All Wet

It's been a cold, wet, stormy winter here in Mill Valley and this week has been no exception. Monday was supposedly the first day of spring but instead of sunshine and baby birds we're gifted with torrential rain, crazy wind and even a dose of thunder and lightning. This kind of weather makes for truly epic, adventurous trail running. However, if you're in a rebuilding phase like me it's a great excuse to stay dry and cross train. I feel for all those runners out there in heavy mileage weeks who face 20 milers in pouring rain.

Our backyard drainage can't keep up!

But the rain is not all bad. It's filling our reservoirs and saturating the ground, paving the way for a season of tree growth and good crops. The skies may be gray but our backyard is screaming GREEN. Every tree, shrub and vegetable is bursting with new leaves and the grass on the hillside has grown, gone to seed, and is now growing a second round. Our young fruit trees are exploding with new shoots and will have yet another winter with plenty of water to fuel strong growth.

The fig tree approves

It's a pity we don't have a couple of ducks. The wild ducks down at Bothin Marsh are happy as clams with the wet and muddy conditions. Our chickens, on the other hand, are less than pleased with the current conditions. They spend most of the day huddled inside the coop peering out from the door as if saying "What the heck is THIS?" They will occasionally rally and all run outside, look around for some forgotten treat and run back inside. 

Do you have food?

What do you mean you didn't bring any food!

It's wet. this sucks. Make it stop.

Sean's self constructed coop is staying nice and dry inside. Although the chickens would prefer to go be out in the run, they don't have too much to complain about. After all, it could be 30 degrees colder and we could be covered in snow! They are still laying 6 eggs a day and contributing immensely to our egg addiction.