On a particularly beautiful morning last week I was driving past Polly Hill Arboretum. In the field across the street there were several dozen Canada geese. Because the field had frozen the night before there were ice crystals all over the field looking like diamonds. Honestly, sometimes a person cannot imagine life being much better.

As long as I’m on the subject of fowl, I’m always interested in the three domestic geese who hang out on the lawn of the Cape Cod Five bank on State Road. At dusk on Tuesday, they were walking single file up the road at the Park and Ride. And, of course, the Vineyard is home to who knows how many feral turkeys. The males are showing off their romantic intentions.

The week between Christmas and New Year’s I cut some branches to force indoors even though it was most likely too soon. A full three weeks later the lilacs bloomed a tiny lime green blossom even though I cut it from a purple bush. How fun is that?

Recently, while visiting my son, Jeremiah, I spotted a variegated shrub in his yard. Being the king of landscape trivia, he said it is Sasa veitchii, which is Latin for small bamboo, aka Kuma Grass. There is a large specimen at the left hand entrance to Vineyard Gardens across from up-Island Cronig’s.

We are still finishing up some fall work on a few properties. Good thing the weather has cooperated. I spent two days on a bucket, deep in some neglected hydrangeas. There was quite a bit of death to be worried free. Word to the wise — always wear eye protection when working in woody shrubs. Remember what your mother said about losing an eye.

Why is it that lunch on a work day is so wonderful until it’s over? It is so difficult to get back on the job, especially when it’s chilly.

The starting of seeds has begun in earnest. I cannot help myself. I started five varieties of onions, some hardy herbs and several flats of greens. Things have started to emerge since the 60-degree propagating mat gives them a head start. This week is the anniversary of my first column — 13 years ago. Yikes! Thank you everyone for your kind words and encouragement. A special thanks goes out to Bill Eville, the managing editor, who has stopped by my house to pick up my handwritten work and enter it into the computer every week.

Last Friday evening a good time was had by all at the annual Vineyard Gazette non-holiday party. After a long discussion about roses over dinner, I came home and searched for a book by Thomas Christopher entitled In Search of Lost Roses. I can’t wait to reread it. Sadly, I realized while looking through my bookshelf I won’t live long enough to read them all.

My favorite quote from this week’s Presidential defense team aftermath was when a woman said, “Does Ken Starr know he’s Ken Starr?”

I fear I am waiting in vain for another Howard Baker to rise from the Republican Senate.

I know what I’m about to say will get me an entire other class of opponents, but I will have to be taken to the polls in November kicking and screaming if I have to vote for Bernie Sanders. I’m just tired of angry old white men yelling and pointing their fingers not to mention always being right and uncompromising. I will not, however, throw away my anti-Trump vote away on another Jill Stein, like so many Bernie Bro’s did in 2016.