Diane Rossi sent this picture, taken yesterday. She said the guy she talked to was from Georgia, Vermont. The ice on the bays of Lake Champlain is not safe to be on, so that's probably why lots of avid fishermen come here. Thanks for the photo, Diane. Viewers - click on the photo to make it bigger.

We had a below-zero night again last night, but the sun is bright and it's a beautiful day this morning. Not very warm - about 10 above right now, but an improvement over last night. The sky was clear and there was a bright moon again. I resisted the urge to go for a walk after Fred told me it was -5.6 outside.

Here's a picture taken on February 3, 2011. We had a ton of snow last year at this time. This morning I measured 16.5 in. on our back yard stake, and that's about half of what we had last year at this time. All the snow is ending up in Europe, I guess. They're getting buried there, literally.

We're getting our Ice-Out Contest tickets to the various outlets locally and in the Barre-Montpelier and St. Johnsbury areas. I spoke with Don Walker today and he's sold a few tickets, but so far most of the tickets we've had come in are either from the local stores or the mail. We've had quite a few on-line tickets come in, and that's encouraging.

Don told me Audrey had the misfortune to break her hip in a fall on December 23. He said she's doing fine now, but is still having physical therapy. She spent Christmas in the hospital. I spoke with her today and she sounded great - not a word about her difficulties - and was upbeat as ever. We hope she continues to mend well and will be good as ever by summer so she and Don can enjoy Joe's Pond.

I have an ice update for you tonight. Diane Rossi went out onto the ice to speak with an ice fisherman this afternoon and he told her the ice is about 18 inches thick. We aren't sure why we had a report last week that it was 12 inches, but I guess the depth of ice could vary depending on where it's measured. And we have had some cold nights. Tonight is about 6 above.

I had a note from Homer Fitts. He said Garey Larrabee took brought some Joe's Pond perch to them the other day and they were really good. Homer said Margaret knows just how to cook them, too. I've heard the perch are not only especially tasty this year, they are also plentiful.

Jack LaGue sent a brief explanation of the photo he sent the other day. He mentioned the unusual upward reflection is a "sun dog." We do see those from time to time, and he's right, it's the sun's rays reflecting off ice crystals. I'm not sure of the date he took the picture, but it may have been about the same time weather people were telling us to watch for unusually bright "Northern Lights," or aurora borealis. According to what I've learned, these two light displays are caused by different atmospheric conditions, but it does prove that we have all sorts of interesting stuff going on here, day and night, if we just pay attention.

Last night I watched the storm clouds in the moonlight as I lay in bed waiting to fall asleep. The moon was bright, but from time to time very dark clouds would scud across it. There was a strong northwest wind and we were getting snow showers off and on. I fell asleep thinking of the first years Fred and I lived here at the pond, at our cottage, and on moonlit nights we'd often go for long walks, sometimes on snowshoes, up what is now Chatot Road and through the woods and fields above. It was absolutely beautiful, and with the moon out, we had no trouble seeing at all. Of course, nobody else was around back then, so we used to sometimes sing Christmas carols or other songs loudly and mostly off key, and always ended our concert with lots of laughter because we sounded so awful. Unfortunately, my sleepy musings didn't translate into an interesting dream, but it was fun remembering, anyway.

Diane Rossi was telling me today there were a bunch of trucks out on the ice very early this morning. She said there are also lots of snowmobilers around. We don't see much of the pond from up here, so miss all that activity. We did see some fireworks on the Route 15 side of the pond tonight, though.

I guess almost everyone is getting ready for a big football Sunday tomorrow. I am not a football fan - I can never find the ball and fail to understand the rules of the game; but I'm looking forward to watching the commercials and, of course, the half-time performance. This year it is Madonna, and that will be interesting. We've been seeing some teaser commercials this past week that look really special. When companies pay millions for just 30 seconds of ad space, they have to come up with something unique - I just hope I understand them better than I do the football game. Sometimes I just don't get commercials, but I like the challenge, an nobody gets hurt like in the game. So we'll both be watching the Super Bowl tomorrow, along with millions of other folks.

Jack LaGue sent this photo of today's sunrise over Joe's Pond. Jack and Sue are enjoying their first winter as permanent residents at the pond. I have to say, the luck of the Irish seems to be with them - they haven't had a lot of snow to deal with, so I think it's been a pretty easy transition. Nice picture, Jack.


Today started off pretty nice - at least, it was pretty outside with bright sunshine and the trees covered with very fluffy, dry snow. There were snow showers off and on but the sun remained mostly out; however, the temperature remained in the 20's and there was a strong wind straight from the Arctic Circle.

Yesterday we were in St. Johnsbury and distributed Ice-Out tickets to our regular outlets: Natural Provisions, Caplan's and St. Johnsbury Hardware. We didn't visit The Tower out on Memorial Drive, but I believe they will have them soon - Bill Dimick usually keeps them supplied. Natural Provisions has had tickets for a while, but they hadn't sold many. With our Cabot and Walden outlets supplied now, Harry's Hardware and Cabot General Store and Walden General Store, the local outlets are ready to go. There won't be a lot of action until just before the close of the contest on April 1st, but being something of a worry-wart, with the kind of winter we're having (or not having!), I just wanted to be sure people who want to get into the contest have the opportunity to at least have their tickets in hand. Then, if/when the weather turns suddenly summer, they'll be able to make them out and get them in the contest. In 2010 we had a nail-biter when the weather turned on us in late March and we wondered if the flag would go down before the contest officially closed. Of course, if that should happen, the contest has to close immediately.

Interesting point here - some of my associates suggested changing the closing date of the contest to mid-March, but I resisted. I wasn't ready to believe we'd have another crazy spring right away; I lucked out last year, but here we are with an unusual winter again, so anything is possible by the time spring gets here.

These two pictures were taken yesterday in West Danville. You can see there isn't very much snow here compared to other years. We all keep thinking February and March will be different, but there are no big snow storms in the immediate forecast. I keep hearing from JPAers who escaped south for the winter about how they are enjoying sunshine and 80 degree temperatures, and while I may envy them just a little bit once in a while, this surely hasn't been a tough winter - so far! I'm sure there's more to come.

Just in case some of you don't see the Cabot Chronicle, here's an interesting article that appeared in it this month. Green Mountain Youth Symphony Pictured are Heidi Cookson, daughter of Mike and Ann Cookson (Cabot Garage); Lars Hammer, son of John and Susan Hammer (John Hammer Plumbing & Heating); and Joseph Ambroz, son of Todd and Julianne Ambroz - all of Cabot. Quite an honor for all the six student musicians from Cabot.

Tuesday, February 7th 6:30 to 8:30 pm Cookie Decorating Workshop with Beth Hoffman

Would you like to learn how to take ordinary sugar cookies and turn them into edible works of art? Come learn some simple techniques and secrets to making beautiful cookies! We will be decorating a variety of holiday cookies to span the entire year. Come spend some time with friends in a non-judgmental environment and go home with beautiful cookies that you created! It will be lots of FUN! Workshop led by community member Beth Hoffman. Space is limited, so please sign up early! AT THE LIBRARY, WILLEY MEMORIAL HALL, CABOT. Beth Hoffman is with Faith in Action. 563-3322

CALCUTTA RAFFLE AND DANCE TO

BENEFIT CABOT 8^TH GRADE

WASHINGTON, D.C. TRIP

Where: Willey Building, Cabot, VT

When: Saturday, February 18^th from 7 to Midnight

Contact: Laurie Coolbeth 563-3011

We are selling tickets 1 through 100 for $100/couple. This gets you into the BYOB dance with a DJ, entry into the money raffle and snacks. We will have prizes for every 15^th number drawn with money prizes for the last three numbers left in of $500, $1,000 and $2,500. For the serious gamblers J there will be the opportunity to have side bets with your friends, so bring your $1 bills!

If we are not able to sell all 100 tickets we will raffle them off at the event.

Plainfield LIttle Theater presents, The Foreigner, at the Willey Building Stage

on Main St. in Cabot. Showtimes are Friday and Saturday, February 3rd and 4th

and Friday and Saturday, February 10th and 11th, at 7:30 p.m.

There will also be two Sunday matinees. February 5th and 12th at 2:00 p.m.

This came from Andy Rudin this morning:

Hello Vermont people,

It is hard to believe it is February 1.

Here are photos of our first snowdrop bud and some daffodils pushing up.

I counted eight robbins in our back yard.

And the squirrels are chasing around like it was April.

Spring is coming soon, but then, maybe a snowathon as well.

It is currently 63 degrees outside.

Andy

I have to say, even though we don't have as much snow as usual this winter, a sign of spring like this would be welcome.

We actually have a very spring-like day in progress here today. At this moment the thermometer outside my window reads 40 degrees and the sun is just coming through the clouds after a pretty steady rain for the past hour. I just measured it and got .10 in. The temperature is supposed to head downward again with lows in the single numbers for the next few days. That means more ice, of course. And no appreciable snow in the forecast.

So thanks, Andy, for this breath of spring.

Fred and I went to Cabot Village today. We got the car inspected and I did some research at the town offices. While I was at the TCO, Fred distributed Ice-Out tickets and posters to both stores. We've had them at the hardware store for a few years, and now they are available at the general store, too. Bob Searles, the owner, was happy to have them. It's always so nice when merchants are enthusiastic about the contest.

Before we left town, we both strolled down to the Organix Hair Studio. That was a very pleasant stop. We introduced ourselves and right away, we were associated with Ice Out! Turns out it's not just a hair salon, but there are a couple other businesses located there - one is a massage therapist. I'll find out more about that. There was an article about it when the hair salon first opened, but I either didn't save it or I just haven't filed it yet. We saw a couple of people there we knew - no surprise, I guess, after living here for so long - and picked up a business card. I've had a couple of inquiries about the salon, but could never recall the name. Now it will be on the Joe's Pond website, complete with phone number, 802-563-2275. The card stresses their products are 100% ammonia free , not tested on animals, and ingredients are certified organic. That's pretty cool.

From there we went to Durant Cemetery to get some pictures for a woman who is researching her ancestors. I was surprised at how little snow they have in Cabot. We didn't have high boots on, but didn't even go over the tops of our shoes. I'm guessing there might have been four inches, tops. There are probably bare spots after this rain. It wasn't raining when we were there, but it was foggy, mild and smelled like spring. I guess that's as close to spring as we'll get for a while. Back here on the hill above Joe's Pond, there are still 14 inches showing at my back yard stake, even after the rain. I had 15.5 in. at 9 a.m.

By the way, there are some interesting articles in the December Cabot Chronicle. One is an interview about the hazards of WI-FI. Go to www.cabotchronicle.org
Click on Page 5, at the bottom of the first page, and I think you'll see it is the first article on that page. There is a rebuttal in the January issue, and you'll find a link to that. We've been leary of wireless phones for a while, and now have only hard wired phones in our house. We still don't have cell phones, but in the car we have On-Star - which we seldom use, I might add. Old fashioned and behind-the-times? Probably, but we both spend so much time on the internet, I guess other means of communication seem excessive. I've never liked long phone calls much. When my kids were young and I was a stay-at-home-mom, I always kept a sewing basket, bills to pay, or some other work I could do handy by for when someone, usually other moms, called to chat. We didn't have caller id then, of course, so we couldn't screen out political calls or those wanting to sell something. That was back in the day when phones were large enough to cradle comfortably against one's shoulder, and of course they were tethered to the wall or on a short cord on a desk. When the kids were really small, a ringing phone signaled time to get into something they knew they weren't supposed to, or start a fight with a brother. We young mothers were all in the same boat, so we were used to abrupt hang-ups when the rumpus got too loud on either end. Hard to imagine that was some 50 years ago . . . ! How fast time slips by.