We have only two more days after today to get Ice-Out tickets, so if you haven't made your picks yet, better do it now. If you have tickets languishing somewhere in the house, take a minute to fill them out and get them in the mail. The on-line tickets will be available until 11:59 p.m. on April 1.

We've had inquiries about the thickness of the ice, and all we can tell you is that there have been ice fishermen out on the ice this past weekend and on March 17, Louis Cassani drilled a hole and measured 22 inches. That said, we've had some warm weather and some rain since then, so the ice is melting from underneath even if it doesn't look like it is melting on top. The water running into the pond tends to be warmer than what is in the pond and in addition, will raise the level of the pond and therefore create cracks here and there that will allow quicker thawing in some places. This, plus natural currents under the ice makes the integrity of the ice uncertain, and our advice is that unless you are very familiar with the pond and how it freezes and thaws (like most fishermen are) you should not be out on the ice. It's getting to be time that even experienced ice fishermen should be off the ice, as well.

Neighbors here at Joe's Pond have seen people strolling on the ice recently and are worried about them. We have visitors this spring who are experiencing Joe's Pond in a frozen state for the first time up close, and they may not understand that this time of year especially, there are spots that have a much thinner ice cover than in the middle of the winter. The currents under the ice are changeable and even old timers can't be certain where the thin spots will be each spring. Best not to go out there at all. There are plenty of other places to walk on solid ground. If you must go onto the ice, you should wear a life jacket and have some sort of tool attached to your belt that you could use to pull yourself out of the water onto the ice if you broke through. The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department posted advice at the beginning of this ice-fishing season: Ice Safety

Please read it before you decide to walk on the ice here at Joe's Pond. It would be horrible to have someone go through the ice. We want you to enjoy as best you can being here this early in the spring, but we also want you to be safe.

Just a cheerful glimpse of things to come - my cousin who lives in the outskirts of Denver, Colorado, sent me this picture of her daffodils. She said she's had to cover them from snow and cold a couple of times, but they are blooming and beautiful. The view near her - the valley has no snow, but there is plenty still in the mountains.