Contest Over, Winter - Not Yet!

 I awoke to the wind rattling my window and snow blowing past off the roof like it did in January! Fortunately, the temperature wasn't below zero like in January, but the ground was white and it sure looked a lot like winter. Someone interviewed on WCAX news likened it to "a Hallmark movie." Maybe. But snow in those movies is often obviously fake, covering trees and flowers in full bloom and arranged neatly along sidewalks while ladies parade by in mile-high heels and skirts to match, all tan and bouncy. 

One Hallmark movie that really was way off the fact track really got me. It was about a maple-producing farm. The characters were collecting sap into a bucket hung casually over one arm, in dense evergreen woods with manicured paths and where the trees looked more like pines than maples. The actor looked like he was more likely picking flowers than gathering sap. No sign of snow, but plenty of semi-tropical plants and flowers in lush undergrowth, and at the farm, trees and flowers in full bloom as they would be in late summer or early fall. I nearly wrote a letter of protest. But I'm getting off subject.

As most of you know, we've had plenty of snow and winter weather here. The Ice-Out Contest is over - the clock stopped yesterday at 4:51 a.m. There have been numerous calls, emails and texts asking "am I a winner?" There have been three winners identified, two in St. Johnsbury and one in St. Albans. It's my understanding none of them were "right on," but they were all equally close to the actual time, so the three of them will end up with approximately $2,000 each. 

The wind has been doing wild things with the ice in the big pond. The water is quite high and pouring in from the surrounding hillsides as this snow melts, so may get higher. In the lower elevations, there has been a lot of rain, and that is causing streams to run high, as well. The ice on the pond that's left is very slushy and will be gone before the end of the week, I expect.

Two young men drowned on Seymour Lake in Morgan Tuesday when their kayak overturned. Both were from Massachusetts, and neither was wearing a life preserver. It's so sad that people take such unnecessary risks. I'm sure it's a temptation to get out on the open water early in the spring, but it's really not wise, especially without proper equipment. The water temperature is very cold and there is often unpredictable weather. Add to that the possibility of water-logged debris floating free in the water that can damage a boat, and the danger of being blown against existing ice and being overturned, and it's just too much risk. The sun will come out soon and once all the ice is melted, the water will begin to warm and most of the floating obstacles will be either lodged on shore as the water level recedes, or here at Joe's Pond, will have been washed over the dam in West Danville. We're all looking forward to a relaxed, care-free summer, so don't rush it - stay safe!

Speaking of relaxed and care-free - the goose couple appears to have reunited and apparently spent the night on my little pond. I spotted the female enjoying a bath as the male stood in shallow water, observing. A little later I looked out, but they were both gone. Perhaps my pond was just a two-day resting spot. I can only hope! I'm happy to see them come for a short time, but I really don't want them to try to stay here. Son, Jamie says Joe's Pond is like a grand hotel for wildlife, while my little pond is more like a B&B.

I was bitten by the "spring-cleaning bug" the other day. I haven't done a thorough "spring cleaning" for years. I always like to air out, launder curtains and blankets, and clean windows; but I don't do the whole operation like my mother used to do, spring and fall. We had to empty every cupboard, wash, every dish, paint anything that needed freshening, and set everything straight again.  And wash walls, repaint; take off storm windows, wash windows inside and out, repaint, re caulk; and every window in the house had to have the heavy winter drapes removed and fresh, lace curtains hung in their place. It was a whole makeover of every room in the house, spring and fall. Those days are gone forever, and happily so, for me!

However, I did have just a little of that urge return this weekend. I had taken several large serving dishes out of "retirement" for the family dinner on Saturday, and when I began putting things back in the cupboard, it dawned on me that there are a lot of not only seldom-used, but actually never-used dishes in my cupboards. Not only that, some things I'd probably use more if they were handier to reach. So, while I put dishes back, I cleaned out and rearranged three cupboards. That meant washing lots of dishes and putting aside things I know I'll never use again. Some are really ugly and I keep asking myself, why did I keep that?? I have more to do, and hope to get to them when the spirit moves again soon. In the meantime, there are other, more interesting and pressing things to attend to than cleaning out cupboards. Now I need to find some large cartons in which to store the excess stuff I'm discarding! That will mean a trip into the storage space over the garage, which will probably trigger another cleansing/rearranging session. I really need to plan a yard sale! Or maybe just have an antiques dealer come and haul it all away before I change my mind and start bring stuff back into my newly reorganized cupboards. Onward!