We have had a series of wonderful days, and for February even. I have been doing a bit of heavy work to prepare this aging body for spring. I pushed the wheelbarrow around for an hour or so and ended up crippled. Who needs the gym?

The garden is completely thawed and growing a fine crop of weeds already. I have quite a few flats germinating in the greenhouse — lavender, sage, echinacea, monarda and dianthus. They are almost ready to be transplanted into larger containers. I love the work. The greenhouse is warm and cozy midday and I sit on a stool. I made a little bed for the dog on a shelf. She couldn’t be happier. Life cannot get better.

Last week I commented about my early crocuses blooming. I meant to say that one could miss them but it came out mass them. I love that. A typo that can work either way. Once again, I must commend my editor. I handwrite and the pages are picked up at my house. It’s a wonder the typist can read any of my penmanship.

I neglected to cut back my coral bells (heuchera) this fall but they looked fabulous all winter. Good to know. One less choice at season’s end.

Recently, I sauteed vegetables and chicken to make a pizza but had too many to fit on the Boboli bread. Instead, I put the bread on top of the skillet full of veggies and baked it briefly. An upside down pizza resulted. We did need knives and forks to eat it but, hey, didn’t Mitt Romney do the same during the 2012 campaign.

Live and rarely if ever learn. For the second year in a row I grew only the hard-neck variety of garlic. It is much easier to prepare but does not store well. I have quite a bit left in the pantry which has seen better days. I may be able to use it in a stock.

The bulbs I planted in the fall are up several inches. I may snip a few greens here and there to add to stir fries.

I do not mind fake flowers if they are obviously fake. The arrangement in the Brickman’s parking lot next to La Choza is a good example. It’s pretty adorable.

The crape myrtle in front of the West Tisbury branch of the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank is sporting some fine exfoliating bark. Winter interest is something to keep in mind when you year-rounders are selecting landscape material.

I’m pretty tough but recently I turned into a big sissy. At a property site a bat was trying to take a drink from a puddle that formed in a swimming pool cover. As I watched, he continuously dive bombed me. I ran away screaming and waving my arms. I appreciate the little critters for their work as insect predators but from a distance. Honestly, I can totally amuse myself most days.

My mother used to say she could get me to do something by forbidding me to do it. Now is the time for those of you who hate me commenting on the larger world around me to stop reading.

Donald Trump’s outrageous remarks on the campaign trail have only bolstered his poll numbers and gained him more fans. His disparaging remarks about Senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham should have disqualified him with the so-called patriotic American types. Both men served honorably in the armed forces. I may disagree with everyone on their political positions but John McCain spent five years in the Hanoi Hilton for Pete’s sake. Trump called him a loser for being captured.

This is the man we want to entrust with the nuclear codes???