Spring Miseries

 As our weather fluctuates between winter and spring, keeping all of us off balance either shoveling snow or slogging through mud, the summer-time issue of wake boats persists. The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation held public meetings at various times this past year, and the Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes (RWVL) group continues to press for tougher regulations. RWVL's recent newsletter has some interesting interviews. For those of you who are not signed up to receive that newsletter, I'm including this LINK.

Diane Rossi sent me this photo of the Ice-Out Contest flag on April 1st, the final day for anyone to access or return tickets. That particular day started off chilly and dismal, but in the afternoon, we had bright sunshine and the thermometer was bouncing off the 50 degree mark! These wild swings in weather and temperature are expected this time of year, and that's what makes the Ice-Out guessing game so interesting, complicated, and tamper-proof. Nobody has figured out how to successfully change the weather - with the exception of cloud seeding to produce rain, which is mainly a Texas thing, I guess. Otherwise, we take what is sent.

Today started with some sunshine, but at the present, it has clouded up;  the temperature remains in the low 30s. I went for a short walk earlier, and our road is bare and fairly firm, at least on the end near my house heading towards Route 2. Going the other direction, the flat beyond my mailbox, going towards Route 215, looks messy. I was last over it last Tuesday - almost a week ago, and the road to Cabot Village over the Plain is muddy in spots, but really quite good. That said, I expect there is still a lot of frost in the road and conditions will get worse before they are better. West Shore Road is really pretty good except for the really bad washboard stretches on the flat from LaPrade's to Mason's and again from Chatot Road to Barre Avenue. The Danville end looks deceivingly good heading up the hill, but the flat before reaching Route 2 is another stretch of really bad washboard. The only way to navigate those flat, incredibly rough stretches is v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y. Otherwise, parts will fly off your vehicle and you could end up bouncing sideways into a ditch.

Once on Route 2, it feels like the car is floating, the ride is so smooth - if you are going towards West Danville. Potholes have been generally filled all the way to Danville, and from there Route 2 is fine, at least into St. Johnsbury. However, going west towards Montpelier, there are still some serious potholes and rough stretches. If there is much traffic, it's pretty hard to dodge 'em, since to do that you need to move into the lane with oncoming traffic. Not a good idea. If you try to steer to the right, the shoulders are mushy and that can lead to trouble, so you are caught between a hole and a soft spot. 

So those who live here try to stay off the roads this time of year as much as possible. People who have to get to work or other business still have to navigate the mud and potholes, and I am sorry for them. I'm very content hanging out at home. I have my very bold red squirrel to occupy me - he regularly navigates up the narrow vinyl window casing on my big living room window to reach the bird feeder I moved to eye level (for me). He's wary of me on the deck and now goes flying off the feeder if I open the door or the window. He knows I'm going to whack him, one way or another, and he skedaddles. He gets a free lunch when I'm working at my computer, but I check periodically, and it gives both of us a bit of added exercise. I will take in the feeder soon. I'm pretty sure the bears will begin to move about here soon, as the snow pack diminishes. I still haven't seen the two turkeys that were around most of the winter, so they may not have made it during those days when the snow was deep and they couldn't get around to find food. Winter is hard on all species.