Last week’s major snowfall melted at an amazing rate. It’s like we had winter and then spring in less than a week. I did not bother shoveling and was in and out of the driveway in no time.

I took advantage of the lengthening days and did some seeding in the greenhouse. I started several flats of onions and leeks. They are all cozy on propagating mats under bubble wraps. I set them at 60 degrees so they should germinate in a week. It does freeze in my greenhouse but once they germinate they can take a freeze. Good thing as they are sure to get one.

I’m picking pea shoots from the patch I started in the ground under plastic. It took quite a while — several weeks — but they are four or five inches tall and simply delicious in a salad.

I saw a remarkable amount of Canada geese in the Sweetened Water Farm field recently. They do seem to enjoy the Vineyard for the winter. There are telltale signs of them everywhere in open fields. Talk about fertilizer. I must repeat my favorite palindrome: Do Geese See God.

I’m getting the Pro-Holly on the evergreens and hydrangeas this week. I usually do it sooner, in late fall, but the days do get away from me. I pruned the aforementioned shrubs this week. It’s nice to be outdoors and it’s good stand-up work.

At the bottom of the Edgartown Road just before the old “We are tired but sill very merry” building, there is a row of, I believe, Alberta spruce. They have begun dying and it seems like they all are doing so. How sad as they were nice in their soldierly fashion. I wonder if last summer’s drought is to blame? The Weather Channel reported that the Vineyard is just coming out of “abnormally dry,” conditions. Oddly, Whiting’s Pond still does not have water. When the children were small it was a great place to ice skate.

My friend Sharlee’s husband Jack came up with a great way to deal with leftover macaroni and cheese. He used the handheld blender and whisked it into home-canned tomato juice for fabulous cream of tomato soup. Sure beats Campbell’s. I love anything that keeps to the theme of not wasting food.

Funny how Donald Trump got all bent out of shape over fake news about himself. He had no problem with it when directed at Hillary.

All politics is local. I think Tip O’Neill said that. On Tuesday, Jan. 24 at the Oak Bluffs Library at 4:30 p.m. I encourage you to attend the selectmen’s meeting. There will be discussion concerning rental mopeds on the Island. Certainly, anyone who drives around in the summer has some concerns about the danger. This is not about owner-operated vehicles. There will be a history of the by-laws as well as numerous and on-going violations.

The objective of the meeting is to encourage and urge the selectmen to act responsibly for the common good. The public has a voice and should use it. If you miss the meeting it will be aired on MVTV the following day.