Doesn't it seem early for black flies? I guess not - they are definitely out and about, but seems to me in past years I've had a longer period of "fly-less" weather that allowed me to get outdoor stuff done without the bother of those awful pests. I guess they hatch about the same time the wild cherry trees bloom, and that's happening.
     While I was outside today doing a few things, a humming bird came up to me to announce there is no feeder out. Fred usually takes care of the humming bird feeder, but I think he decided he won't do it this year. I'm not sure if I will take that on or not. I really think they get enough from natural flowers, but I kind of hate to disappoint the beautiful little creatures - and one always comes to the window or buzzes me when I'm outside to let me know they are back. It is a chore, though, keeping the feeder clean and the solution fresh.
     There is going to be a gathering at the State Fishing Access on Thursday, May 24 at 10 a.m. to present a check and certificate to the winner of this year's Ice-Out Contest. We hope lots of you will come - it's always fun to talk with the winner and find out what formula was used to come up with the correct date and time! The winner this year was Michael Cody of Barre, and he will receive well over $5,000. I think we may discover his secret was that he bought quite a lot of tickets and spread out the dates and times well. I know lots of people do that - but no matter what, the end of the contest depends entirely upon the weather.
     We went to Danville Inn this morning for breakfast. It was spur of the moment, but a nice break from our routine. They were busy, but as usual, everything was very good and we enjoyed our meal. I always eat far more when I go out for breakfast than I would at home, so lunch was postponed until about 2 o'clock, and that will automatically push our evening meal to a later time. We'll get back on schedule tomorrow.