12 May—We just finished moving tons (literally) of white ash (and some Norway maple) to make it easy for lucky wood-burners to take home their absolutely free firewood. It’s always distressing to cut down trees, of course, even—or especially—after they’ve been murdered by bugs. Bug larvae, actually, since it’s invariably the larvae—caterpillars if the bugs are butterflies or moths—that kill trees.

Moving from death to life, then, hard-core Litchfield Monitor readers with nothing better to think about must be wondering how the primal Johnny jump-up family has been coming along. Well, in that case, the good news today is that Adam and Eve and their spawn are not only holding their own but, heeding God’s injunction in Genesis, they’ve been fruitful and are multiplying. What else can they do?

The little Johnny jump-ups, being stuck in the dirt between the walk and the steps, haven’t been able to go forth, of course, but they have been dutifully filling the earth, although they haven’t subdued it or had dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, or over every living thing that moves on the earth. Give ‘em a break. They’re only miniature pansies and shrinking violets, after all. There’s only so much they can do.

So here are two pictures of the fecund Johnny jump-up family, the top one from ten days ago, the bottom one taken yesterday. You’ll note that the foliage has overwhelmed the flowers. Such is life. But at least it’s life . . .