Although there is still snow in the shadows of the front porch

These appeared today!

The chickens KNOW that the ground is soft enough to scratch up bugs. All I have to do is turn the mudroom doorknob and they hurry to their run’s screen door. They KNOW I am coming out. They KNOW that I will let them onto the lawn and in the gardens. I have been disappointing them. Hawks have been flying overhead and I don’t want anyone snatched up. It’s hard to explain that to a hen, though. Whenever I step outside, Marge BAWKS at me. She is impatient. She is annoyed. She is LOUD.

I do want to get the girls into my veg garden, where they will eat up all of the overwintered grubs. Last spring, my “under gardeners” decimated the cut worm population. Maybe this afternoon I’ll let them out. If you see Candy, the bunny, shut into her hutch, then the girls are out in the yard. I’m sure Candy would like to explore the great outdoors, but, unlike the chickens, she doesn’t come when called. She’ll just have to watch safe in her home.