COULD IT REALLY BE SPRING ALREADY?

The Fall/Winter season of 2011-2012 was probably the shortest the Northeast has seen in many a year. At least it seemed so when the last of us trundled away fron last summer at the chilly end of last September, only to find ourselves hustling back before the end of February to start taking on the "opening up" tasks for this coming summer season.

Thinking of summer in February? Indeed! The eyes and ears of Cedarvale-in-winter--those trusty, hardy year-rounders who brave the frigid months when the rest of us "almost snowbirds" head to our more southerly havens--sent out the alert that the Punxsutawney groundhog was also working his magic in the North Country and spring was just about to, well, spring onto the scene in Alburgh. 

It's a good thing Loretta Knight (#59) took a photo of the right-on-time ice up of the lake around Thanksgiving, or we might have doubted winter really came at all!

Not that anyone is complaining. It's great to see green things poking up, to wake up to birdsong and not snow plows, and to take off these itchy long johns!

True, no one has begun to think about all the extra mowing and trimming that we'll all be doing soon. Nah--let's just enjoy this unexpected gift!

And, just think, if  MUD season follows suit.........

ROAD FEE UPDATE MARCH 2012

The 2011 road fee records have been finalized, and it looks like several folks didn't contribute. Times are tough, to be sure, but if we can all afford second homes, then donating $75 for maintaining the common road doesn't seem like much to ask! Will those neighbors who forgot or decided to forego the 2011 fee please add the last year's amount to the 2012 fee--also $75.

And our 2012 fees are due by April 15 if we want to have the road re-graveled from the point to the beginning of road this year, which is the plan. The homes toward the point have foregone additional gravel for too long, so that's where the money will be spent first.

And here's an important announcement--our treasurer, Jim McCready, will be receiving and depositing the road fees, so send your payment made out to him and either mailed to 63 Cedarvale Estates Rd, Alburgh, VT 05440 OR you can put your check into the container marked "ROAD FEES" in the plastic storage box by the garage at 63 Cedarvale.

Please bring or send your checks as soon as possible. Paying your fee on time makes things a lot smoother on Cedarvale Estates Road. (OK, corny, but you get the message!)