Ice Update

 The ice in Joe's Pond is receding gradually! The first two ponds have open water the whole length of each, with only the coves and some shoreline, where there's little current or wind, still with ice. The big pond is a different story. There is open water north of the islands - I can see it sparkling through the trees from my house - and there are definite dark spots that indicate the ice is pretty slushy; that said, where the flag and block are is looking pretty stable.  This picture was taken today by Diane Rossi.

The wind is strong out of the northwest today, and that will move the ice down the pond a little, probably. The sun came out this afternoon and I'm reading 55 degrees here. There is a lot of water running into the pond from all the little brooks as well as the main channel. I noticed the pond level seemed pretty high when I came by around noon today. All of that water coming into the pond helps to dislodge and melt the ice, so it may not be very long before we are seeing open water in the big pond, too. This is turning out to be a fairly "normal" year for the ice to go out. I remember having Easter dinner interrupted at least a few times when Fred and I were involved with Ice-Out and the block went down, so who knows? It could happen again!

My cousin, Judi, who lives near Denver, Colorado, sent these pictures of forsythia and daffodils at her house. She thought perhaps we were enjoying spring flowers, too, but I had to tell her about the two inches of snow that was on the ground when we awoke Sunday morning, and the rain, snow, sleet and thoroughly nasty weather we had.  I searched a couple of days ago (when the weather was really nice) but the only daffies I found were only about an inch high. Of course, they grow quickly, so it won't be too long before they are blooming, with any luck and warm weather. In the meantime, I have one little crocus that pops up each spring, and that has some green shoots, but no bloom yet. The forsythia is showing signs of life, but no color yet. These things will all come  in good time.

People are coming back from their winter homes now. Ray and Cyndi Rouleau are arriving today, the LaPrades soon, and also Walter Ruf. The Stewarts are heading home, too, and Andy Rudin has plans in place, so by this time next month, things will no doubt be humming and busy here at the pond. 

A friend stopped by today to purchase the West Danville history book, and he was surprised at how the cottages along West Shore Road have changed in the fifteen years or so it's been since he was last through here. We who live here don't think about it much, but there have been a lot of changes in the past 20 years. At least here at the pond, the changes make places look better. I took a few minutes on my way home from Barre last Sunday and drove through the city - up Washington Street where two of my late aunts used to live, and both homes are in shambles now. They used to be very pretty, well kept and neat, but now they are basically trashed. It made me sad. I was surprised at the number of storefronts on Barre's Main Street that are vacant, too. I hadn't been through there since the downtown was upgraded, but apparently Barre is experiencing problems like so many other cities and towns, partly do to the Covid pandemic forcing shop owners to close their businesses, I'm sure. It's sad to see; I hope that gets turned around soon.

So there you have it - the ice is melting, the earth is awakening, summer residents (both human and wildlife) are returning, and while the rest of the world seem to have gone berserk, Joe's Pond remains a beautiful haven, a place for all reasons.