Handy Andy's Best Friend

It's winter.  The ice-edged wind told me so.  Wearing my shearling boots or slippers and my bright-hot sweater everyday means I'm not suffering from the cold.  But  when I looked out at my Lovely Laying Ladies  Monday and saw their petticoat feathers blowing up over their heads, "tighten up their quarters" was first of the Things I get to do today--barely waiting until breakfast was over.  I don't know if chickens get goose bumps, but this can't wait.

Good, old friend

Last year, much earlier in the season, I used heavy, clear vinyl to enclose all the open wire part of the chicken coop. My tool of choice, aside from the scissors to cut the plastic to the right size, was, of course, a staple gun.  When spring finally came and the chance of hard frost had melted away, protection came down.  I marked all the pieces so they could be used again in their designated places, cleaned them carefully and stored them away.  The wind says it's time to get them back out.

Now with all my warm woolies on, I'm hoping to make really short work of this project, extra staples in my pocket, vinyl unrolled and sorted for location.  And slick it was, aside from the girls finding sheets of plastic flapping in the wind to be a heart-stopper worthy of shrieks and cackles.  The whole shivering scene lasted only half an hour, thanks to George McGill, a man after my own heart--always looking for a better way to do things--inventor of the stapler 146 years ago.  If I'd had to use nails, or tacks or hammered in staples, I'd be a frozen fixture in the hen yard.  Instead, my girls have a sheltered space that invites the winter sun but keeps out the gusts and the snow.  George, you're my pal, but your stapler is my best friend.