RIP Chickens

Wow. This has been a bad farming week. Why is everything dying? 5 of my 6 chickens are dead or gone. Something big like dogs or a coyote came over and had a good old time. There were puffs of feathers all over my yard and one dead chicken. The others are either dead or scared so bad they ran and can't find their way home. I only have one very sad, nervous, PTSD chicken left. I am a officially a farming failure. I didn't really even have a farm and now almost everyone is dead. I am in mourning. Okay mourning may be a bit too strong. But I am bummed. Totally bummed!

RIP Honeybees

Remember my Beehive I built and place a 3 pound package of bees inside in the spring of 2009? Well, they died recently. Sigh. I had seen them out and about in February when we had some warm days, but about a week ago the weather was warm enough for them to be out, but they weren't. I opened my hive and my fear was confirmed. They were all dead. It was a bit of a sad sight. The hive had gobs of bees and gobs of honey. There were many bees still holding on to the comb and many trying to eat out of empty combs. After much internet search and contacting experienced beekeepers, I believe the bees starved to death. We had a cold snap about 2 weeks ago for several days and the bees couldn't move much and the honey was just one comb too far away. Isn't that sad. to die of starvation when food is literally only inches away.

Whenever I have a cool farm thing going on I try to get some young kids in on the action to check it out. I love teaching about this stuff.

This is a honey comb, not fully capped. The capped honey is perfect honey all set for storage. The uncapped part (the darker part) is basically "watery" honey. It hadn't been fully evaporated and finished the process. Some of the uncapped stuff was crystalized which I thought was interesting.

The bee graveyard. Boo! - not boo as in scary boo but boo as in "not cool" and "lame"

When I was in Africa and harvested honey for the first time, I ate honey right from the comb on site. It was a warmer day and the honey was a bit warm. It was the most amazing honey I have ever had. So, now I think I should eat honey straight from the comb whenever I harvest honey.

I have a tendency to make whoever I am around eat things I grow/harvest ect.

Low tech way of separating my honey from the comb. Crush the come and sift it through nylons. This is an incredibly slow way of harvesting honey however it is sediment free. I switched to just straining it trough a metal mesh strainer which was much MUCH faster but leaves a little bit of sediment.
One jar is raw organic honey, the other the comb left overs. Now I am trying to figure out how to purify my wax to make some candle........or maybe just one. One comb doesn't make a lot of wax. I know I look gorgeous. I am really working the pioneer woman angle. If only I could be cute and productive, it just seems to allude me.

Overall I am actually impressed how well they faired over the last 2 years. You see honeybees are not indigenous here as it is quite wet. Then to boot we are having a global epidemic of the death of honeybees. Then to add to to that most typical hives require a lot of treatments of antibiotics, feedings, and re-queening to keep alive. My hive was for the most part was ignored and left to nature to decide its't fate. Many "typical" beekeepers told me my bees would die a lot sooner. Plus all the traditionalist (which is most beekeepers) booed my top bar hive design. So the good news is, my bees did not get sick and have enough foliage around and about to make enough honey (even during last summer which was colder then most). The top bar design was a good little home and now I know I should re-arrange some combs to facilitate closer honey for this next winter, my bees hopefully should do well. I thought I would wait a year to get more bees since I have so much yard work, but the more I work with the honey and wax, the more I want them again now. Bees are seriously cool!

The secret to Home Depot

A few days ago Xander and I went to Home Depot. We were in the electrical aisle when Xander wasn't looking where he was going and bumped his head on something protruding from the aisle. It was a hard bump and he cried pretty good. A Home Depot employee saw the event and was very concerned for Xander. He was fine. It didn't even leave a bump just a little scratch. If they only know what he does at home. Anyway the employee couldn't let it go and was so concerned and kept trying to help and with every questions the employee asked Xander would wail louder and lauder. He asked if Xander needed a bandaid and I said yes just to get the guy away for a bit. Sure enough a Xander stopped crying 30 seconds after he left. By the time he came back Xander was fine and chatting up a storm with this guy. We got on the topic of how all the workers wear orange shirts and apron when the employee brings up these Saturday workshops where kids can come and build things and get their own orange apron. Knowing you have to be 5 to do those I popped that bubble pretty quick for Xander telling him the rule. Then Xander says to the employee, "Who is in charge here? Maybe they will let me go." The employee thought that was so enchanting he left with a new mission. I was just grateful he was gone thinking we are all done with those shinangons and I could get what I came for. I found the electrical guy (who clearly knew nothing) and was asking him a bunch of questions and had just finished clarifying, "so what your saying is you don't really know the difference between these lights?" when the manager comes walking up bearing gifts with 3 other employees. They had a home depot apron and car kit to build. While the manager was talking to Xander he asked what that button was on her apron. She then was like, "Do you want that. You can have it?" Then she took it off and gave it to him. Wow, these people are desperate not to be sued. The manager brought up the kid class and I asked if Xander had to be 5 and she says, "How old is he? 3? Wow, well I think he is ready for this class. He said he builds stuff all the time. If you have any problems you just tell them Shirley said it was okay that he goes." I immediately wondered what else the name Shirley could do for me.

Needless to say I think every time I am at Home Depot I am going to start ramming my own head into things.......maybe I could get some free paint.

30

Well, I did it. I turned 30. No one asked me if I wanted to. It just happened to me......and I am not so happy about it. I mean 30 - that is so old. I am officially a serious adult. Sigh. Really old people tell me if they could go back to any age, it would be in their 30's. So Really Old People, I am counting on you to be right. Heres to 30. The good news is Ryan threw me a party (your the best Ryan!!). A Rocker Princess party. I have never had a "Princess" party before. I liked it - it made me happy. So at least I am a happy 30 year old. Lots of great people came and in true birthday form they had to do whatever I wanted them to. In this case they had to play improvisational games. You know games from shows like "who's line is it anyways" and stuff. It was fun. I haven't done those games since college. Ah the good old days when I wasn't old.......but I digress.

The 30 year old Rocker Princess

I am hopping if I keep saying 30 years old it will eventually feel better.

The enthralled audience for the games

We all have mad acting skills.

My sister Janea came over on my actually birthday with a scrumptious cake and awesome birthday hat to help me ease into 30. 30, 30, 30 years old, 30, 30 years old - no it still doesn't' feel so good. 30 - Hmmmmmm.

My twin brother lives in the area and we have big plans to to celebrate 30 but we need better weather. It involves jumping off of cliffs......with paragliders. Yeah baby!

Bathroom schizophrenia

I now know why people put books and magazines in the bathroom. These people must be parents of young children.

These days I am finding myself unconsciously putting a little speed into my step when I need to go to the bathroom. If Xander is somewhat near by I need to be stealthy and quick. He has lion like tendencies and can smell when I am trying to shake him. I usually can get in the bathroom and close the door but often have to put my body weight behind the door to get a good lock. Ahhh, peace for a couple of minutes. Soon after this thought comes the pounding begins, the request begin to fly and the hand under the door appears. Apparently my definition of peace has morphed over the years.

If I was serious about my moment of peace I would up my experience by getting bose noise canceling headphones, some good reading material, a heated toilet seat, and a toilet lid that can also message your back. But alas I am subject to only what my imagination can alter my reality into. - I call it - Bathroom Schizophrenia - a mothers modern coping tool.