Spring is Here!

We are finally enjoying some nice days in between gloomy, showery days. The cool rainy weather has been great for lawns and early spring flowers, and even the trees seem to be thriving - getting that soft, feathery look as their buds begin to swell. Of course that means pollen - and even people normally not bothered by allergies find they are coughing or sneezing more than usual.

Advancing through spring means dealing with rough and sometimes muddy roads around the pond. Most will eventually get some attention, and West Shore Road, being a Class 3 road on the Cabot side of the pond, has had some gravel added and it's been raked or honed a few times. In early spring it is routinely posted against heavy trucks such as logging trucks, etc., and that helps keep the road from being badly broken up and rutted when the frost is beginning to come out. It is still rough sometimes, with lots of puddles and washboard showing up after a rain, but definitely we didn't have an awful mud season this year.

Joe's Pond people are returning, and our first Association meeting will be on May 23rd at 10 a.m. at the pavilion. Dues are also payable now - $75 this year. The amount was increased by vote last year due to the ongoing expense of combating Eurasian water milfoil (EWM). It is always very pleasant to see everyone at the meeting after being out of touch all winter. Just a reminder that the weather is often still pretty cool for our spring meeting and there is only "body heat" in the pavilion, so dress accordingly! We look forward to seeing many of our friends at the meeting. 

Spring Meeting is always fun - we may get to meet the winners of the Ice-Out if they come by to receive their checks, and the 2027 Ice-Out Contest tickets will be available so you can pick some up to distribute to friends and family during the summer. They are great to give as gifts in cards or as favors at parties. Or give a few to friends to sell to their friends - the more the merrier! Where else can you get so much fun out of spending a dollar these days! People really love receiving them and the possibility of winning thousands of dollars! 

I had the outside of my house washed today - what a difference! It is so nice to have the winter dirt and grime, and years of mildew growing on the north side of the house where it gets very little sunshine, gone. Top Cleaning & Restoration out of Lyndonville did a "soft wash." The process has plenty of pressure and it did the job!  I'm impressed and wish I'd done it ages ago! Two very nice young men, Justin and Devin, did the work - they arrived as it was spitting snow and got their equipment set up during a rain shower. Working conditions were not ideal today and I'm sure their hands were freezing with all the wetness, but they didn't complain, stuck to it, and it all went very smoothly. I did a quick visual before they left and I couldn't believe the difference. Really nice job and they left everything far better than they found it! Also, they explained to me that the solution they use works with sunshine to keep surfaces from getting mildew again.

 Bob and I went for our First Thursday lunch date yesterday. We decided on the "Nook" in Barton village. It is a little hole-in-the-wall bar and grill on the main street that we first tried about a year ago. It was great then and surely didn't disappoint us yesterday. We took back roads on the way home - got well twisted up out in the Craftsbury area where there are lots of twists and turns with side roads and branches that are deceptive. We saw some lovely country - I think spring is further along up that way than it is here. And that area still has some working farms which is so nice to see.We had fun.

Bob is looking forward to diving with the Milfoil Control group again this summer.

I had a nice visit with Jamie and Joanne Stuart this week when they delivered the JPA newsletter to me. It was great to see them both and catch up. I know many other Joe's Ponders are here already, and I'm sure more will arrive before the Spring Meeting. I wish you all safe travels - and I look forward to seeing you at the meeting.