I do not mind the cold and I’m usually a fan of a nice snow. I’m fond of being housebound to catch up on long-neglected puttering. The present weather situation is, sadly, becoming tiresome. It’s impossible to walk around the property, and the several times daily to bust ice for the chickens is a bother. Also, you will be amazed if I find anything garden-related to report.
My earlier seeding of lettuce and spinach of which I boasted has met its untimely demise. Between the bird, the cold and my forgetting to water, I need to start over. I simply reseeded on the now empty trays and hoped for the best. I keep a little journal of dates and varieties of my plantings. Last year, I seeded onions on a 50-degree propagating mat on Jan. 29. Some emerged Feb. 5. Then, by Valentine’s Day, I seeded spigarello, purple sprouting broccoli, beets, garlic, chives and several lettuces. The green house warmed to a pleasant 70 degrees by mid-day (although it still dropped into the 30s at night). Clearly, this is not happening this year.
I saw five turkeys trying in vain to scratch up something to eat in the yard. I felt sorry for them and tossed a few handfuls of chicken corn to them. They must have some sort of magical communication skills, because within minutes their friends began arriving from all corners. I lost count at 38. There was a white peacock among them.
I was longing for something alive in the house and bought a bunch of tulips. On my table they catch the morning sun. Talk about a spirit lifter. I’m now able to picture snow drops and crocuses waiting patiently for the mountain of snow to melt.
I’m not a kitchen gadget person nor do I fall prey to various ads. I did buy a mason jar vacuum sealer offered from the Plateful company. It seals dry goods in air tight jars. I have tons kicking around waiting for next year’s canning season. Since I bake my own bread, I order seeds and flours in bulk. They usually are stored in plastic bags in the freezer. I rummaged around and made more room in the freezer and put everything in sealed jars on the pantry shelf. They should last for quite some time, safe from insects, mold and who-knows-what-all.
I made an attempt at kale chips. For starters, I needed the oven on to warm up the kitchen. After removing the center stalks (save for stock), I tossed the leaves in olive oil and, sadly, too much salt. Nevertheless, they were a crispy treat. We did drink plenty of water afterwards.
My flabber continues to be gasted by our 47th President. Just this week, we had to have a total meltdown over Bad Bunny. I didn’t understand his lyrics either, but the performance was fabulous. May I just say I rarely understand musical lyrics from English-speaking artists nowadays, but still like the show. Then, no comment on his vile racist posting. He needs therapy over his Obama problem. Finally — to the Kaitlin Collins question at a press conference — to all my men friends, readers and neighbors, NEVER tell a woman to smile.
This article appears in February 13, 2026.