The common cold has plagued humans for a very long time, and it is my turn to feel the virulence of the virus that causes it. In fact, it could be one of many different viruses that give us the symptoms of the common cold.

Historically, eating snow was common. An early report comes from Roman Emperor Nero (54 – 86AD) who mixed fruit or honey with his snow. Grape pulp snow was a particular favorite.

Asparagus is one food beginning with the letter "a" that has a penchant for passion. Avocados are another amorous “a” known to have aphrodisiac attributes.

The roots of my obsession (and affection) include turnips, parsnips and rutabagas. These ground-growing goodies will provide the last of the local harvest, leaving me with a long wait for the Island’s spring greens and a few months of well-traveled, grocery-bought vegetables.

This visitor was of the animal variety, specifically a tortoise, but clearly not one native to the Island. In fact, its homeland couldn’t have been much farther away.

For bats and other nocturnal animals, nighttime is the nicest time. These animals prefer not to see the light of day, and have adaptations that make their night life shine. Bats are just one group of animals that can do it all in the dark.