Ice Report!

 Spring is slow arriving here at Joe's Pond. Actually, we are probably just about on schedule, but as usual, it seems like winter is never-ending. Today we've had a bit of sunshine, warm temperatures, a little rain, and now expecting the rain to turn to snow tonight. And colder this weekend. My thermometer is 48 degrees now - no sunshine, light rain showers.

I went to Danville this morning - there is much less water showing now than a week ago in the narrows and two smaller ponds - and we have several inches of snow on top of the ice, insulating it. That said, there is melting going on and water running in ditches and brooks that empty into the pond, so that will warm it a bit and push the ice up as the water level rises. All of that helps diminish the ice, and yet there has been little change since my last ice report on the 18th. In fact, according to Bob M's report today, we've gained half an inch! He said he measured in two different spots and both were 18.5 inches, which is half an inch more than on the 19th, and he described it as still "good, hard ice."  No surprise - the weather has been cold more than warm. We'll get there. But you MUST get your Ice-Out Contest tickets in the mail or turned in to one of the outlets before midnight, April 1st. Tickets submitted or mailed and stamped after that date and time will be disqualified. After that, we wait for the block to sink and stop the clock. Diane sent this photo of the setup saying, "Current status of the block . . . Not even tilting!"

I have very few bare spots around my house - all the bare ground got covered with about 8 inches of snow last weekend and into Monday. We've had a sifting of new snow most mornings, but it melted fairly quickly. Jamie had to plow my driveway after we had hoped it would be the last time when we had all that warmish weather. We both knew better, but it was something to look forward to.

The road from my house to Route 2 is not great. Passable, but slimy with mid, lots of water-filled washboard, and water running in ruts - not deep mud yet, and as long as you take it slow, it isn't too bad. Just really rough, and hard to meet another vehicle because the shoulders are soft and the ditches deep. It will doubtless get worse before it's better.

I have been watching for pussy willows on by back lawn, and I think I can see some, finally! It's impossible to tell when we've had snow as the snow tends to stick to the tips of all the trees and they all look like budding willows. But right now it is raining very slightly, so what I'm seeing is the real thing. They are high, so I won't be able to get any to bring inside. I've trimmed all the lower branches over the years, so now I mostly have to appreciate them from afar.

Jamie shared this heart-warming video link with me this week. Take a look. That's one devoted Road-runner!