30 April 2011

Yesterday’s weather forecast for today was for clearing after midnight, sunny, highs in the low 60’s.  Actual weather: rainstorm at 2:30 am, cold and cloudy all morning, then cleared off into a beautiful day with highs in the mid 40s.  Worked in the morning dreading each time I had to wash a rock, but got another course laid and parged in three sections.  Decided it was time for a break from rock work after lunch, so hauled chairs and a ladder up from the dock shack, made a run into Brandon for victuals, and generally puttered around – my way of relaxing.  Lake temperature still is 44 degrees, but I’m starting to have doubts about the accuracy of my thermometer.  This afternoon I was sitting in Delores, too hot in just a long-sleeve T-shirt, and the thermometer read 60 degrees.  Maybe the winter just past (or the mice!) traumatized the poor thing.  Water level, after all the recent rain, is 1 inch below the top of the dock.  After dinner, decided the wind had died down enough to risk a campfire… sorely needed both for mental health and to eliminate the winter’s detritus from around the picnic / campfire site.  The eagle-eyed among you will spot the wine glass on the rock in the background.  The contents are a further inducement to come hither and enjoy the Fern Lake ambiance… a brandy made hereabouts from pure Vermont Grade A maple syrup.  Lip smackin’ good!  The PERFECT accompaniment to a campfire on a chilly evening… or maybe even a not so chilly evening.