I do not mind a March snowstorm. The sun is getting stronger by the day so we know it will not last. It’s nice to have a day at home. Tuesday’s wind however was another story. There were moments of downright fear. Would a tree fall on the car or house?

I am writing after a two-hour power outage. It has been restored but is still blinking and seems precarious. When my Grandma Kate was growing up in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania without electricity, life was naturally different. Her family was slightly “well off.” She was one of 15 children. They had a spring house built over a mountain stream, there were benches and shelves to hold milk and other perishables. She told me as a child that she and her siblings played in it during hot summer days. I suppose there is always a way, after all the human race made it this far.

I am grateful for wood heat and an old gas range that still lights from a pilot. Fortunately, I am always prepared with water, candles and food. Still it is completely annoying losing power. I have switched on the pantry light dozens of times from habit. I spent the morning baking bread with Violet playing the piano and singing. Life is wonderful no matter what.

I have a couple of impressive stands of bamboo. Much of it is easily 40 feet tall. It was completely laying down. In fact, I was unable to get to the henhouse. Good thing they have food and water inside their coop. I bet they thought they were in jail. Do they think? Those brains are mighty small.

The greatest invention next to fire, in my opinion, is running water. Talk about not missing water ‘til the well runs dry. For you lucky folks with town water, you have not had the experience of no water like those with a well which runs on electricity. I cannot imagine the months without power in Puerto Rico since hurricane Maria.

It’s hard to imagine that just 24 hours ago I was shoveling compost and marveling at all the emerging bulbs and buds. Even the roses were beginning to show some growth.

Mache (aka corn salad) has reseeded all over my hoophouse. It is a welcome addition to spring salads. Also, I discovered dozens of tiny Red Russian kale babies. Funny, as I had seeded some in flats which are spindly and pale compared to the self-sowns. Mother Nature honestly does know best. I keep trying to help her nonetheless.

After the last storm I noticed a cedar down on State Road just leaving Vineyard Haven. It was covered with Christmas lights that most likely had been there for years. It tickled me for some reason. A crew cleaned it up in a few days. Tree people have plenty of work not to mention the utility crews.

When I started my big garden 10 years ago it was pure clay. I made permanent raised beds. Every rainstorm the first few years created canals in the paths. Now since much organic matter has been incorporated, I no longer need rain boots even after all the rain and snow this winter. Time and hard work leads to success I guess.

Donald Trump enhanced his tough guy reputation on the reality show The Apprentice. He proudly fried people week after week, yet he was too cowardly to fire Rex Tillerson man to man. He did it by tweet. Granted they had numerous disagreements — Charlottesville, the Iran nuclear deal, the upcoming meeting with Kim Jong-un, and most recently backing British Prime Minister Theresa May on her suspicions of Russian involvement in the poisoning of a British double agent and his daughter.

I fear we may actually be witnessing the unraveling of our government. Our leader was born without dignity, empathy or a sense of shame.

I suppose, however, all the news coverage takes the Mueller investigation and payments to porn stars off the front pages. I’ve said it before, have mercy!