Cold February Days

Hello, friends.  Joseph has been working on the chicken coop addition, in anticipation of the day old chicks, arriving in a few weeks.  The current chickens have yet to figure out the new compost system.  I tried putting an upright log next to it, and put scratch on top.  They'd get up on the log and eat it, but then jump back down.  Joseph placed a ramp to it, and again, we tried the scratch on it, but they still didn't go in.  I even tried putting a hen who was at the top of the ramp into the compost, but she jumped right back down.  The compost is inside a 2' chicken wire ring, with scratch sprinkled on top.  They can fly into it, if they choose.  We've seen videos of it in action, so we know it can work.  It may be we have to wait until the new ones get old enough.  It's funny how personalities can differ so much, in the various flocks I've had over the years.

With the refrigerator as empty as it ever gets, I took time to clean it well.  Somehow, I can never figure out how to get the crisper drawers back in correctly, and have to call J for help.  It's the same with the drawer below the stove.  At least for me, they are not user-friendly.  It's always nice to open the fridge, when all is clean.  I noticed before the holidays I was not able to find Miyoko's plant butter, in the usual stores.  Thankfully, I had frozen a couple of lbs., being I had to drive an hour to buy it.  Recently, I found she'd run into financial troubles, and the company was bought out from under her by a competitor, whose product is of a lesser quality.  She has kindly made videos, as well as a cookbook, showing how to make her products.  I made my first batch of butter.  The recipe calls for a neutral oil for one of the ingredients, and I used up some grapeseed oil I had.  It's OK, but I've got some avocado oil on the way, which should give it a more buttery flavor.

One morning, early in the week, Guinness was very excited as I was getting up, and peed on a large wool rug.  I'd read of cleaning rugs in the snow, and tried it.  It seemed to work quite well.  As cold as it was last week, when I thought of doing anything other than what was necessary outside, it made me shiver.  I've been wanting to gather seeds for winter sowing, and finally did that on Sunday, anticipating a few warmer days this week.  As usual, I've got quite a pile to plant.  Probably more than the available containers.  But, it's a start.  I don't know about you, but I'm very much looking forward to warmer days.