office closes today. That can be tricky as some post offices locally are only open in the morning - so be sure you get the tickets and money in the mail early today so the postmark will be good. No tickets will be accepted if postmarked April 2. 

Just want to let everyone know Shelly Walker just called to let me know WCAX was here this morning doing interviews on Ice-Out. Shelly said it will be on tonight's news. I know we'll be watching - hope you will, too. We'll put a link to that interview on home page, so if you miss it tonight, you'll be able to see it there later on.
     Today we're getting showers. Almost April - time for showers, I

guess. The snow pack has diminished a good bit, but we don't have much bare ground showing around the pond. As usual, the Route 15 hillsides are showing more bare ground than the west shore, but gradually the snow is melting away. The temperature has been in the 40s today and the forecast is that will be the pattern for the next several days. Cooler nights, of course, and some sunshine perhaps tomorrow. I think the sap is probably still running, so this might be a pretty good year for maple producers.

Everyone, enjoy a lovely Easter weekend, be safe and enjoy the season. It's a special time of year for many reasons, so if you find yourself humming a little of "Easter Parade" as you go through your daily routine, that's ok. Of course, lots of you won't even remember that song. If you click on the link above, I bet you'll have that melody running through your mind for a while! Enjoy.

We're getting a little rain tonight. It may be snow flurries here at Joe's Pond - life here is like that. We went to Littleton today and there is practically no snow there at all. The temperature was in high 40s most of the time we were out.
     Jack LaGue sent this picture of what he calls, "Joe's Pond South." (I love it!!) From left to right, back row: Patti Coburn, Don Sherwood, Jack LaGue, Ray Rouleau, Bo Keach, Sue Rousse-LaGue, Carmen Gagne and Richard Gagne.  Front row: John Sherwood, Diane Sherwood, Bill Keach, Cyndy Rouleau, Annie Dugin.  And here is a special video of the group!
     A pretty good representation of the movers and shakers (and looks like the partiers!) whooping it up in the sunshine while we wade around in mud.
     Speaking of mud - I had an appointment with Dr. Scot Pelok (a newbie year 'rounder at Joe's Pond) today for a crown on a broken tooth. He told me he barely made it out on Sandy Beach Road this morning. I suspect he may have to leave his vehicle on the dry side and walk in tonight, what with the rain and warm weather. It won't get better right away. However, we are very appreciative that the Danville road crew took care of the bad potholes near the apron coming from Route 2 onto West Shore Road. They put some material in another muddy spot on the hill near Barre Avenue, so now that end of the road is just as good as the Cabot end. I have to say, West Shore Road, at least as far as our house, is really quite good. A little slimy in spots where the frost hasn't come out, so there's probably worse to come, but no big mud holes - yet.
     I stopped in at Three Ponds restaurant this afternoon and Caleb told me they will be open on Easter Sunday, and may have some special items on the menu, but he said that hasn't been firmed up yet. They expect to be pretty busy, so he said if you want take-out, be sure to order well ahead. Mostly, he said, it will be "business as usual," with no special hours - just great food and a pleasant atmosphere. Give them a call Saturday, perhaps - they should have the menu well defined by then. The number is 802-227-3300. 
     I want to mention that Connor Johnson, son of Kevin and Pam Johnson - of Joe's Pond, of course - joined the U. S. Marines last fall. He has now finished his training, and as of today, was headed for Hawaii where he will be stationed. His dad told me Connor misses Joe's Pond (of course!) and he would probably like to hear from friends here. His e-mail address is johnsonconnor787@gmail.com. 
     We admire and respect his choice to serve his country. We are very proud of him and wish him the very best.

Route 14 Construction in E. Montpelier

Rick White, rick@vermonters.com, Porter Road

Announcement

reposting fyi:
E Montpelier VT 14 Bridge Project to Resume
Bram Towbin • hihoau@gmail.com • Road Commissioner, Plainfield

E Montpelier VT 14 Bridge Project to resume; temporary bridge to open week of April 2

The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) will open a temporary bridge for VT 14 traffic to cross the Winooski River in the village of East Montpelier the week of April 2, weather permitting.
Opening the temporary bridge is dependent on temperatures warm enough to allow line striping of the roadway.

Motorists should expect some travel delay as crews paint new lines on US 2 and VT 14. There will be one-lane, alternating traffic at times, with flaggers guiding vehicles through the work area. Motorists are advised to travel with caution for the safety of workers and to avoid increased fines for speeding through a construction zone.

This is the project's third construction season. VTrans is phasing the project over several construction seasons to minimize disruption to residents, business, commuters and tourists. US 2 is a heavily traveled route, especially during peak traffic hours. Reconstructing US 2 at the same time as the bridge would have resulted in acceptable traffic delay.

Despite construction phasing and use of a temporary bridge, it will be necessary to detour traffic around the construction zone for up to 14 days. Construction activity such as moving large pieces of steel will require road closures. These closures are expected to occur at intermittent times during the summer months. Public notice will be given about when road closures will occur; a detour route will be publicized, and signs will be posted.

More information on the project is available on the project website, www.vt14emontpelier.vtransprojects.vermont.gov.

This is a familiar sight - the clock is ticking! Diane said she will get the thermometer up soon. Nothing melted much today, in spite of the sunshine. The temperature remained in the low 40s and there was a cold wind this morning, and then in the afternoon we lost the sunshine. Tomorrow a little rain is in the forecast and Thursday in the 50s. I'll believe it when I feel it.
    We are saddened to learn of the death of Ronney Lyster, co-owner with of Abel Toll of Littleton Chevrolet and the Auto Savers Group. We didn't know Ronney well, but ran into him a few times when we were at the dealership in Littleton. Lots of people have enjoyed the television ads he and Abel have done in the past - Ronney was as jovial in person as he seemed in those ads. He was well respected in the auto business, according to Ernie Thurston and Bill Dimick. I'm sure his family and business associates are reeling from his sudden departure. He will be missed.
     I'm thinking "spring" today. I've had winter picture on my computer screen - wallpaper, I think it's called - but today I searched through some old photos and found one of our apple trees in full bloom, taken in about May of 2010, I think. It's a nice change and a very pleasant reminder of what's ahead - soon, I hope.
     Don't forget to get your Ice-Out tickets in the mail by Saturday night, otherwise they cannot be included in the contest. You still have Sunday to purchase them on line, but if you are mailing them, they will need to be postmarked Saturday, since April 1st comes on Sunday. Businesses can sell them until close of business Sunday - and they will be available on line until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, April 1.
We wish everyone luck - this year's contest is going to be as unpredictable as ever, but at least we aren't worried that the block will sink and disconnect the clock before the official end of the contest, like some years in the past. That's always a nail biter. This year should be pretty "normal," but you never know - there could be a surprise. We'll keep everyone posted on what's happening. 

It looks like we're in for some real spring-like days this week. Today has been nice - lots of sun and in the high 30's, low 40s, but there was a cold wind. The sun was melting the snow, however, and there are wet, muddy patches along our road - but nothing like a few weeks ago when we had that exceptionally warm day or two and cars got mired in mudholes.
     Now, the biggest problem we have is by the apron coming off of

West Shore Road, near LaPrade's and Rossi's.

Route 2. I called the Danville Highway garage and left a message when we got home today. It gets worse every day, and I'm afraid someone is going to land in the brook - either by being bounced by hitting one of those potholes, or the potholes are going to get so deep they'll break through to

West Shore Road near Lucenti's.

the culvert. Then we'll be in big trouble. There was nobody at the garage when I called - no doubt they'd gone home by then after a long day fighting mud and listening to complaints. But for days I've intended to call but kept forgetting, and then I thought, surely someone will have

The Ice-Out flag and block today.

complained by now; but today it was much worse and there's no place way to avoid them as there are deep gullies all the way across the road now. So I assume nobody has let the road crew know. We'll see what happens. 
     West Shore Road isn't bad right now, but I expect in a

Easter trees at Marty's 1st Stop in Danville, VT.

couple more days with temperatures in the 50s (as predicted) and some rain showers, we might find ourselves mired in mud - again. We got a few pictures today. We really like Marty's Easter trees! Happy spring! There is a lot of snow in front of his porch, but it's an accumulation of what's been plowed and what's come off the roof - mostly off the roof at this point, and there are orange cones set up to keep cars from parking too close and getting damaged when the snow comes down from the roof. It was melting rapidly today.
     We saw Dr. Tanner today and Fred is doing well, for which we are very thankful. I was completely surprised when Fred told the doctor he'd tried running up our driveway this morning. I don't think he's quite ready for that, but Dr. Tanner was pleased that he had progressed to this point. I think we all agreed Fred was pushing his luck a bit with the running. I usually keep an eye on him when he's outside - just in case - but this morning I was busy on the computer and missed the running experiment. Which is a good thing because otherwise I'd have been out there yelling at him to behave. No harm done, and I know he'll try it again soon - and often, until he's running up Jamie and Marie's driveway half a dozen times, like he did before the cancer and operation. And I'll be cheering him on, but only as I'm climbing the hill at my own pace, slow and steady. I see no reason to rush.

The big news today is that the block and flag are out on the ice!

It was a hard pull getting the heavy block through the snow.

The Ice-Out Contest ends soon, and we've been anxious to get the flag out and the clock hitched up. The weather has been so snowy and cold for a while, Larry delayed putting everything out, but we've had some nice days to settle the snow a bit and a stretch of warm weather heading our

Block in place.

way, so he was able to get it done. The contest closes at 11:59 p.m. on April 1, so that leaves just a little over a week to get all the guesses in.
    Michelle "Shelly" Walker is working with Diane Rossi and Mary Anne Cassani on distributing and picking up tickets - plus lots of other stuff

Setting the stakes to keep the ropes free.

that needs to be done in the process of promoting the contest and keeping things running smoothly. And Henretta Splain is busy entering information on the spreadsheet so we'll be able to find the winner when the time comes. I haven't been much help this year, but the contest is in good hands without me.

A job well done!

    I spoke with Diane this afternoon and she said Larry will hitch up the clock soon. He was anxious to get the stuff out onto the ice before the warm weather because depending on how things go, it could be dangerous to go out there soon. It really isn't important for the clock to begin running until it gets close to the time it might go through the ice - so there's plenty of time.
     Shelly got the above pictures today. We were hoping that Eva Sollberger, who does the "Stuck in Vermont" segments every Friday on WCAX is going to do a story about our Ice-Out Contest, and we were hoping she would get here today while Larry was putting the apparatus out on the ice, but she didn't make it. She has been talking with Shelly, and we're hoping it gets on next Friday, but it might not. It would give ticket sales a bit of a boost.







 

Today has been "one of those days." I had to go to St. Johnsbury for my regular dental appointment, and since I'd broken a tooth a couple weeks ago, was scheduled to get a crown directly after that appointment. Everything went well until the computer that was supposed to design the crown somehow failed and my "one=day crown" turned into the usual "two-appointment" one. I didn't mind - it's all good, either way. The temporary tooth is fine. But it sure did give the technician and the doctor some hectic moments trying to get everything to work the way it is supposed to.
     Long story short, I spent a little more time at the dentist office than planned, but no harm done. I got some shopping out of the way and made it home by mid-afternoon. I had intended to get the car washed, but gave that up after thinking about it a bit - West Shore Road is pretty mushy - a mix of snow and mud - so no real benefit to washing the car for a while.
      I had picked up some stew beef and really wanted beef stew for supper, so put that together so it could "stew" during the afternoon, then had to package up a couple of oral history books (Cabot's) to send off tomorrow, and by then it was too late to get into much on either the West Danville history book or the Joe's Pond Association newsletter. Some days are like that. When my time gets fractured, I have learned to just let it go and hope for better times ahead. I don't like to get started working on something on the computer and then be interrupted and have to leave it. Phone calls aren't that bad as I don't have to physically leave, but sometimes it's hard to get my train of thought back if I have to leave for a while.
     Right now I have a pesty cat sticking his nose in my ear and purring and then patting my shoulder with his paw to get some attention. No use trying to avoid him - if shoo him off the desk, he'll just sit and bawl at me until I pay him some attention. He probably wants to go outside and prowl in the night shadows, but that isn't going to happen!

Well, it seems I've been laboring under the impression where we live, a couple hundred feet above the pond, is the place to be because it's so much warmer! Not so!! My weather station was apparently struggling with low batteries and simply refused to drop to the ridiculously low temperatures that were actually out there.
I had a call from Kate Chatot early this morning and we compared readings - I decided I definitely liked my 30-something reading on this thermometer way better than he single-number reading. But we changed the batteries anyway and now I think I'll be reporting more reliable temperatures. It was sure nice while it lasted, even if I did get quite a ribbing from Kate. What troubles me most is that I've been reporting those erroneous temperature readings on CoCoRaHS. I wonder what whoever reads and records the stuff on those reports thought when my report was 20 degrees warmer than everyone else's. Anyway, I fessed up when I made today's report. 
     Today has been pretty nice, even if it was a little colder than the first day of spring is expected to be. The snow melted a little bit in our driveway, and the sun was wonderfully bright and even a little warm in sheltered spots. It gives one hope that spring is not too far away!
     I think our cat, Woody, is anxious for spring, too. He continually asks to go out different doors every morning. I think he expects one of them will open to bare ground and green grass, but instead he gets a blast of cold air that pins his ears back and discourages venturing out. He sometimes goes into the garage and I lift the overhead door a little so he can go in and out with ease. But he doesn't stay out long, even on nice days like today. After a few failed attempts to get us to open a different door, he gives up and settles down in a sunny spot in front of the livingroom window.
     So spring is here - but not really. At least this next nor'easter is going to miss us!
 

Just a quick note tonight to let our friends know it may be the first day of spring tomorrow, but the temperature sure doesn't feel like it. I spoke with Larry Rossi this morning and he said it was eleven below zero at his house this morning (or maybe he said twelve - I think my mind went blank when I heard that). When it's that cold, what's one degree one way or the other! It didn't get that cold at our house - I think it got down to something line nine above, according to our thermometers. One of ours doesn't seem to be working right. It's registering about 20 degrees warmer than anywhere else. I think like a lot of humans, the poor thing is tired of cold weather. Anyway, it's nice to see it registering thirty-something when all the rest are in the teens. 
     Larry also said he believes the ice is at least fourteen inches thick, and I'd venture to say we've probably added a few inches in the past couple of nights with temperatures below zero. Larry is going to put the Ice-Out flag out later this week, when it warms up, he said. Good thinking. There's plenty of time! The ice is going to be there for a while, for sure. 
     We are in the last two weeks of the contest, and we ran short of tickets on Friday, but Leahy Press in Montpelier printed more for us and dropped them off on Sunday at Hastings, so we now have plenty. Let one of the committee know if you need more. Diane Rossi, 563-6088; Shelly Walker, 563-2357; or Mary Anne Cassani, 684-2195. Henretta Splain is on the committee, but she's busy recording information from all the sold tickets on a spreadsheet, so don't bother her!! It seems like it's building up to be a pretty good year - the winner should have a nifty check to play with. We'll see how it goes in these last two weeks.

We are happy that today we've had sunshine most of the day. Of course, some of the time it was hard to see it because of the blowing snow, but this afternoon the temperature has actually been in the mid to high 30s, up from the teens this morning. At one point this morning I saw the wind chill factor was at 9 degrees. All that has calmed down and I expect we'll get a really cold night now the sky is clear. I know the forecast is for colder than normal for most of next week - then possibly another nor'easter. 
     I have been happy to hibernate with my computer today, but Fred bravely hiked up Jamie and Marie's driveway this afternoon - the first time since about the first week in January. He really is doing very well after so many weeks of being out of commission. Now if I could just pack some weight onto him . . .
     We ran out of Ice-Out tickets this week!! Fortunately, Leahy Press in Montpelier came to the rescue and we have more being delivered on Sunday, so they will be available until April 1st at Hastings store. There are tickets at all of the usual places, but Hastings is where most people go to pick up their tickets last minute, and it's fast approaching the "last minute" of 11:59 p.m. on April 1st. That is actually a Sunday, so it will be necessary to get tickets in the mail on Saturday or returned to any place open that sells the tickets. Then, of course, we wait for the ice to melt. 
     I had a note from my friend, Mary Whitcomb this week. She has had a lot of interesting wildlife around her house this winter. This week she was visited by a lovely bird - here's what she wrote:

     I believe this is an immature Cooper’s Hawk.  It hung around a good fifteen minutes in my snowball bush near the house.  It’s funny, but during that whole time there were some chickadees in the upper branches, but the hawk paid no mind to them.
 The huge Pileated Woodpecker was busy looking for his next meal in the tree on the Hollister Hill Road in Marshfield.  I know it’s a male bird, because of the red cheek stripe.  

     The hawk looks fat and healthy - perhaps he'd had lunch already. Lucky chickadees! He might have been waiting for an unsuspecting mouse or chipmunk.
     I love pileated woodpeckers. They are so colorful, big and bold. We've watched them in the woods many times - and even heard them pecking away on our neighbor's house when we lived at camp. Ned and Carolyn Hamilton had just rebuilt their place and the wood was new cedar, I think. That woodpecker loved it! It was irritating to us when he'd start up early on weekend mornings, but imagine how frustrating it must have been for Ned and Carolyn to have a bird drilling holes in their new house!
     Thanks to Mary for sending these great pictures - and for the memories!! I bet Ned and Carolyn remember that, too.

Happy Snow Day - again! These snow storms are getting a bit tiresome. I'd say I'm ready for a change, but I know that change will be mud instead of snow in the roads, so I'm careful what I wish for.
    We spent most of today in Burlington. It was mostly for my eye appointment, and then we did some shopping as long as we were there. The roads going over weren't bad at all. I always drive over for these appointments, but because my eyes are dilated and sometimes streaming from the shot, I don't drive home. Fred drove today, and it went very well. He hasn't lost his touch, after being mostly out of commission for nearly three months. The roads were very slushy on the way home. I thought Route 2 might be better than the interstate, and it was, but not until we got to Marshfield! That was a surprise. Perhaps the central and western part of the state was getting more snow per hour than we did in this area. Hard to tell. I didn't measure the snow this morning before we left - I'll measure it tomorrow and report the two days' worth. We left too early this morning, and I didn't want to take time to go out and measure, clear off the deck, etc. I cleared a path after Jamie plowed the driveway and it looked to me like about 4-5 inches of snow.
     Shelly Walker is our official "ice watcher" this year, and she says all the fishing shanties are off the ice as near as she can tell. It may be the fishermen decided to get them off the ice before this next storm makes the snow too deep - or it could be the ice is getting to the stage it could be unsafe to haul the shanties off if they wait any longer. We have had some really warm weather and it's hard to know how thick the ice is as this point.
      Now I need to go put together something for our supper. After the day we've had, I think a glass of wine to sip while I'm cooking might be just the ticket!
     

We are at a milestone this weekend - time to turn the clocks ahead tonight. This is a great signal that spring is almost here, in spite of all the snow on the ground and the wind whisking it off the rooftops. We are having only "snow showers" today, but the trees and bushes have a lot of snow clinging to them - very pretty, but lots of work is required to open up paths and sidewalks.  The top photo is of our woods in back of the house, and below is part of our driveway, with West Shore Road below. We know there will be plenty more winter weather ahead, whether we're on Standard time or Daylight Saving Time. I have always appreciated Daylight Saving Time and would prefer to stick with it year around. I came across this analysis of both time structures and found it interesting. Daylight Saving time vs. Standard time. 

     As I get older, adjusting to the new time doesn't seem to bother me as much as it did years ago when I was working. Then changing the time always seemed to louse up my whole schedule for a few days. But now that I'm retired, I can take a nap, get up when I darn please, and who cares if the sun goes down later or earlier? There's not that much going on that I need extra daylight for - or extra darkness, for that matter. Besides, I adapt better to changes than I used to. I have more of a "who cares?" attitude and go about doing what makes me happy. I often think about what Grandmother Dot Dimick once told me years ago when she was living with our family after Grandfather Bill died. She told me she figured she was old enough finally to say what was on her mind - she'd earned the right. She was in her 80s, and while she never said really hurtful things, she did use her "right" to make some very insightful and often amusing comments. Living in a household with her daughter-in-law and three teenage boys gave her plenty of fodder, I'm sure. She had a great sense of humor, fortunately - she needed it in those days!
     Sometimes it takes me a while to wake up to change, though. Suddenly one day when I was driving down Route 2 towards West Danville, I noticed there was a big gap in the woods between the highway and the pond about where Birchbound Road is. I have no idea when it happened - could have been last fall, this has been a pretty fractured year for us, so I probably wasn't paying much attention. Then it took me a few trips before I figured out it was not where someone was going to build a house, but was where the power company had cut beneath and either side of the electric line. That should be a huge help during wind storms to keep limbs and tree from falling on the line and interrupting service. However, it does remove quite a bit of cover between the cottages in that area and busy Route 2. On the plus side, I imagine, is that it will let in a lot more sun. On hot summer days, that may not be a plus, but it may allow for better air circulation, and in early spring and late fall, when campers want to extend the season as much as possible, it will definitely be a plus, I'd think. I took the above pictures as we were driving by last week. The people who have cottages in that area will see a big difference when they arrive this spring, I'm sure.
   Joe's Ponders will be returning soon, and things will begin to hum around the pond. I'm putting together the Joe's Pond Association newsletter right now and invite anyone interested in getting a message to Joe's Pond folks to send whatever you'd like to have in the newsletter to me at janebrown@joespondvermont.com  It can be a comment, news of a family event such as a wedding, birth, graduation, or a short story (if related to the pond or the area). Space is limited, so I reserve the right to edit or reject as necessary. If you have a business you would like to promote to Joe's Pond folks or items for sale, I'll work with you to place an ad. The cost is reasonable and the results generally very good. The printed newsletter goes to approximately 300 Joe's Pond campers, families and friends. It is also posted on the website. Let me hear from you. The newsletter goes out soon after we have an Icc-Out Contest winner to announce, which is usually mid to late April. Deadline for copy to reach me is April 1st.

We got a fair amount of snow today. I measured eight inches this morning around 9 a.m. and it has snowed steadily all day, so I expect we have another six or eight inches to deal with - perhaps more by morning. Jamie plowed us out twice, so the occupational therapist was able to get up the driveway ok this morning. Fred had pushed a shovel down the driveway late in the morning, to clear a path to the mailbox in the four or five inches of snow that had fallen since Jamie plowed. I was afraid he might slip, but he wore his creepers and made it just fine. He made the trip down and back three times today, and said he felt fine doing it. He's making really good progress, and the occupational therapist signed off on him today. I expect the other visiting nurses/therapist will, as well. He isn't back to normal by any means, but improving every day. Now my biggest problem is keeping him from overdoing - at least what I think may be overdoing it. Fred is determined to get his strength back, like immediately, and goes at exercising like he's training for the Olympics. I get exhausted just watching him. 
     Larry Rossi wisely decided against putting the Ice-Out flag and block out this week. He said he'd wait until this storm is over. Now we're looking at another storm coming in this weekend, so it may not get put out any time soon. Lots of snow to deal with, and that isn't easy when you're hauling those heavy blocks and stuff. I'm sure Larry will get it out as soon as it's feasible. 
     I was talking with Bobby Searles at Cabot Hardware today. Bobby always has a couple of ads in the JPA newsletter - one for the grocery store and one for the hardware store. He was telling me what good times they are having at the Den - the bar that in now a big part of the hardware store. I guess the hardware store is still called "Harry's Hardware" - the name has stuck, even though it's been years since Harry owned it. There is still a pretty good stock of nuts, bolts, nails, rope and other hardware store type stuff there, but the original counter is now a gleaming fully-stocked bar. There are tables where you can sit and enjoy a beverage and a sandwich or whatever your choice from the little restaurant at the back of the store - it's kind of a mini-mini-mall - something for everyone. Bobby says it's a family type atmosphere and with live music on a regular basis, it's the place to go. Check out the upcoming acts that will be performing there. (HERE)
      We have only seen the bar a couple of times - last spring was the last time I was in there, I think - something to do with Ice Out, I think. The bar was comparatively new then and things were just beginning to take off. Since then I've heard good reports about the groups who get together there to meet neighbors, make new friends and make music. We hope to get down there soon.

We now have reports of ice thickness here at Joe's Pond. Those of you who have or will have Ice-Out tickets, will be interested that Diane Rossi saw Everett Drew yesterday and he told her the ice is about 24 inches thick. This morning there were two fishermen in front of Diane's (about where the block and flag will be) and they told her the ice there is about 14-16 inches thick there. 
     We know the ice thickness varies depending on where you are on the pond, so this is good information. It explains why sometimes the block goes down while a lot of the rest of the pond appears to be still frozen. However, it still holds true that we have open water very soon after the block sinks - so once melting starts, it's only a matter of two or three days before it's all gone. It also reinforces that when the block will sink is anybody's guess. 
     It's beautiful here today. Sunny and in the 30s and heading up. Last night was cold, so sap should run today. There will be some folks who won't be at town meeting because they are sugaring. It's a lot nicer today than some town meeting days when folks couldn't get out because of too much snow or their cars wouldn't start in the below-zero temperatures. Those were the good old days!(?)

Tomorrow is a big day - Town Meeting Day. I hope everyone who is eligible to vote will do so. We won't be going to town meeting this year - Fred isn't quite up to that yet - but we did absentee ballots and will be watching the results of the voting closely.
     We spent most of this morning in St. Johnsbury getting the car inspected. With everything that's been going on, I never noticed the inspection sticker has a very large 2 on it - but Fred reminded me as soon as he got home. We got an appointment right away, but were a few days late. Turned out the rotors had to be redone, so it took a lot longer than we'd expected. It was okay, though, and we got home shortly after 1 o'clock. Fred was a little tired (he drove home!) but I think being able to drive again after so many weeks of being laid up gave a really good boost to his spirits.
     The roads were a little muddy but perfectly passable. I expect we will have a nasty mud season this year. Everything is pointing in that direction. Right now we are expecting more snow coming at us on Wednesday, but it shouldn't be too troublesome and perhaps the ski areas will get a little boost of spring skiing. The season hasn't been great for them - too cold and then too warm and too little snow. Spring is coming, and with it, plenty of clean-up work, no doubt.
     I took the following from Front Porch Forum tonight. Quite often I get requests from people looking for help during the spring and summer, so this caught my eye: 
 Teenage Boys Looking for Side Jobs

Rita Durgin, jrdurgin2000@hotmail.com, Danville Hill Rd
Announcement

2 Teenage boys looking for side jobs such as - clearing roofs, stacking wood, helping with sugaring any odd jobs. Please feel free to contact them directly Daniel 595-4603 Matthew 595-4234 References upon request. They will also be booking jobs for lawn work in the spring.

 I took these pictures today to show you how little snow there is. In St. Johnsbury, there is hardly any at all. This picture was on Route 2 coming out of Danville just before Larrabee's Building Supply. The picture below is West Shore Road, just past Sandy Beach Road, heading up the hill towards our house. You can see there's a big difference in the amount of snow in just that short distance. It's due to the elevation, I expect - and we do have some mud here and there. Lots of washboard along the flats from Barre Avenue to Shelly Walker's, and again on the flat by Mason's about to Rossi's. There are really bad, very deep potholes at the approach to Route 2 from West Shore Road. There is a stretch of washboard on that flat, too, but the washboard is nothing compared to the potholes. It will get worse before it gets better, I expect.
     Larry Rossi said he would get the Ice-Out flag out this week, so I'll let you know if that happens. With the snow coming on Wednesday, Larry may rethink putting it out - we'll see. On-line ticket sales have been pretty steady over the weekend - a few each day - and that's a good sign. Looks like another good year for Ice-Out!

Welcome to March! We've had a little taste of March weather these past couple of days. I measured only half an inch of snow this morning, so we can consider ourselves very lucky! Our southern New England neighbors did not fare as well. We still have plenty of March weather ahead, so our turn may come.
     We had a busy week with appointments, catching up on computer stuff, mail and life in general. Fred is feeling much better and getting around very well. He has the website up to date - there is a new Schedule of Events posted, so everyone can mark their calendars with the dates of Joe's Pond Association meetings and social events. It looks like it will be another busy summer! 
     We have had a good response to the pay-on-line Ice-Out Tickets since that option was activated on March 1st. That's a good indicator that people are thinking about when there may be blue water showing again - and of course, thinking about that nice fat check they could receive if they guess the correct time the block falls through the ice and stops the clock. Someone told us the ice is only about twelve inches thick, and if that is true, it could mean an early ice-out date. However, we've got at least another month of winter, probably, so it's anybody's guess how it will all turn out. However, I think the ice has been at least eighteen to twenty-four inches thick in years past at about this time. I haven't kept a record of that, but it may be posted here on the blog in an archive somewhere. Perhaps someone else has kept track, and if so, please let me know. It would be interesting to know if this is an unusual year in that the ice is only a foot thick.