It is difficult to remain a good sport given the unpredictable nature of our recent weather. We have a fabulous day followed by freezing nights. I keep making poor choices. The greenhouse is bursting at its seams, so I move flats out into cold frames where they suffer. Then I haul them back inside where they cook and dry out during the day.

Honestly, I have quality problems. Do not pay me any mind. I am sad, however, as my just-about-to-bloom quince froze and now has brown, dried buds.

For a real taste of spring, stop by Ghost Island Farm on either Saturday or Sunday. They have hundreds of sturdy healthy tomato plants under lights. I would not dare start mine yet as I don’t have a proper gro-light situation. What I wouldn’t give for a basement. It would be the ideal place to set up lights.

When my mother was growing up in Rew, Pa. (right next door to where I came up) her grandmother decided she wanted a cellar in the old homestead. She made my mother and her siblings dig one for an entire summer. I need to remind my children of this family legend when they complain about some small task.

Back to great gramma’s basement, briefly. I remember how fascinating it was to me as a child. The walls were dirt with a couple of beams. Seems they were always damp and rather creepy.

I have been looking for some writing material in my daily travels. I see an astonishing amount of snowdrops. They multiply like crazy. My own patch is easily 50-by-50 feet square. I know I only planted a handful some 40 years ago.

Violet and I were wondering how crocuses escape flower beds and head across the lawn bound for glory. I’ve seen a few daffodils in bloom. There are several on the slope beside the drive-thru at the MV Savings Bank.

Skiff avenue in Vineyard Haven is the stomping ground for dozens of turkeys. They are in full spring mating display, holding up traffic. It’s hard to believe an animal’s head can turn that blue so quickly.

One fun thing happened to me in the vegetable garden. For years I have tried to get artichokes to make it through winter. I’ve moved them into the greenhouse, buried them under straw, wrapped them in Reemay and covered them with blankets — all to no avail. Then Molly at Grey Barn Farm gave me a great tip last fall. She puts a bucket on each plant. I tried it and it totally worked. I have a couple of plants with nice new spring growth. It will be wonderful to get a couple chokes from each. Thanks, Molly.

I am so irritated with FBI director James Comey. He began the investigation of Trump surrogates and their possible ties to Russia last July and never mentioned it. He had no problem talking about an on-going investigation of Hillary’s emails, a mere week before the election. I might point out that these emails were obtained from WikiLeaks. Don’t forget, Trump commented at the time how much he loves WikiLeaks. Now he is carrying on about leaks that make him look bad. All I can say, it takes so little to make him look bad. What’s to become of us?