There are two types of people who react to a hard winter: those who find it exhilarating and the ones who stoically endure it.

Both types have been rewarded the past couple of beautiful days. Funny how 40 degrees in the fall is positively bone-chilling, but in March, it is downright balmy. Folks have been breaking out the short pants.

I have a blooming snowdrop, a small but significant miracle. It only emerged as it is in a bare protected location. The rest of the bulbs will hopefully show themselves before Easter for Pete’s sake!

All the critters seem to know it is spring. Birds are singing. I’ve had some skunks under my porch, most likely engaged in some romantic activity. It is driving the dog crazy in the middle of the night and the whole neighborhood is stinking to high heaven. The chickens are laying a proper amount of eggs. Hope springs eternal!

I’ve been busy transplanting in my greenhouse. I like to start perennials. The hollyhocks, gaillardia and echinacea are all ready to be bumped into larger pots. The hollyhocks, being biennials, will not bloom until next summer, but I have nothing but time left so I don’t mind.

Years ago, I put my rototiller on the side of the road. It disappeared at once. I was sick of it and haven’t tilled my garden since. I’ve used the Ruth Stout method, but use more than hay to continue piling organics on top of the beds. Wood chips, seaweed and animal bedding have all improved the soil.

In Tuesday’s New York Times science section, there was an interesting article entitled Movement to Spare the Plow.

The author interviewed a North Dakota farmer, Gabe Brown. He advocates using green manures and leaving the fields unplowed. His 5,000-acre farm no longer requires nitrogen fertilizer or fungicides and yields above the county average.

His methods of soil conservation are attracting converts as growers are facing extreme weather high costs, labor shortages, and government regulation to stop agricultural pollution.

Repeated plowing degrades soil and leaves it “naked, thirsty, hungry and running a fever.”

The problem with switching farming methods is age-old, i.e. the human condition. No one wishes to change behavior until forced. The devastating droughts in the Midwest of late might be that outside force.

I did some experimenting last summer. I planted my tomatoes into a bed of foot-high buckwheat. As it flowered and turned yellow, I smushed it down, forming a mulch of sorts.

I’m going to plant right in the winter rye this spring — perhaps the cole crops? It will be interesting to see what happens.

I cannot help myself . . . I need to comment on the Iran, Bibi Netanyahu and G.O.P senator situation.

I think the folks over at Fox News would have their heads explode if, say, Congress invited the French president to speak behind G.W. Bush’s back in 2003. They changed the name of fried potatoes when France failed to support our invasion of Iraq as you may recall.

Even better, what say a group of Democratic senators wrote an open letter to Saddam Hussein disrespecting President Bush?

I understand ideological differences and dissatisfaction with the powers that be, but the intense hatred of President Obama is something I have not seen in our country and I’ve seen plenty. I lived in Washington during the Viet Nam War era. Let your imaginations run wild.

I may be bold, but was wondering why the U.S., Israel, and other nations are allowed to have large nuclear arsenals? Just saying.