I hadn't bothered to check for eggs since before our big snow, but today I decided I should. I didn't think I'd find any because once the hens were let out in the mornings, I never noticed one back at the coop and never saw one missing from the little flock of three. But some one has started laying again! Just now I found three eggs in three stages of cleanliness. Nothing a good scrubbing can't take care of.

Speaking of checking for eggs and chickens, I was in the habit of slipping on an old pair of slippers to let the hens out in the mornings. Some days, I would hop from rock to rock or grassy patch in an attempt to not get too dirty. Finally, I spent some of my Christmas money for some new boots. Muck Boots to be exact. Insulated rubber slip-ons with a stretchy top I can tuck my pants into, they came just in time for our big snow. They kept my feet warm and dry as I tromped about in the snow, and now that the snow has melted and our world is a muddy mess, well, I love them.

I haven't start building the coop yet, but today, I went out to the shop for a while and pulled nails out of some boards from the old barn. There were quite a few 2x4's in decent shape, so that will help to keep cost down on the coop.

Yesterday, I found a Jersey heifer for sale on craigslist for $400, and spent the rest of the day obssessing about it. When Chris got home, I tried to convince him we should get it. We would make up for the cost of it within a year of it starting to give milk, since we spend over $600 annually on milk and butter alone, but he wasn't convinced it was a good idea to get one yet. Oh well...