Strange as it sounds, I may be outside today clearing out a flower bed or two. Although we still have a lot of snow on the ground, mud patches are appearing around my house and driveway and a bracket of daffodil points is breaking through the leaf litter. All of this is happening far too early for central Maine, but it's hard to be sorry about the arrival of spring

Except for yesterday's town meeting stint, we've been on holiday time this weekend. Between making meals and doing laundry, I've mostly been sitting on the couch watching tournament basketball and passing a mandolin back and forth to Paul, who has taken a shine to it and has been practicing chords during the games. So far I've taught him "Goodnight, Irene," and now I've got him working on "Moonshiner." Who says that television is a waste of time?

In the meantime, James is reinstalling the comic elements of his bedroom, and Tom has invented a new printing strategy that makes his portrait photographs look like abstract carpet patterns. They're quite lovely.

Dinner last night: poached salmon topped with fresh salsa and home-canned corn relish, alongside spinach salad and spoon bread. (The salsa included chopped tomatoes, minced onion, crushed garlic, cilantro, and a spoonful of bottled jalapeno salsa in lieu of fresh hot peppers.)