By the time this hits the newsstands, we will be in a New Year. Someone told me that as a person ages, the weeks and years fly by but the days take forever. I have found this to be true. I will say that the expression “as a person ages” is usually followed by something unexpected and unpleasant.

Because I’m writing on Sunday there seems to be a weather warm up. Who knows what the week will bring. I’m happy to report that I have done absolutely nothing since Christmas. I’ve been doing some serious long-neglected puttering.

I went through the stored potatoes and onions in order to toss any that have seen better days. I separated a basket of very small potatoes. My plan is to “plant” them soon. Plant is a euphemism. I put them on the ground and cover with hay. I know it seems crazy to plant anything in the open ground this time of year. I’ve done it for ages with actual success. If a potato inadvertently gets left when harvesting in the fall, it will come up in the spring. It “knows” when to emerge. I’ve put some into pots in the greenhouse and dragged the pots outside when they come up but they will suffer from frost. It’s better to put them outside in the first place. They seem to know what’s best.

The new farmstand at Beetlebung Farm has some very nice carrots, kohlrabi and celeriac. We enjoyed a roasted dish of them on Christmas Eve. I hope I do what I plan for this week. I have several buckets of wood ash just waiting to be spread on the gardens. They are a good source of lime and potassium. A five-gallon bucket will cover 1,000 square feet. No need to turn them into the beds. A couple of good rains should wash them in. Avoid spreading them on acid-loving plans such as hydrangeas, evergreen or dogwoods.

For the past several years around this time, ladybugs show up in my house on south-facing windows. What I don’t know about bugs is a lot, so if anyone can shed some light on this situation I would appreciate it!

I planned to write about DJT’s latest kerfuffle concerning the Panama Canal. He wants to reclaim it. Built at the turn of the last century under the direction of George Washington Goethals, the U.S. controlled the Canal Zone until 1977. Jimmy Carter oversaw the transfer back to Panama at that time.

It’s Sunday evening, Dec. 29 and I just heard that President Carter has died at the age of 100. I’m a huge fan of his. His post-presidency has been one of service to his fellow man. I’m glad he did not live to see Trump retake the White House and do whatever he plans to do with Panama. I’ve said this before, I have no doubt that Jesus met the true humanitarian and real Christian at the Pearly Gates and said: “Jimmy, well done!”