By LYNNE IRONS

February is my favorite month. For starters, I share a birthday with Abraham Lincoln. In elementary school I was expected to memorize the Gettysburg Address and build log cabins for history projects. It has been fun this year being his 200th birthday. He looks good for his age, don’t you think? I love the fondness our new president has for the Emancipator.

The change of light has become very apparent. The other evening with a full moon on the new snow was simply lovely. The setting sun gave a pink hue to the entire landscape.

As I have mentioned before, I have no patience. I couldn’t wait while it was being passed out. At any rate, I have started full-on seeding in the greenhouse. Although it has no heat and freezes absolutely solid every night, several flats have germinated. I do use a propagating mat which provides bottom heat for the just-seeded. I set it at 45 degrees. I have had success with lettuce, spinach, mache, and beets. I painstakingly transplanted the tweensie babies into large pots and tops. They are not moving along but they have not died. A few days last week they never thawed even though it was sunny and maybe 50 degrees in the hoop house.

I also started up some perennials (foxgloves, yarrow, potentilla, malva and larkspur). The yarrow emerged in less than a week. I wanted to get a head start for my little business.

Irritatingly I bought onions at the supermarket. In years past I have grown enough to last until spring. This was not one of those years. I started a couple of varieties from seed already (Yellow of Parma and New York Early Yellow Globe). It is tedious work to transplant into the garden in the spring but an entire year’s supply can be grown for under $10.

The icy footing has caused quite a few accidents. I heard that over 300 broken bones were treated at the Cape Cod hospital and close to 100 here. Tread carefully, everyone! Thanks to Helen Green for sharing her gratitude concerning her broken back. What a good sport! She fractured two disks sledding with her daughter, Olivia. She commented that at least she was doing something fun. Speedy recovery, Helen. Because there isn’t much else in the gardening world, indulge me, if you please. I would like to quote from my Appalachia 1986 calendar for the month of February:

Rethink how to use our freedoms

Make sure pets are loved and cared for

Make your own scarf

Make homemade noodles

Tell bedtime stories with children

Watch fuel and paper waste

Start indoor plants

Create your own baby food

Build a snowman

Rest

Take a stand on political issues

Remember that we are of the earth

To have a friend is to be one

Tell family members “I love you”

Pray for the leaders of our country

Explore world religions

Confront someone about the truth

Write a letter of cheer to a sick person

Read more

Cultivate your sense of humor

Cook with lids on pans

Protect social programs

Recycle old stationery and cards

Teach a child to recognize animal tracks in the snow

Donate your blood

Have your pet spayed

Look into organizing a parent support group

Listen to more music than TV

That’s all I’ve got this week!