Snow is Not Sun

Artichokes with their spiky fronds on the left, potatoes in two tubs in the middle, the foreground getting thick with kale and arugula sprouts. Here's the thing about us Shmalifornians, animal and vegetable. We not only regard sunshine as our natural birthright, but when it's foggy, or cold, or rainy, or snowy, or not warm enough, or we get too many days in a row without feeling the hot sun on the back of our necks, then we get grumpy.

Plotnik was grumpy over much of Christmas and maybe the weather had something to do with it. Now the January thaw has arrived and the sun is bright and his mood is improving by the hour.

Plotnik says to his children that he hopes you don't get these cold weather grumps too often in your current frigid environments...though he knows you do. Warm weather is in his blood and he knows it's in yours too.

Snow is fun. It's just not sun.

The potatoes, kale, artichokes and arugula seem to love the cold weather though. These two tubs of potatoes, one tub each of small red ones and small purple ones, should be filled with the world's best new potatoes by the time Moses is running for the Red Sea this Spring.




The blue-green Tuscan kale will start getting its new leaves plucked off next month. A little balsamic vinegar, some garlic and raisins...