Happy Guy!

 As most of you will remember, this year's Ice-Out Contest winner was John Vincent, who lives in Ohio. His brother is a trucker who frequently goes through West Danville and has bought Ice-Out tickets for several years and gifted them to friends and family. This year, one of those tickets given to his brother John won! John had hoped to be able to attend our spring meeting (coming up on Saturday), but since that didn't work out, Diane (Rossi, chair of the I.O. Committee) sent off a note letting him know the check and certificate authenticating his winning date and time, will be sent in the mail. This was his response:

 Hi Diane,

Thank you for reaching out and unfortunately yes I am unable to make it for the Memorial Day Weekend Celebration. You better believe the day will certainly come when myself along with family make the trip and I look forward to that day and will communicate plans in advance.

Funny, I often think of listening to your voice-mail and then our conversation that Saturday morning before Easter. I am still in disbelief of winning.

Check, Certificate anytime is great and I promise to email back a picture as proud recipient once I receive.

Thank you and everyone associated with Joe's Pond so very much, I truly cannot say enough.

Please feel free to reach out any time, let me know if I can assist in anyway and of course I am a Joe's Pond fan for life as well as someone looking to promote others to participate in the Ice Out going forward!

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!!

 

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We don't know how he picked the date and time for this year's winning ticket, but clearly he is in a state of shock and awe! Well done, John! I will post the photo he sends - and we look forward to one day meeting him.

 

In the meantime, today is almost like a late March day - cold and raw with a really mean wind. I expect there will be snow flurries in the higher mountains - let's just hope not here! It could happen, though. I'm seeing a mid-day temperature of 40 degrees, and will keep close watch of the forecast tonight since I have my palm trees and some other plants out on the porch. I think they will be ok with the temperature in the 40s, but if it is going to get much colder for any extended period, I may need to haul them back inside. Covering them is difficult since some are really tall. I knew I was rushing the season a bit, but it seemed so nice last week, I couldn't resist getting them out there and settling the porch for the summer. Big mistake! We really aren't "frost-safe" until after the first week in June. Global warming doesn't seem to be much of an issue yet at Joe's Pond as far as temperature is concerned.

 

Today's weather is wet, rainy, and very windy. When I went out to measure precipitation this morning, I was surprised at how strong the wind is. There was all sorts of debris on my deck and driveway - lots of the small new leaves from maples and catkins from my birches, a few small branches and twigs here and there - it's nature's way of pruning trees, I guess. Only the strong survive.

 

Be safe, warm, and happy!