We still learn something new everyday. One thing we learned this weekend is a chicken’s need for a dust bath.

As we were cleaning the coop, we left the door open to the upper coop. The upper coop is divided into two parts, one where the chickens live and another area that is loose dirt and rock.

For the chickens, it was cause for celebration. They all joined together in a dirt bath.

According to some sources on the Web, chickens use dirt baths to prevent lice and mites.

They sure seem to enjoy this. From now on, a dust bath will be part of their regular routine.

We use the Deep Litter Method for cleaning our coop. The idea is to keep adding bedding and just stirring it up weekly to keep the coop clean. There really is very little smell and the birds seem just fine. Normally you would keep the bedding in the coop until spring, but our ducks have made a water mess of the place and when the temperature goes below freezing, the bedding becomes ice. We took advantage of the nice weather and decided to clean out the wet bedding and start new. Chuck set up the waterer so dumping water onto the bedding would not be as easy. I will post a photo of this soon.

The objective is to get it from the coop to the garden.

We transport with a sled, which makes it pretty easy.

The combination of bedding, chicken and duck poop should make some nice compost for this spring’s garden.

The horses keep watching me walk back and forth from the coop to the garden. After reading more about putting this in the garden as compost, I realize I may have to compost it further. Some of the bedding was ready for the garden, but the top layers need a little help. I think I will set up a compost area by the garden and add other materials to help break it down.

When I woke up this morning and looked out the window, I knew it was a day for me and my camera. Every tree, bush and plant had crystals all over it.

I know it really isn’t possible to show you what this looks like, but I will try.

The crystals  almost look like pine needles.

I have never seen crystals as long as these on plants before.

I wished they could stick around for awhile, but I knew as soon as the day warmed up, they would be history.

The weather has warmed up and it feels great to be outside. Today was in the lower 30s. It was cloudy, but warm enough to enjoy a walk in the woods.

We decided to follow a deer trail we call the “super highway.” It passes through our land, across the street, and into a large wooded area.

It is a beautiful trail every direction you look.

Here is a beautiful view from the ridge. The driftless region is full of ridges and rivers.

Here’s a tree rubbed by a buck.

Here is a fallen tree—post mushroom growth.

Mushrooms are beautiful even in the winter.

Now we’ve entered a majestic pine forest.

This mushroom is called Fomes fomentarius, otherwise known as the firestarter mushroom. This is the mushroom found in a pouch on the Iceman (Oetzi) near the boarder of Austria and Italy. He is a well-preserved 5000 year-old Neolithic man. They discovered his body in in 1991 in a glacier.

An inside look at the firestarter mushroom. It is also known as the tinder mushroom.

We climbed another ridge to get another view.

Duke is really enjoying the view. He’s been running up and down the ridges, chasing the scent of the deer. He did try to capture a few turkeys and a possum, but they managed to make their escape.

Here’s Chuck showing the size of this deer rub.

If I were building a nest, I can’t imagine anything better than making one with feathers.

The bird that built this nest sure knows comfort.

I am going to insert the photos for now and will add all of the text later. I just wanted to get this post started. Lots of pictures. If you live in Wisconsin, or anywhere remotely close these days, you’ll understand that it is pretty cold outside. I think it reached about 10 in the valley. But the wind has picked up and the clouds have moved in. I haven’t had a chance to enjoy the outdoors and we needed to take advantage of anything above zero. So Chuck, Duke and I headed out for a nice stroll. We followed the river, crossed a few fence lines and had an enjoyable time. Here are some photos.

I never realized before that this rock formation looks like a face.

We were lucky to have a lot of friends stop by over the long New Year’s weekend. Some of the photos are mine, some I stole from my dear friend Brody Rose’s facebook page. Thanks Brody!

Here is one group of guests taking a farm tour. Baby it is cold outside. I’m not even sure we’ll reach a high of zero. I’m happy everyone was brave enough to take a walk.

Me and Nancy. This is one of Brody’s facebook photos.

Maddy hanging in the snow

This is a really nice horse photo, I’ll have to get the original.

Meeting the ducks. Maddy grabbed one of her feathered friends so people could feel how soft they are.

Getting some fuel before Apples to Apples. I forget who won. I’m sure someone will remind me.

Our friend Todd took a break from his special forces career to spend some time on the farm. Aaron warmed up quickly.

Aaron having fun with more and more presents.

Maddy trying to figure out Todd’s new phone.

Christmas with the siblings.

Aaron enjoying lots of new stuff.

Maddy, Aaron and the dogs.

Cousin Nancy and her friends.

Winter has been hard on the ducks and chickens. They miss their days of foraging in the yard and now settle for visits from humans to bring them food. The ducks really miss their swimming pool.

Chuck fills a small black dish with water and on days when they dare go outside, they try to bath in this little dish.

It gets pretty crowded in the dish. One time all three birds made it inside.

Another activity of theirs is to dig down into the snow. I’m not sure what they find down there, but when they come up it looks like their bills are covered in frosting.

The chickens don’t have the same need for water that ducks have. They are happy to stay inside this winter.

They are happy both upstairs and down, pecking at the grain provided.

But I sure do look forward to they days when they can run around outside.

We took a trip to brother Paul’s for Christmas. Here’s Chuck, Paul and Larry enjoying the holiday wine.

Here’s a wonderful picture of you mom.

Tara and Jason’s first Christmas as a married couple. Next Christmas they will have a baby to join us. Congratulations!

Maddy and her two aunts, Kathy on her right and Kim on her left.

Now we have Maddy with her mom and grandma.

Larry and Kathy

Duke has made a new friend.

Brandon and his girlfriend Jenny.

It’s time to catch up on some holiday blogging. We were fortunate to have seen many family and friends over Christmas and New Year’s. Here is Maddy baking some wonderful chocolate shortbread cookies.

They sure are pretty and they tastes wonderful too.