I remember the first time that I saw one of our chickens take a dust bath. We thought something was terribly wrong. They were young chicks, only a few months old, and we were new chicken parents. When we saw what looked like a half-plucked bird flailing about throwing dirt up in the air, we were concerned. Out came the phones for a little quick research, and we were relieved to discover that what the chickens were doing was a normal part of their self-care routine. Now on any given day, we’ll see four or five of the hens with wings and feathers sticking every which way, throwing piles of dust up on themselves.

And I learned the other day that it isn’t just chickens that like a dust bath. Around the edge of the girl’s underground clubhouse there are patches of loose dirt where weeds can’t quite take hold. Since it has been pretty dry lately, the dirt is thin and loose, typical Florida sugar sand. And as Kim and I were enjoying an evening outside in the shade, we saw a tiny little sparrow start to throw dirt around like it was the only job it had in the world.

The little sparrow flew off, came back, bathed a little more, flew off, waited for me to get my camera, came back, and continued to dust bathe without a care in the world. I don’t know why, but it was fun to watch. I’m always amazed that even after spending so much time in gardens, yards, and outdoors, I still find things that I’ve never seen before. I wonder what new adventures this week will bring.