A few days ago I put a note here about Jenny J., the little dog that needs a home because her present owner is relocating across the country and cannot take Jenny J.  Here is more information about this sweet girl.  Please consider giving her a good home.  She was a rescue dog and was fortunate to be loved and cared for by her present owner, and deserves to continue living in a loving home. Click on the image to make it larger.

We are expecting the last big snowstorm of the season.  Well, I can't guarantee that, but it seems likely, don't you agree?  I know we've had big snowstorms much later in March, right into April in the past, but really, this could be it for snow this year.  I can hear you now, "Who are you trying to kid?" you're saying, "How long have you lived in Vermont, for Pete's sake?" and a distinct, "You're crazy."  

May be, but we can all hope.  Truth is, this is going to be a mega storm if the weather folks are right, and after a miserably cold winter, we deserve some spring.  But before we get to that point,
those of us here in the eye of it all need to prepare.  We will be laying in a supply of food and extra water, checking to be sure there's plenty of fuel for the snow blower and cars, and making sure we have auxiliary heat just in case the power goes out and we're more or less stranded for a few days.  It could happen; and then we'll really deserve spring.

I noticed that the three inches of snow I measured this morning and reported to CoCoRaHS was more than any other spot in Vermont except Danville, also reporting three inches.  Really?  Even the other station in Cabot reported only 2 inches.  There must have been as much or more somewhere - Walden?  Hardwick? Stannard?  Either they don't have anyone reporting or I guess we're in the "snow belt."  There is a lot of moisture in this batch of snow, too.  Fred said the snow blower coughed and sputtered and he decided to let the snow melt instead of overworking the poor old machine.  And melt it did.  We've had temperatures near 40 this afternoon.  Nice spring weather that gives me hope this storm, this doozy of a storm, will be the last big one and it will be sunny days, cool nights and lots of sap flowing.

Eugene Ellingwood Obituary

The complete obituary for Eugene Ellingwood was in today's Caledonian Record.  He will be sadly missed by his many friends at Joe's Pond.  Our sincere condolences to his family.

Woody has followed the sun today, finding any spot that offered tummy-warming comfort.  He spent some time in my office this afternoon on his desk beside me (yes, he has his own desk next to mine) but the sun was beating in and it got very warm in this little room, so he only stayed a short time.  I, on the other hand, hung out enjoying the sun until it had dropped behind the big spruces.  Now it's getting cooler and I'll put the shade down again.  It's surprising how quickly the sun moves and disappears behind the hill.  

I would have thought the snow would have melted considerably today, but I just checked the stake and it's only down a little less than an inch from what it was this morning - now at about 21 inches.  Real spring is still avoiding Joe's Pond, but it's getting closer all the time.

I heard recently that weather people are predicting this could be another el nino year, with extreme weather possible. I guess it's only a guess, but more and more I guess we need to be prepared for just about anything.  Hang onto your umbrellas and wind breakers.

Today has been very pretty - beautiful bright sunshine that prompted Woody to want out; however, the wind was cold and he was ready to come in within 3-4 minutes.  But he couldn't seem to get over the notion it must be spring outside, and has pestered off and on all day to go out, and each time I'd set the timer for about 3 minutes and when I'd go to the door, he was always waiting to get back in.  We are afraid we might forget he's outside when it's cold like this, so rather than make him stay in, we set a timer to remind us - it's no weather for him to be caught outside.  He could still use his kitty door into the garage, and would then knock on the kitchen door, but we worry that the kitty door might stick or there could be some other reason he couldn't get in, and that would be terrible.  So, we use the timer.  Here he is, warming up in the sun in the living room.  We think he appreciates having the plants around - reminds him of summer, perhaps.

Andy Rudin says he has a great way to beat the winter blahs - he

has seedlings growing happily in a sunny window.  He said they don't have "snow" in Philadelphia like we do - they have "snert."  I think they've had a larger than normal share of whatever this year, but I gotta say, his seedlings look healthy and happy.


Most folks are still upbeat around here - they may grumble a bit about the cold and the ice and the snow, but lots of them are enjoying winter sports in spite of it being a harsh winter.  I was talking to Nate at Leahy Press yesterday, and he said he was ice fishing on the Connecticut River recently - said the ice was two feet thick.  He was on a "setback," away from the strong flow of water, and drove his pickup out there.  He said the ice was strong enough "to hold up a Mack truck."

Diane Rossi found out today from neighbor, Sol Lakey, the ice here is two and one-half feet thick with eight inches of slush on top.  We heard someone seemed to be stuck out there today - probably due to the slush.  Could it be there has been some melting going on???
With below zero nights, I'd think everything would be pretty solid, but maybe the last snow we had makes slush even on cold days if the sun is strong enough, like today.

We lost our electricity a couple times today - just blips off at first, and then about an hour later, it went off again and stayed off.  When Fred called in the outage, he was told there was a tree on the line some place and that caused the brief blips; but then there was a fire somewhere in Walden that apparently took out a pole, and that was why our power was off for 2-3 hours this morning.  It came back on just before noon.  I don't know where the fire was - I hadn't had the scanner on at all this morning.

We learned today that Gene Ellingwood passed away in Englewood, Florida on Tuesday.  I'll have more information when the complete obituary is published.  He was 90.  Gene was an active Joe's Ponder for many years and a long-time resident of St. Johnsbury.   Condolences may be sent to his son: Mark Ellingwood, 82 Black Fly Blvd., Newark VT 05871.

The following is a promotional blurb Yankee Magazine sent to us with permission to use it for our advertising.  The March/April issue of Yankee Magazine includes a very nice story about the Joe's Pond Ice-Out Contest written by Craftsbury author, Julia Shipley.  Many thanks to Julia and to YM. Our 27th annual Ice-Out Contest is well under way, and the article is a very nice boost for us. 

DUBLIN, NH (March 5, 2014)—As Danville, Vermont, locals already know, spring’s true arrival comes when a special raft sinks into Joe’s Pond. Thanks to a three-plus page article starting on page 18 in Yankee Magazine’s March/April issue, written by Julia Shipley, now nearly 1.9 million readers will know about this spring ritual. The annual contest sells 15,000 tickets, available for purchase at Hastings Store or online by Paypal and a major credit card.

“We are already getting feedback on the article, all of it good,” says Jane Brown who co-chairs Joe’s Pond Association with Diane Rossi. “We are very pleased with Julia's piece.  She captured the spirit of the contest perfectly; it's lighthearted fun after a long, cold, often miserable winter.  The Joe's Pond tradition of betting against Mother Nature continues as we gear up for another exciting contest, our 27th.  Julia’s article reflects the enthusiasm of the contest and it was especially nice that she touched on how everyone loves the big fireworks party on the Fourth of July.”

In addition to the article about Joe’s Pond, this issue continues its celebration of season with a special Spring Home & Garden Guide. This section includes the first-ever Home & Garden Awards, which name the best public gardens, nurseries, ornaments, and more. Other articles cover topics such as how to grow a four-season garden and the hardiest roses that can survive New England’s climate. Travel is a cure for spring fever, and visiting Nantucket’s Daffodil Festival, and ten additional flower shows, is the perfect remedy to quell winter blues. Plus, tempt your taste buds with articles about soup for a crowd, cheeseburger heaven, and sweet New England cornbread.

This came yesterday from Helen Morrison -

Hello, Friends,

Becky Johnson is moving to the Phoenix area, a move that is very exciting for her.  The down side is that she is unable to take her dog, Jenny J., with her.  And so, she is looking for a loving and caring home for her.  Jenny J. is about 10 years old.  She is a rescue terrier mix and weighs around 26 pounds.  She is loving and calm, never barks, enjoys a quiet home, gets excited for a walk, and loves to ride in the car.  She responds to verbal cues and seems to be okay with cats.  She thrives on human companionship.  If you know of anyone who might be able to give her a good home, call Becky at 684-1092.

I have attached some very sweet photos of Jenny.

Thanks for thinking on this.

Helen

 

 

Jennie J looks like a very sweet little girl with manners.  She is an older dog so she won't be chewing up your shoes or furniture, I bet.  I hope we can locate a really good home for her so she won't miss Becky too much.  Click on the photos to see a larger picture.