What Vermonters Do in Super Cold Weather!

 While many of us are hunkered down in our warm houses, some folks look forward to their weekends and go outside to play, no matter what the weather is! It was a very cool 19 degrees below zero at about 7:30 this morning, and hasn't gotten out of the single digits all day. The wind has been averaging around 9 - 10 mph, meaning the wind chill factor was in the minus 30s. Most of us can only imagine what it would be like on the ice of Joe's Pond with that wind whipping down the whole length of the pond, right out of the north! I get frostbite just thinking about it! Here's a note I had this morning from Shelly Walker - the resident "reporter" on West Shore Road, where she can see all the ice fishers coming and going at the access directly across from her house. Shelly wrote:

 Thanks for your blog from yesterday.  Since before Christmas we have had 5 or 6 shanties across the bay every day steadily increasing most days.  Today we have 11 sturdy shanties out there.  No tents today; too windy and cold I suspect.  When I got up this morning at 6:45 it was 18 below zero and there was already a pick up truck on the ice with smoke coming up the chimney of one of the shanties.  At 11:30, there is still plenty of activity on the ice.  Three pick up trucks and fishermen moving quickly on the ice checking their lines.  And it is only 6 below zero!  I think that these ice fishermen are as crazy as the early swimmers and water skiiers in the spring! (Can't wait!)

I would think that the ice is pretty solid as there is not much snow on it yet.  Although we know that no ice is safe ice.  Ice Out tickets are available at Hasting's and Marty's as well as on line. I distributed tickets to 4 vendors in Montpelier:  Capitol Imports, Perry's Gas Station, the Sunoco Station next to Sears, Meadow Mart on Elm Street.  Diane and MaryAnne are getting tickets out in Cabot and  Barre.

I thank Shelly for not only the ice fishermen report, but also letting us know that Ice-Out Contest tickets are being distributed. I have not noticed the ice shanties out there. So much for my observation prowess. In my defense, I don't often leave home these days - too cold, too Covid - and when I do have to go out, I usually forget to check things like that out. I have forgotten to look carefully at the new Rubalcaba home that is being built on Barre Avenue, too. I'll try to do that next time I go down through. In my own defense, I'm all about "eyes on the road," especially this time of year when the road is icy. It's a good think I have faithful readers/reporters who help keep me up-to-date on these things.

I learned that the owner of Papa Tirozzi's Bakery and Pizza in Danville was interested in the spot that Three Ponds recently vacated. It didn't work out for them, but it sure would have been great to have them there. Their food is really good, and their present location in the old Masonic building on the Green in Danville is ok, but a bit hard to get to (one-way streets and all). It's worth the bother, however. This picture shows the new store, Presents of the Past, is apparently in the lower space that Three Ponds expanded into, and the other space where Three Ponds started off when they first went there, is still available. The upstairs apartment seems to be vacant, but it's hard to tell from this picture I took a few days ago. It's interesting to watch. When it gets a little warmer (and less windy in West Danville) I will plan to stop in at the new store.

So stay warm and safe, and keep your pets inside.