I was a bit blindsided on Tuesday morning. I did not expect such a hard freeze. I listened to the weather forecast but chose to not believe it. Over the nice warm weekend, I hauled out several large pots full of spinach, lettuce, kale and potatoes. Everything is barely living now and the spuds are completely dead. All of these items had been growing happily in an unheated plastic greenhouse but they were protected from wind. Oh well, live and rarely, if ever, learn.

Otherwise, it is officially and wonderfully spring. Crocuses and daffodils are everywhere. The nurseries have some forced bulbs and pansies. Lilacs, magnolias, spireas, and most trees are budding. The peonies are up a couple of inches.

If you take a trip up North Road, there is quite a photo opportunity at the gas pump. It is surrounded by hundreds of daffodils. The vegetable shelves at Ghost Island Farm are rapidly disappearing. Tomatoes and pepper seedlings under grow lights are taking over. New life is everywhere.

Last week’s column included a photo of a donkey by Susie Middleton. I cannot let this opportunity go by without a shout-out to Juan. Our family adopted him in the early 80s. He was a “government burro” captured in Death Vally by the Bureau of Land Management. He and his fellows were destroying the fragile ecosystem of the Valley. His ancestors went out west probably with the gold miners. Turned loose, he found wild Mexican burros and started families.

After being captured he was brought to Harrisburg, Pa. to either become dog food or be adopted. As P.T. Barnum would say: “A sucker is born every minute.” That sucker was me — bullied by my young children. Juan lived with us a couple of decades, wreaking havoc on my garden and my sanity. His only redeeming quality was that he made me laugh. He did a few stints at Christmas and Palm Sunday church services. We loved to remind people that only our Lord could make him behave.

How I digress.

Last fall my friend, Sharlee, gave me some seedlings that popped up in her garden path. What we assumed were leeks turned out to be garlic. I’m eating it as a scallion. It’s great as my stored bulbs from last summer are tired and not wonderful. Also, there were tons of baby bok choy. I was able to eat it all fall. I covered it with Reemay for the winter. It promptly blew off and I sighed and forgot about it. Yesterday, I noticed several tiny plants that are going to seed at two inches tall. I’m planning to save those seeds and give Sharlee some grandchildren back.

I have a blooming strawberry in the hoophouse. Lucky for me it is inside. Maybe I’ll actually eat a berry before a bird gets it.

I spent some time this week mulling over some of Trump’s latest policy announcements — defunding the Special Olympics, closing the border with Mexico and defending the Texas court decision to entirely get rid of Obamacare. Then, as usual, he changed his mind or backpedaled. He suddenly pretends that he had nothing to do with any of it and will change and/or wait on any further decisions.

I was so dismayed I went on the Google and watched both Obama and Bush giving eulogies for John McCain. It was refreshing to see decent people talking about political rivals without name calling or derision.