I think Spring has finally come to the prairies.  The sun is shining, there are puddles on the ground, and only three topics of conversation can be heard at any given coffee shop in the city:  shoveling snow away from houses, shoveling snow off roofs, and what terrible shape the roads are in.

Here are a couple more signs around the homestead this week that Spring is finally sprung:

1.  Boys get an urge to build things with wood.  Will is helping Ryan build a desk for his condo out of walnut and plumbing parts.  Sounds strange, I know, but I think it’s going to be totally awesome.  The wood they picked out is gorgeous.

2.  The Chicken Coop gets a scrub down.  I clean the bedding out of the coop two or three times a year, usually November, March, and July.  I scrape the wood chips out to be composted or tossed straight into the garden, then I spray the walls with vinegar and rinse with hot water.  I actually climb right into the coop and make sure every bit of poop gets scrubbed off.  Then fresh new bedding gets tossed in and the girls are happy again.

(Someone’s been pecking at poor Ginger’s neck feathers.  It’s a real soap opera in the coop these days.  I think Scruff is trying to oust Liesl from the position of top hen, and meanwhile Ginger sits all alone most of the day.  We have to get her another friend to play with this Spring)

3.  The garage leaks like a sieve despite all our best efforts.  Will went up to shovel the snow off the roof yesterday, and put his hand through the roof.  Eep.  Guess we can’t put it off any longer – we need a new garage.  We shut off the breaker to the garage because there is literally water streaming down the walls.  It’s not good.  This is how you kiss $10,000 goodbye.  We need to tighten up our budget and save our pennies.

I hope Spring has come to your neck of the woods!