Joe's Pond

I have heard mentions of this place called Joe's Pond located up in Danville - past St. Johnsbury since my days as a Caspian Lake dwellah. And last weekend, I had a chance to see what it was all about. My "corporate friends" as I call them (this just means they are people I met professionally as opposed to on the internet or at moe. shows) headed up to one friend's house where we spent two days in the sun, on the water, and drinking this delicious lemonade I found in Yankee Magazine a few years back. It was a blast hanging out with friends I see more at Chamber of Commerce events than floating in "party barges" on Joe's Pond. The highlight for me was playing on the lake, for Mitch it was the hysterical music and dancing that went on after the sun went down. After coming home from the weekend, I looked through some old photos and felt I had to post the comparison of me loving green floating things when I was young to still loving them now:


Now, Mitch may have thought the music and dancing was the best, but while he caught nothing in the day (duh), he did manage to sneak out for fishing breaks during the evening and caught four fish (yes, he tossed them back). Relaxing on a lake in Vermont, whether it's Caspian Lake, Joe's Pond, Crystal Lake, Silver Lake, Lake Willoughby, or Lake Champlain - sometimes life just can't get any better.

Lemonade Recipe:
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups fresh lemon juice (about six lemons)
4 cups cold water
2 cups lemon vodka (I use Absolut Citron)
berries

Combine sugar and 2 cups water in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, then cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. In a pitcher, combine syrup with lemon juice and 4 cups cold water. Refrigerate until chilled. Add vodka, then stir. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with berries.