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.