Surgeries, Spring, Bees and Life

Today my Mom had her second eye surgery in a month.  We were there at the crack of dawn...no wait...we were there way before dawn!  We left the hospital around 10 am and then returned to her home.  She is not allowed to bend over, pick anything up or exert herself in anyway so I spent a quiet day at her house fixing her meals and caring for her.  She slept most of the day which allowed me to work on my Soap Making book.  I made a lot of progress. It is amazing how much I can accomplish when my children are busy elsewhere!  I am sorry I'm behind on things...life has just taken a few unexpected turns lately!

For those of you who have placed orders the last 24 hours, thank you!  I'm sorry I wasn't here today.  I won't be back from the Dr. with my Mom before the post office closes tomorrow so I will get those orders packed tomorrow and sent out first thing Monday morning! Look for a little something extra to thank you for your grace and patience! I like to send orders out within 48 hours but I'm afraid I won't make it this time.

I was hoping to have my calendar done by now but....alas...it took a back seat to life and taxes are due soon.  So, I will be posting the "to do" list from the March page of my calendar on March the first.  I will be your gardening drill sergeant until I get this calendar redone.  Come on folks - everyone needs to have a garden this year...hard times are coming...start some place.  Perhaps it is an acre garden and perhaps it's just a couple of pots on the balcony of an apartment.  Each thing you grow is one thing you don't have to buy.  (I know...I'm not participating in the "stimulate the economy" scam that is going around. ;) ).  So, pick up those shovels..."A-Ten Hut!"

Spring is close....we have had some beautiful days in the 50s quickly followed by snow flurries but I know it's close.  I was checking the tail ligaments on our pregnant goats today - and babies are getting closer.  We haven't had babies the last few years and I am eagerly anticipating them this year.  Goat babies are our favorite animal baby - just SO cute and cuddly!  There will be plenty of pictures I can assure you! Here are some from years past...





Yes, dear readers, there was a goat in my house.  Over the course of our years here, I have had chickens, roosters, bunnies, turtles, birds (wild), and goats in my home....and in my car.  Actually, I've even had a calf in my car!  I'm sure I've forgotten some other animal...evidently there is a HUGE sign on our roof alerting all sick and wounded animals that there's a free lunch and free meds if they drop in on this farm.

A couple of weeks ago, Josiah and I attended a local gardening meeting because the head of our local beekeeping association  was speaking.  We want to raise bees this year but we want to make sure we do things right.  She invited us to the next beekeeping meeting and told us they would be giving three "beehive kits" away.  Josiah marked it on his calendar and last Monday we attended the meeting.  It was packed...evidently lots of people heard about the free beehive kits.  They decided to do a raffle and guess what?



The second number they drew was Josiah's number.  He had to sign a contract promising his life's blood lots of things (membership in the local and state club, working with a mentor, attending a course and more) but all of those things are in place to help him become a good steward of his bees.  This kit contains every thing he needs except the bees.  There is a hive body and all the things to put it together, frames, foundation, a hive tool, a whamma-dyne smoker, hat with veil, gloves and even a book on keeping bees.  They even provided the nails! This was one excited kid!  He prayed and saw his heavenly Father bless him once again.  What a testimony of continual provision he has experienced from his heavenly Father! He was even more excited when the person who volunteered to be his mentor turned out to be the head of the beekeeping club...she is a professional beekeeper and has over 35 years experience.  I think she has around 100 hives! When it was announced, a gentleman leaned over to Josiah and told him he got "the gold standard".  We are looking forward to our first visit from Miss Sarah as she helps us determine a good place to set up his hives.

His Grandma had promised to give him his first package of bees.  Then a dear friend called and insisted on blessing him with a second package of bees.  Josiah was over the top excited!  I don't think I have seen him that excited in a long time.  A package of bees looks like this..



I do not like that they come in this flimsy little screen box.  I do not like it when they crawl, I do not like it when they buzz.  No siree, Sam I am, I do not like it at all!  Bees can escape from that box as you drive home from the bee store.  Even worse, bees not only CAN escape, they DO escape.  You are then trapped in a closed vehicle for an hour with angry bees who always want to investigate your face while you are driving.....I HATE THAT PART!!!  I would have them come in steel boxes with little, teensy, weensy, air holes...of course they would probably bake to death BUT my face would be safe!!  It seems that their favorite place to land is on my eyes UNDER my glasses.  Tell me true...would I look strange driving down the road wearing that beekeeping hat and veil?  Ask me if I care!

So, if you are in my area in a few weeks and see someone driving erratically down the road, waving their hands and ducking, wearing a funny hat and veil...it's probably me!  Steer clear...you DO NOT want to hit my vehicle with 6,000 bees on board!

More on our spring preparations that are going on soon!