I read somewhere that a person should never make a major decision or plan in the month of March. It has certainly been true this year. I believe we are heading into another winter storm on this first day of spring. It’s been too chilly most days to melt last week’s blizzard. It’s interesting to notice the bare spots in the vegetable garden. Clearly, those areas should be planted first. They must have more southern exposure. The winter took a toll on the Island’s roads this year. Some major potholes developed on State Road in Vineyard Haven. Happily the big ones have been repaired before serious traffic commences.

Recently, I remembered March in Rew, Pa. All the houses developed serious icicles. Some went all the way to the ground. The neighbor kids and I would break off sizeable pieces for some pretty aggressive swordfights. I wonder if we had poor roof insulation or if the days, though sunny enough to melt, were cold as well to continue freezing the drips. I haven’t thought about it for years as I rarely see any here worthy of comment.

Whiting’s Pond has filled to the brim. It has been quite some time since the water made it almost to the road. We can rest easily that our water table is replenished.

Giant slabs of snow and ice have been falling off my solar panels. A person could risk life and limb coming over for a visit.

The lovely blooming crocuses are completely encased in snow and ice. They seem other worldly.

It’s remarkable how many giant pine trees are uprooted as a result of our recent wind events. They are very shallow rooted and, let’s face it, the ground is saturated. I made a vow to never plant trees too close to my house. I would hate the grandchildren to deal with one coming through the roof.

I picked a wonderful salad. The baby lettuce planted in big pots, in the unheated greenhouse, was finally ready. I added several radishes, tops and all. The root was not much larger than the exclamation mark at the end of this sentence! They still had a bit of a bite and were a welcome addition along with some pea shoots.

I’ve been spending most afternoons moving tiny seedlings into larger containers. It is an enjoyable task. The greenhouse warms enough mid-day to strip down to a tank top. I listen to the radio and nobody bothers me.

How I wish I could conjure up even a couple more garden paragraphs. I’m at a loss. Hopefully by next week we will actually be heading into a proper spring.

Big family news this week. Violet got her learner’s permit. I have let her drive the stick-shift truck up and down the driveway for years but, yikes, we ventured out on the real road. This will require a remarkable amount of letting go on my part. I told her that the one big rule in driving is to assume no one else is following the rules, so paying attention is key.

Katama is a great place to start. We spent a few hours there. I was only scared once.

Speaking of scared — our president? He seems to be. He certainly is not behaving like an innocent man in terms of Russia.

I have to say, however, his speech in New Hampshire when he put the death penalty on the table for drug dealers may be pushing the limit. I know he admires that policy carried out by Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines but wow! I’m always amazed at the pro-lifers who approve of both war and the death penalty. Say what you will about the Catholics. They are consistent in their pro-life stance. I admire them for that.