Spring Cleaning

It's that time of the year...the weather's right and the chickens are excited:

It's time to clean out the chicken coop:

While the coop has been cleaned out many times over the last year, this is the first intensive, top-to-bottom, hosed-out, everything-scrubbed cleaning that it has received since it was finished being built last April.

A thorough cleaning was desperately needed:

There were many cobwebs:

Dust and feathers:

All the nooks and crannies were needing to be swept out:

So, I took out the windows and made them sparkling again:

I washed and scrubbed their roost:

Boppity had delayed her morning egg-laying and was now quite agitated that brooms and shovels were disturbing her when she had an egg to lay:

Dottie, also on a mission to lay, had to thoroughly inspect the out-going shavings on her way into the coop:

Typical Dot: always thinking the grass is greener over in somebody else's nest box:

Do you notice anything about this picture? Look closely:

How about now? Um, yes...there's Dottie! She was quite certain that Boppity's nest box was better than hers and just pushed her way right in:

The funny thing is, Boppity let her in! Normally, there would have been a tremendous amount of outraged chicken chatter:

Who knows what goes on in this girl's mind?:

Regardless, Boppity had had enough of the nonsense and left the coop in a huff:

Dottie was tickled to win. She never wins:

Now, a bit of time had passed and I noticed it had gotten awfully quiet. Ten of my eleven chickens had all disappeared. I came upon this disturbing scene up by the corner of the house:

It looks like a bunch of dead chickens, doesn't it? Not to worry, they're simply reveling in a barkdust dust bath. Clearly I was the only one doing any work today.

Meanwhile...back at the coop...Dot decided she didn't want that other nest box after all:

Reggie and Pete came by for a look-see:

They gave the coop a thorough once-over and declared it sorely lacking in anything good to eat:

So, there was nothing left to do but start putting things back together. The roost was replaced and dusted with a layer of DE (diatomaceous earth) to prevent mites, reduce flies and act as a chicken poop drying agent:

The nest boxes had been scrubbed, DE sprinkled here, too, and fresh shavings put in:

Oyster shell and grit bowls were scrubbed and refilled:

The feeder and waterer were washed thoroughly:

Everything was sparkling clean and ready for chickens again:

There was some poultry suspicion upon returning to the coop:

I guess chickens don't hold cleanliness as high as I do.

Critter Farm Spring Garden Report #1: Flowers

Warmer weather has returned to Oregon! We had an unbelievably hot and beautiful weekend that lured us all outside to bask and delight in the sun. It's been good for the spirit, good for my smile, and GREAT for the garden!! It is amazing to me how different a garden can look in the sunshine. Have you noticed this? I could hardly take two steps without wanting to stop and take a picture of something that caught my eye. So, do you want to see what's growing and blooming in my garden right now?

Ok! But first....
Let me take you back to December 20, 2008:

And here's Sunday, May 17, 2009. What a difference five months can make:

Spring is, without a doubt, my favorite season now.

Lilacs. I love lilacs more with each passing year. This white one has a scent that is delicate but potent and the blooms are quite different than my other two varieties. These blooms seem much more compact and sturdy:

This guy, though, is putting on quite a show this year, too. The dark purple color is stunning:

This light purple little one is still quite young and is trying awfully hard to keep up with the older, bigger kids in the background:

I decided to turn my former half-wine-barrel-turned-fish-pond into a planter this year. I added a few climbing sweet pea plants and a trellis:

I'm hoping for some incredibly striking blooms and a delightfully spicy scent from this heirloom variety some time in the near future:

If all goes well, I won't forget to water my pretty new barrel planter. This is the second sweat pea variety I planted in my barrel:

The Columbine seems significantly taller than last year:

My shade-loving hostas are growing well despite the direct sunshine that this time of year can bring to this section of the garden:

I've noticed that this bed needs some of my attention. It is filled with a variety of lovely shrubs and bulbs, but things have become quite overgrown and messy looking. Who mixes chives with blueberries and bluebells anyway?:

The peony bush is about to burst into bloom. Giant, gawdy pink blooms will upstage everything else in the garden in a week or so:

The Foxtail Lily's blooms are developing nicely:

Perennial Cornflower, Centaurea Montana:

The Snow in Summer is very happily cascading over the rock wall:

My Clematis loves the country life, it would appear. I've had it in this pot for about five years now and this is the first year it's grown so tall. It's over eight feet tall at this point:

Next up: A tour of the veggies and herbs I've got growing. Or maybe I'll show the fruit first. I just don't know yet. It'll be a surprise, ok?


December 21, 2008:

Bye, bye winter, you JERK.

My son, my star

My boy. He loves all things active. Soccer, skiing, rock climbing, dragon boating, and, currently, track & field. He loves the hurdles, but he's awesome at the relay races, too. This week the District races were held. These races determine which high school teams will go on to compete in the state races at the University of Oregon next weekend.

In the 4x400 relay race, Aidan ran third leg. He's in the middle, about to receive the baton:

Off to a strong start:

Gotta pass this guy:

Gotta push a little harder:

You can do it, Aidan:

He's focused and not giving up:

Oh-my-gosh - YAY!! I'm surprised this photo isn't blurry. I was jumping up and down by this point:

Coming down the back stretch - you've got a good lead:

The baton hand-off. This is the final leg:

Cheering on his teammate as he approaches the finish line:

Celebrating a victory...not only did their high school win the District Meet with the most points, these boys won their race and are going to STATE next week:

I've seen Aidan grow so much this year, physically, intellectually and as a wonderful human being. It's so much fun for me to see him being involved, interacting with his teammates and having such a great time, too:

My baby:

Still my baby. Just a bit bigger: