When The Sun Is Shining

When the sun is shining, the chickens begin exploring new territory along all the shoveled paths. They seem hungry for the warm and shining sun. So do we! They stray further away from the cozy security of their coop and their packed down run. If they feel extra adventurous, they make the long journey out to the compost pile. Oh, the scratching and digging they do when they get there! Delighted by all the peelings, bits of greenery, and crusts that fill the heap. Though it continues to snow here in the north and the temps are still plummeting to 20 below ( on some days), those chicken gals know that spring is on her way.
On the days we do get that intense sunshine, any ice on the roof begins to melt quickly. Snow and ice slide off a metal roof rather easily, but once in a while if we’ve had a winter of heavy accumulation, it will build up in the roof valleys. Rick spent some serious time this past weekend roof raking and breaking up any ice jams. Miller likes to be out keeping an eye on our work and progress. Such a good dog, that Miller! This weekend we will clear the benches in the greenhouse and check the big furnace we use for heating it. It may look like we’re still knee deep ( waist deep?) in winter, but spring’s a comin’.