Sunday, March 25, 2012

Isn't Polly's pen purty?

Today was an absolutely glorious spring day, the first real warm day we've had. It got up to a dazzling 60 degrees!


We let the woodstove die out and opened almost all the windows and just reveled in the milky-warm air.

The animals reveled as well. Doesn't this chicken look deathly ill? In fact all she was doing was basking in the sunlight.


It was a day NOT to be cooped up inside, so I decided to clean out a section of the barn, a long-overdue task. That task somehow segued into cleaning out Polly's pen, which was an even longer-over due task.


Polly's pen was piled with detritus, so I set myself the task of cleaning it out thoroughly.


This entailed trundling endless wheelbarrows full of packed-down hay and manure to the compost pile. Here are the tracks from the wheelbarrow, back and forth and back and forth.


The chickens kept me company as they lounged outside the pen, grooming and lazing around.


Older Daughter decided to walk the dogs. First Major...


"Cows!"


...then Lydia.


"Cows!"


It took several hours, but I finally got to the bottom of the detritus.


Next step: clean fresh straw.


I climbed on a ladder to remove some old twine that was hanging from the rafters (remnants of some early swings the girls had made years ago). This was the view from above. Outside the pen...


...and inside the pen.


It was a lot of work to get Polly's pen so purty, but what a nice feeling of accomplishment! And a purty sunset to boot.


Unfortunately this lovely spell of weather won't last. Cooler temperatures and rain (even snow) are moving in tonight.


Typical north Idaho spring. We'll enjoy the gift of gorgeous days as we get them.

6 comments:

  1. I'm thinking that compost looks purty, too!!

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  2. Is that a "full" pond I see? Plenty of water now!!

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  3. It really WAS a glorious spring day yesterday, wasn't it? I walked Lucy down by Hayden Lake, and she even went for a swim! Crazy dog! Enjoyed your pictures. Thanks for sharing. Now back to the dreary weather.

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  4. Doesn't it feel good to get some chores out of the way - always makes me feel that I've really accomplished something. Love the beautiful sunset.
    Kay

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  5. 60 sounds great! It's been unseasonable warm here high 70's low 80's everything is green and blooming it's really beautiful.

    ~Sara Central Arkansas

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  6. Phyllis (N/W Jersey)March 26, 2012 at 4:29 PM

    Great pics! My girls just love dust baths! We enlarged our garden this year and all that lovely new dirt was just too much for them. Even Charlie, my rooster took a bath! The hens were purring like kittens - too funny! Boy, are they going to be disappointed when that garden gate is finally closed.

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