Working On The Spring Chore List

The past few days have given us the opportunity to get a jump start

on the spring chore list.

We've been gifted several spectacular days in a row...

with temperatures slowly climbing.

By afternoon, yesterday, it had reached the 50's...

perfect for working outside.

While I worked on pruning the vines on the garden fence

(with the usual audience),

Hubbs did repairs to all of our pasture fences.

He saved the dry lot for last.

I happened to glance his way and saw that he had a lot of spectators,

(supervisors, perhaps)

as he screwed a new bottom board onto the dry lot fence.

It's always nice to have help!

The horses didn't seem to be concerned with the sound of

the drill as it drove a screw screeching into the fence board.

If you have ever screwed into an extremely hard board,

then you might be familiar with the screeching sound that a screw

makes as it threads its way through hard wood.

Apparently, that loud screeching scared Fred, for he turned white as a sheet.

See how his wattle turned white?

Normally it looks like this...

A turkey's head and wattle colors are a good indicator of his mood.

Fear causes them to lose the color, while aggression turns everything bright red.

Baseline is red with blue around the eyes.

While all that was happening,

this was Sammie...

He can sleep through anything.

This gives you an idea of how comfortable our birds are with our dogs,

and vice-versa...

Meanwhile, in the garden...

The guineas had invaded and set up their spa...

dust baths for everyone.

Yesterday's comments had the question as to whether I amend our garden boxes each year.

I don't feel as if I need to, every single year,

as the soil is very rich already, 

and I rotate what plants are planted in each box yearly.

However, I usually do end up putting a layer of our compost on top of each box.

Why?  1. Because we have a lot of compost that needs to be used up.

2. Because it can't hurt.

3. Because the ground settles in the boxes and the compost helps to build it back up again.

Our compost is over a year old, now, so it will not be "hot" anymore.

I plan to place a thick layer of it on top of each box to mulch the growing plants 

(probably early summer),

hoping that it will help to act as a weed barrier for the soil beneath.