Friday, March 01, 2019

March 1st in South Central Alaska

Here are some shots from our little slice of Alaska - the place we lovingly call Wibbly Wobby Acres. Does it look like spring to you? There ARE signs that spring is "coming." We have 10 hours and 17 minutes of light - isn't that about normal? It is FAR more than we had a month ago.

I'm used to tulips and such by March.....but the signs are here if  we adjust our vision and  look for them.  There is no snow or frost on the pine trees in the foreground, the snow is sliding off our roof...I am hoping to find the flag and pole shortly - it's buried in the snow.
Note there are no tracks in our baby orchard! 

This tire swing is still stuck in the snow. It does NOT usually sit on the ground. 

Yuuki will go outside again - a sure sign spring is coming. 

Our driveway - we are spreading ash in the driveway - an old time ice melting trick. 

The RV is no longer barricaded and covered in snow.

The wall of snow at the end of the driveway will soon be melting. 

The chickens refused to come outside for months.....they are enjoying the sun.

The snow has slid off the greenhouse - though it will be awhile before its warm enough for seedlings. 

Standing at one end of the garden plot and looking to th other - the soil  isn't near ready to work. 

We have lovely southern exposure. It helps to keep the upstairs heated. The snow is off the roof on this side. To the left is the "chicken coop" and fenced yard. 

The previous owners left this stove. It doesn't have fire brick. There was talk of using it to heat a sauna and using it for an outdoor oven....but at this point....it holds s'more sticks in the summer time....and is just an accept piece in the winter. LOL 

 Sledding hill is melting....

Back stairs

Last year I kept the stairs and deck cleared. This resulted in a lot of shoveling.....this year I figured we could use the front door.....and the snow piled up back here. The fact that the snow has receded, and the door can now open is a sign spring is on it's way. ::snort::

Moose tracks everywhere

The saddest winter sight was our snow covered grill. Icicles show spring is coming - snow had to melt to create icicles.
  


A chimney in need of cleaning is a sign of spring. 

The Chickens Grand Escape

"March First and I'm feeling lucky! I'm pretty sure we can get away today! I'll distract the people."
Harriet is turning in to quite an instigator

"Run, run run!!!"

They made it. For a few brief moments they seemed to revel in their freedom....then they walked back into the chicken yard. 😃

"I ALLOWED myself to be lured back to the Chicken Yard. I could have stayed free, IF I had wanted to." 

"In the end, we are better off in the chicken yard. Our people have shoveled the snow and put down shavings for us. It's deep snow and ice outside of the fence. Our Woman scatters kale, lettuce, and corn for us to find. She seems to think we like the game. We humor her. Outside there is no green anywhere!  There are also NO oyster shells or grit anywhere to be seen."

"If they could just catch the weasel or ermine this would be Chicken Utopia. As it is, we all have bald tushes. It takes so little to entertain the humans...an egg a day and a bit of clucking.  I guess we'll give the people a bit longer to try to solve the problem." 
We need to buy about a gal of purple stuff to paint their tushes - the demand
over-ran our supply

Chicken update from the Woman - this is not the worst of the birds - but this is what we see. These are missing feathers, but they are intact. They haven't been ripped open and they aren't bleeding. We haven't seen anything new today. 

The chicken's tush in the crate is scabbing over. We are looking for a portable fence so she can get outside without the others attacking her wounds. 

We still haven't found the culprit on the trail cam or in the traps.