Brrrr... It Was Cold Last Night

On the way back from the chicken coop this morning (after finding one egg) I heard some soft cooing off toward the greenhouse and went to check and found a group of hens settled in on the sunny side of the greenhouse where it was nice and warm and protected from the wind. The temp dropped into the low 40's last night and the chickens like to warm up in the sunshine. I disturbed this Light Brahma and then Morgan showed up to see what I was doing and got in the photo. Morgan was interested in something under the old pallet.

I have neglected this greenhouse terribly. Mostly I have just pretended that it isn't there. To tell the truth, I don't even know what I have stored away in there. I read so many blogs that showcase lovely gardens and I feel I really should get busy and get something growing. After I get the kitchen finished, then the plan is that I will spend some time out here with the greenhouse and in my little green garden. I did pot the two spider plants today. So I get one good garden mark.

I walked around a little looking for something to take a photo of that would be interesting to post. It is so dry that it seems everything is gone except leaves and sticks. There are more leaves down today, so that means the leaf flood had begun. Every year I have to make a decision about raking the leaves... should I wait and rake them all at once, or rake them every week for what seems like forever. It usually depends on the weather and how much rain we get.

It works out great if we get a big storm when the leaves are ready to fall. Then the leaves and dead branches are all down and I can clean it up and it's done. I'm hoping for a big windy rainstorm. No thunder and lightning, thank you! I don't want to worry about forest fires.

It is cold enough that I would love to fire up the wood stove, but we don't want to worry about any sparks from the chimney, so we will wait until we get our first good rain until we can heat the house. This means we are wearing warm clothes in layers. As it gets colder I just add another sweatshirt or sweater.

[6 eggs today - 1 early, 5 late]

It is cold enough that tomorrow

I will have to cover the screen door in the coop.

Don't want the girls to get cold.

Smiles

~:>

Sunning

(click photos to enlarge)

The chickens were very happy

today to find the leaves

were partly dry

and that there was

sunshine for

them to  enjoy.

As soon as I let them out they

ran off into the woods and then they all trooped over to the greenhouse.

This side of

the greenhouse

is the chickens

favorite place

to flock together

and bask in the warmth.

Can you see Morgan in their midst?

I was surprised

to find

small patches of snow

next to new growth

coming up among the rocks.

This Australorp

is enjoying the day

and because of her

black feathers

she is 

especially warm!

Doesn't she look happy!

We called her our "naked" chicken

because her feathers

took such a long time to grow back after her molt.

Tomorrow, is going to be sunny, so the chickens, Morgan and I will be taking advantage of our time in the sun. I need to do something with the chickens yard. It has become quite muddy due to the snow and the rain. I wish I could get some straw to put down, but maybe I can find some mostly/partly dry leaves to cover the coop yard. I'll check around the property for a spot that gets a lot of sun and see what I can find.

Tom came home today from visiting with his Mom and Aunt Jean sent us a wooden folding shelf... well, there are three shelves. I'll have to get a photo of it to post.

I'm feeling better and would like to get back to my quilt.

Smiles