My favorite thing about snow is its ability to keep me indoors goofing off. As an outdoor worker there is literally nothing to do. Thanks to my son, Reuben, I have plenty of wood for cozy fires. My daughter is hauling it indoors on a daily basis. It sometimes pays to be old and whiny.

There is nothing to report concerning the outdoor gardens. Even if some crocuses are poking up I cannot see them. One fun thing — the maple trees Reuben tapped are producing sap. He tapped several maples on the property as well as the 50-year old sugar maple. It takes 40 gallons of sap to produce one gallon of syrup. So far, a mere quart of syrup has happened.

I, like a crazy person, was so inspired that I called Chief River Nursery Company and ordered 12 (count ‘em) two-foot tall seedlings of actual sugar maples. I will be long gone by the time the grandchildren and greats will be pouring the product on pancakes.

My favorite garden quote of all time comes to mind: “The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”

Polly Hill planted trees as the arboretum when she was 50 years old. She got to live until 100 and enjoy the fruits of her middle-aged labors.

Speaking of fruits of one’s labors, I’ve been busy polishing off the remains of last years’ garden, which had been residing in the freezer. One thing was several quart-sized green beans. They were a bit too big at harvest and I hated to see them wasted. Labeled FAT BEANS, I heated some up with butter and they were great. I got smug about my foresight.

To answer a question from Nancy in Amherst, the pennyroyal oil mixture is to be used on exposed skin. I make the mistake once of putting some peppermint on growing corn silk. Sadly, the mature corn tasted of it when picked. I had the bright idea it would deter corn worms, but it only deterred my dinner guests.

Last weeks’ column mentioned perennial candytuft. I meant to say Iberis, its Latin name, but it printed Iberia. Is that the peninsula that contains Spain and Portugal?

At the end of World War II, Harry Truman and his Secretary of State George Marshall devised an economic plan to rebuild Europe. The reasoning was that the Soviets would step in as they did in Eastern Europe and Western Europe would be lost.

This same reasoning of the importance of “soft power” enabled the Kennedy Administration to enact USAID. Now co-president Elon Musk has basically shut it down. Do I need to point out some Biblical references to the so-called Christians concerning the rich and poor.

My favorite parable is the “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.”

The eye of the needle was a narrow gate in a wall surrounding Jerusalem. Camels, the ancient beasts of burden, would have to be stripped of their goods in order to fit. In other words, worldly possessions need to be removed for entry into Heaven.

Sorry if I had to wax theologically, but honestly how much money does a person need when some cannot even feed their children?