2) It snowed 2 feet deep for two days in February. It had been wanted for long. The snow was extremely light, sweet, and beautiful. I shoveled it 2 times faster than usual. (easy snow)

Last year I planted three apple trees. I dug holes and put the trees into them. I did not put fertilizer because those trees should get used to new environment. (This is my idea, which had worked well. Garden catalogs and instruction books recommend big holes and plenty of fertilizers and watering.)

Watered few times, I watched how they would start growing. They did not. Growing tree takes time, but something seemed to be wrong. I dug soil here and there to check. The garden soil looked dry. And the grass in the garden looked poorer than before. The soil itself might change.

For eight years the garden only absorbed heavenly rain and snow fall. Rainfalls are not plenty enough for garden soil. Additional water from the hills behind kept the garden moistened for centuries. At the same time ingredients from hills were added at each flood. I cut those water and ingredients away. I gained dry land and poor soil as a result.

It was easy to plant fruit trees before. All trees grew. We used to harvest abundant tomatoes without giving fertilizer. I thought I knew how to grow them. In reality century long natural watering and accumulated ingredients made good gardening possible. Constant addition of natural water was cut, one has to depend on artificial fertilizer and a sprinkler.