A Sign of Spring

Another day, another six or eight inches of snow. This brings our snow pack on the ground to somewhere around 18-20 inches, as you can see by looking at the roof of the chicken coop:


It's more like 2-3 feet in the front yard, where every fruit tree's trunk is covered up to where it begins to branch out. It's a lot of snow, and I'm looking forward to the warm temperatures (almost 50 degrees? Bring it!) and melting we're supposed to get for the next few days.

Since our coop is built better just about as well as a regular-people house, I'm not inclined to take a roof rake to it. The snow will actually help insulate it and keep the chickens a little warmer in there for the next couple of weeks. 

And, despite what look to be frigid, wintery working conditions, the ladies are laying again! As I mentioned last week, Sally started on the first day we turned the light back on, and she hasn't missed a day since. Not far behind her was Abigail, who is also laying regularly again. (We can tell because Sally lays pinkish-brown eggs, while Abigail lays green ones. Martha also lays green eggs, but hers are usually on the ground rather than in a nesting box because she is a pain. All of our February eggs so far have been carefully laid in the box, where they belong.)

All that laying is a sure sign that the days are getting longer, and spring is definitely on its way.

So we're running at half-capacity on the eggs, and it has been such a treat to indulge in egg breakfast this week! (You can't make a sunny-side up egg with frozen ones, so we've rediscovered fried eggs and runny yolks as a seasonal delight.) 

And, since it's vacation week and I have time for such things, I also made a very indulgent, three-egg (because we are no longer in danger of running out!) omelet: 


This delicious feast kept me full all day — no need for lunch when your breakfast is this hearty! The omelet had mushroom, leeks, ham, and fontina, seasoned with black pepper and herb salt (a blend of pink and sea salt, plus thyme, rosemary, and sage — a really delicious flavor for this omelet!). On the side are some silver dollar biscuits that Kirk made the other day. I made them into little tomato jam sandwiches. 

I wish every day was a vacation day.

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