What a lazy weekend! I never left the house on Sunday or Monday except to quickly care for the chickens. The sideways snow and sleet were downright unpleasant. I had big plans to attend to long-neglected indoors tasks. Instead I indulged in several games of solitaire and rummaged through old photos.

The plan to put those photographs in order and into albums was thwarted by some sofa time.

How I wish I had some interesting garden material but, as you can imagine, that train left the station around the new year.

I did receive a couple of seed orders and spent some time looking through them with the ever-hopeful anticipation of a successful spring and summer season.

I was surprised at my own self. I wonder what I was thinking just a few weeks ago when making those orders.

To wit: I am looking at 19 packages of beans. Granted, several are left over from last season and may not be viable. Also, I have an enormous vegetable garden with plenty of room to grow them. Many are the shell or drying varieties for use next winter but honestly, what’s wrong with me?

It is unnecessary to answer that question.

During the bad weather weekend I was able to get a soup bubbling along on the wood cookstove. I used several small jars of shelled beans I froze last fall.

I am devoting some serious food preparation to the utilization of my stored, canned and frozen produce. I used up all the remaining shallots. They did not store as well as I had hoped but were nevertheless a great addition to the last few meals.

The pantry-stored potatoes had seen better days. Some had sprouts more than six inches long, for Pete’s sake! I removed said sprouts and used up the medium and large spuds. The ones smaller than a silver dollar were set aside to plant soon under hay. I’ve had very good luck in the past with them.

This year, I do plan to order more and refresh the genetic pool.

I usually use Maine Potato Lady as a source. As with many companies during and after Covid, early orders are suggested since there could be shortages.

On Tuesday I wandered around in the perennial beds, searching for signs of life and writing material.

There are a few more barely-blooming hellebores, some early bulb greens poking up and the beginning of bloom or perennial candy tuft. Iberis sempervirens is a fabulous little evergreen plant. Its top height is a foot tall. I have it tumbling over a few stone walls. It has a pure white flower that blooms for several weeks in mid-spring. I admit I was surprised to see the beginnings of a flower this early in winter. Then again, climate change is constantly confusing us.

Another obvious sign of a new season is the uptick ­— finally — in egg production. I know folks who purchase eggs are complaining about prices so maybe there will be relief soon. Although we know big business is loathe to lower prices...They would rather keep everything up so people can blame Joe Biden.

Now that I’m finally getting a decent amount of eggs, perhaps it’s time to whip up a few onion quiches for the freezer. It would be a quick way to use up more of the stored onions before they spoil.

I don’t usually follow local shootings in faraway places but now that it’s gone nationwide, I need to comment on the failed Republican candidate for a New Mexico state legislative seat. He hired hit men to shoot up the homes of four Democratic officials. He has been a loyal Trump supporter and election denier.

What has happened to us? DJT has given people the permission to behave badly.

I’ll never get over 82-year old Paul Pelosi beaten with a hammer in his own home. Someone asked me how the perpetrator got into the house. Really? That’s important?

I get my faith in humanity restored when someone lets me out in traffic during these troubling times.