Bees. Life on the farm with swarms

Last year, about this time, we were visited by a wandering swarm of bees. They landed on the upper floor of the house and found a little niche to get into the attic. However, after one day, they left and formed a ball in the nearby tree. We were relieved, thinking they were headed to another part of the world. Silly us.

They returned to the house and began to set up house keeping. Knowing that we didn't want bees in the attic, we sprayed  and killed them. Hard thing for a gardener to do, but the cost of having them professionally taken out of the wall was high...and the keeper told us there are too many Africanized bees hives here in the south. That no self-respecting keeper would take on wild swarms. He would kill them also.

Well...fast forward 12 months. This lovely swarm landed in our front pine tree. It was there for five days before the exterminator could come and take it away. He wrapped the entire ball in a bag and then gassed them. Again...sorry fate for the bees, but our house and the lingering smell of last year's honey was too tempting to hope they would move  the woods. 

The keeper thinks there must be a huge bee tree somewhere nearby that is "throwing these swarms" off. I will buy my honey in a jar thank you. I am thankful also for zoom lens!

New Bunny, Phil

After working toprove that she was reliable, dependable and trustworthy to feed and care for animals....Katherine go to go to the feed store and pick out a bunny. We didn't know whether it was a boy or a girl so the name had to be gender-unspecific. "Phil" filled the bill.

"Sleeping is what I do Best" Alanna

At 5 months, give or take, I am a great sleeper. I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I do some of my best sleeping in the car, in the high chair or in Mommy and Daddy's bed. Here I am at Grama's doing what I do best, sleeping and being loveable.

Band Class in the Spring

We are windng down the year of Beginner Band. This partiular practice fell on Friday, April Fool Day. Kathrine, being the cut-up that she is, put ona fake musache  and went to band. Of course the kids had comments and the teacher was appropriately amused.

Later in the lesson the director told the kids to turn to page 47. They all dutifully tuned to the back of their books. They were confued. The last pae was 39.  He said,"No...I want you to go to page 47." But he had his back to them and hey couldn't see his smile.

"Gotcha!" He called as he turned around quickly. It was a good trick!

New Cows arrive

This is Rainbow. The grand Dame'



Here is Katherine with petitie Rainbow




Here is most curious Mocha



I wish I could figure out how to wrap text aound pictures. I can't. So here goes.

These are our wonderful, new, fostered cows. There are 5 of them: 3 mammas and two calves. The all have wonderful names. Rainbow (the Grand Dame'), Mocha and DeCalf, the two moms and Java and Frappucino the two calves.

Katherine is in charge of them and is good to feed them treats and keep their water trough filled. This morning, at 6:30, she was up to go out and check to see if the waking calves were actually nursing. (We have not seen them nurse and so don;tknow for sure if the cows are "fresh" or not) We know that calves are particularly hungry in the morning when they wake.

She went outside in the near dark, dressed in her purple robe and miners headlight. (See the picture above) She did not have the light turnedon, but none the less I imagine the cows thought they were being visited by an alien. It id not bother them...they ate treats greedily.

She was supposed to fill the water trough, watching out for the close by electric fence. She came back in to the house, to my bedroom (I am still drowsily waking up) and said: "Carol. We have a problem that needs your attention. I hear the water running, but nothing is coming out the end." We decided there must be a kink in the hose. She was back out in a flash and the cows got their needed drink!!!

Science Experiment...Lung Model

Here we have two views showing the expansion and contraction of the lung. It is a pretty cool experiment. Very interactive. We did have to polish off a two-liter bottle of lemondade to have the supplies to make it work.

Katherine's Sience book has 16 units and we are on Unit 14. The end is in sight.





Katherine and Alanna at 4months

We had such fun with Alanna at our house. Katherine and the baby played with Club Penguin toys. Alanna seemed to really like the green one. I think both girls are espcecially beautiful. Don;t you agree??Our Katherine had her 13th birthday in January. She is becoming quite the young lady!