Dear Friends and Family,

Even with 29 days I don't know where February went. Got back from California on the 12th, a cold, rainy night. On the way from the airport the rain changed to sleet. That was more than my worn-out windshield wipers could manage so Paul had to peer through bands of slush to keep us on the road. As we got closer to home, off the Interstate, Paul filled me in on the effects of the Super Tuesday storms. Some of the worst damage occurred in counties nearby, both in Kentucky and Tennessee. Fifteen people died in our state that night. Paul said he was aware of very strong winds between 1 and 3 am. Next morning he discovered pieces of insulation, plywood, and other debris scattered all over the farm. One very poignant find was a letter, written in pencil, from a young man in prison to his mother in Lafayette, Tennessee (about 60 miles SW of here).

The livestock bridge over the creek was completely gone. Constructed of sycamore logs and plywood, not even a piece has been recovered. The creek had literally jumped out of its banks, in some places scouring them right down to the underlying limestone. In others the plants are all gone. The next day I could follow the path of the water out of the banks and over the meadow across the creek from me. I discovered also that Sasha and Madeline had made a new sandbox to hold the sand from a bar that formed in the creek near the A-frame. Otherwise we lost a few pieces of tin roof here and there.

The night of the lunar ecplipse was clear (and cold). Sasha was looking forward to viewing the shadow with his new Christmas telescope. He and Madeline had gone to sleep earlier in the evening, so when I went over to let them know the eclipse had begun, he had to wake from deep sleep. (We had an issue with the timing--here it began between the scheduled times for Eastern and Central time. We are on the very eastern edge of the Central zone). On first look he was disappointed that the shadow seemed just like...a shadow. Later though he was able to see some of the reddish and even bluish tinge. Still unimpressed. I was amazed at how long it took for us to lose the moonlight. Even when there was just the tiniest crescent of light on its edge, the landscape was visible. Only when the moon was completely covered was it really dark. One of the joys of my life here is the opportunity to be walking from the A-frame over here at night. It is so magical in the moonlight; also a little unnerving to do it when there is no moonlight. I do have a flashlight for those times, but I often turn it out just to stand in that complete earthly darkness. What a contrast to the vast landscape of clear bright stars.

Pre-season chores are well underway. Pastures have been chain-harrowed and seeded with clover. The greenhouse is filling with seed trays. The labels identify Alisa Craig, Walla Walla and RedWing onions as well as Green King Broccoli and Gonzalez cabbage. Strawberry beds are mulched. Logs are cut and innoculated with shitaki spawn for this season's harvest of those lovely mushrooms. Between torrential rains Paul is cultivating the garden beds. Pigs went to slaughter two weeks ago. On the way back, Paul and Robin and children got caught in a sudden icestorm. They were nearly home when they came to a stop near the top of a hill. The van slid backwards and sideways off the road. Thank God it stopped before slipping down the steep embankment. After a while the road crew came by with salt and calcium. By the time they got back here the temperature had risen just enough for the ice to melt.

Paul was invited to address the topic "Alternative Markets for Accessing Healthy Foods" at the 2008 Food Security Summit in Nashville. He received lots of positive comments from participants, including Robin. I went with him when he spoke about the advantages of biodynamic farming methods at the Master Gardener's Club in Scottsville. I felt very proud to be sitting right there next to him. Made me realize we've both come a long way. I went to St. Thomas, Campbellsville, as part of their Lenten study program, to reflect on "Stewardship of Our Food: Eating is a Moral Act".

Sounds heavy but we had a lively and challenging discussion.

Saw a few white and yellow crocus in blossom when I was in Glasgow the other day. The phoebes are back, so spring must be coming sometime soon. Love, Louise