Early Morning Riser

They say that the early bird gets the worm, but in this case, it is the early worker bee that gets the pollen! I was out feeding the outside animals and saw activity on a plant that seems to be a false lambs ear. The pic here is of a honey bee. Notice the pollen sac on her rear leg. She is going to take this home so her colony can pack it away and use it as 'bee bread' to feed the young larve. This certainly makes for happy bees and a happy family!

Trying To Get There

We have been working on putting tile down in the laundry/pantry area as well as the kitchen. It has been a slow and frustrating process. Dust everywhere, the refrigerator in the den area, mortar and grout getting stuck in the cracks of the tiles, things piled up on the counters with no counter to be seen in site. It is a rewarding process in the end, though still isn't finished. I still need to seal the grout, paint kickboards, find a home for the stuff on the counters, but it is getting there. Things are looking better and we are trying to get to the next project... Here is a during the process picture and an after the process picture. Notice that the fridge is now back where it belongs!

Doe In The Woods

Wildlife abounds around here. We live in a rural area and have woods surrounding two sides of our property. Saw this little doe grazing around the outside of our horse pasture and got the camera to video her. Wish I could have been closer. I couldn't believe it when she squatted to pee! She pee'd! I guess I didn't really think about it much. I see deer poop all around, but to actually see her pee was quite amazing for me. I guess I am easily entertained.

There is another doe around with two fawns that is around here. Now if I could just catch her on video...

Meet June

Well, I went and did it again. I went to the same place that was having yet another yard/tag sale where I bought the Nelsons and bought another chicken. This one is a 12 week old Buff Black Tailed Japanese Bantam pullet. I call her June (as in June Cleaver). Harriet and June are having some issues, but things are working out. June just can't get near Harriet or between Harriet and Ozzie. If that happens, Harriet yanks the dickins out of Junes feathers and sends her running. Harriet is becoming a little more tolerant of June and June is beginning to learn the ropes around here. Bless her little chicken heart...she is trying hard!

Well, I guess I've started my flock of mini chickens and I'm hoping the hubster won't ban me from more yard sales...

He's A Big Boy Now

Chickens can really be funny some times. This morning I put my stainless steel garbage can out on the patio so I could clean it later. I didn't think anything more until I went to feed the goats and horse. Low and behold Ozzie found himself in the stainless steel and thought it was an intruding rooster. He had to protect his territory and Harriet and it was really quite comical. Harriet sat on a patio chair watching her hero protect her. When she finally got down, Ozzie pushed her away from the intruder with the down wing position, herding her to safety. After all, she is his alone, isn't she? He has been doing this to her all morning. I guess he needs to let her know he is the boss and she goes where he tells her. No other boyfriends for her! Funny thing is...she follows him around everywhere. He doesn't have to do a thing. I finally had to pick the can up and put it in the house so he wouldn't hurt himself.

Meet The Nelsons

Not just your ordinary couple. This is Ozzie and Harriet. They are a pair of Fawn Duckwing Bantams. I went to a yard sale yesterday (in some area's they are known as tag sales) and saw this couple and fell in love with them. I'd been thinking about getting some chickens, but not sure if they would work out here. At the moment, they are in a dog exercise pen that is covered. They have their water and a place to roost, a place to nest and even their own umbrella to shade them when the sun is overhead. I can take them out, let them roam around and then catch them to put them up. I saw them mating yesterday and am hoping to find some tiny eggs soon!

Look how they love to pose for the camera...


Ozzie is on the left, Harriet is on the right.

Apitherapy News: Video: Bees Swarm, Take Over NYC Sidewalk

Apitherapy News: Video: Bees Swarm, Take Over NYC Sidewalk

Click on the link above and check this out! Bees in NYC. Can you believe it? So glad that a beekeeper came along to get them to safety!

Here We Go Once More

Well, the new window came in for the bathroom. Now that there was a wall where the opening had to be cut to put the new window in. Another mess in the bathroom. At least Darla was having a good time looking out!

Here is the new window waiting to be trimmed in...



Now on to getting the bathroom done!

Baby Bluebirds about to fledge

Yes, I have been watching them. There is a family of Bluebirds that have taken up residence in an Alabama shaped Bluebird house that is close to our house. There are two youngsters. The dad seems to be the one who feeds and cleans up after them. Here is a video of the second one fledging today.

Oops...they did it again!

Oh my. I've not been in my hive to check on them to see how they were doing. Apparently they were doing too well and needed more space. The girls swarmed today. I was outside working in the yard and heard an all too familiar whir and buzz that was coming from the apiary. I looked, and sure enough the girls were swarming. Bees were everywhere flying madly about. All I could do was to stand and watch to see where they would decide to take up temporary residence. Luckily, it was on a low branch. I got one of my neighbors to come over and help me collect the little bundles of joy to put them in a new hive. Hopefully, they will like their new digs and stay put. I'll find out in a day or two.



Now here is a closeup of the little darlings...