Gentle nag...

Due to the quirks of marriage I have a niece who is two months younger than me. She reads my blog and sent me a note today saying she wishes I would post more. Her sweet and gentle nagging spurred this post and I am grateful for it! In turn I shall take this opportunity to nag her. A talented writer, she needs to start a blog of her own! We have had insanely warm weather for Maine. Temperatures in the 80's in March are just unheard of. Many plants that normally do not bloom until later here in the frozen north are popping up. When I came dragging in from a hard day at work yesterday my spirits were lifted by the sight of these precious crocus' just by the entrance to my home.

The spot where my herb garden grows is a barren looking wasteland of old leaves and dead sage plants. But Adventure Chicken hopped the fence today and was scratching about... and she uncovered CHIVES! They don't look like much now, but they will be lovely soon, and flavor our meals zestfully.

The bunny seems totally delighted with the weather. She hangs out with the chickens, mostly, and naps in the sun, all stretched out looking as happy as a bunny can look. In the past 4 days the lawn area has gone from dead brown to a blush of green. New growth and warm weather makes this bunny happy. She managed well all winter, hiding under the brush pile or snuggled in the coop with her "peeps," but surely spring, summer and fall are more to her liking.

Chickens clean their plumage by taking dust baths. They find a likely spot of dirt and wallow around in it, kicking their big comical feet and rolling about. They fluff their feathers up and toss dirt on their backs, working it down to the skin. This absorbs oils and also helps rid the birds of any parasites. (I add sulfur powder to the spot from time to time as an added way to kill any mites or bird lice.) During the winter the ground is frozen and the birds can't get a proper dust bath. Spring finds them in delirious digging and rolling and lolling as they make up for lost time. When they are satisfied they stand up and shake off, creating clouds of dust and soil that float through the air.

Last weekend we took advantage of the lovely temperatures and did some yard work. One chore I was anxious to accomplish was the annual burning of the brush pile. This pile accumulates with... well, brush! Also old broken wooden furniture, pieces of scrap lumber from projects, the annual Christmas tree. Wild things like little birds and mice like to hide there from the winter storms, and the pet bunny does, too. But is an eyesore and I am grateful to get a permit then toss a match to it. We make it a bit of an event... dragging out chairs and chatting around the heat of the flames.

We also cleaned and hung 5 Blue Bird boxes. Most years we have a pair or two of Blue Birds classing up the place by raising a family in one of the houses. Usually at least one house is occupied by Tree Swallows, wonderful happy little birds that eat lots of bugs and bring smiles with their aerial acrobatics. The day after the boxes were readied a handsome male Blue Bird stopped by and investigated each one. He's out there now, calling for a lady to join him and set up house keeping. So there are some promised signs of spring. There are more to come, please stay tuned!