The "trouble" with May is you never can bank on the weather. And here in the great state, it can be very different week to week.... foggy, almost cold, damp mornings, where you feel like you need the wood stove chugging.. to hot - almost August like heat. Good thing it's a "pretty" month with things coming into bloom, because otherwise, it would not be a favorite of mine...
But, Abbie has the right attitude... when life brings you rain... stomp in the puddles!!!!!
The big boys have sure been enjoying the pasture. So have I.. not only do I enjoy watching them, but we haven't brought any hay out of the loft in almost a week. It's always a good thing when you can be saving on the hay bill..........
Turkeys are doing well, and were beginning to crowd their little pen in the tack room. So, we decided it was time to get them moved. Last fall, Ed divided "Turkey Manor" into two.. (so the guinea hens would be inside).. well, the guinea hens aren't using their side of the house anymore ... so, instead of building another pen under the barn lean to... we're going to use "Turkey Manor".....
They seemed pretty happy with the new digs.... we'll keep them locked inside for a few weeks, let them get a little bigger, and then be able to use the outside pen for them. I am finally starting to feel like we're getting all of this to work easier for us.... trial and error sometimes, but we'll sort it out....and then (sadly) by the time the turkeys "won't need this space", we'll corral the guinea hens again.....
The bees seem to be doing well.... right now there isn't much to "do" with them, but I have enjoyed going out and checking on them....these past few damp and rainy days have kept them inside, so, I don't think their making fast progress.... but we'll open the hive one day soon and take a real look around....
Ponies.... our new addition has a new name - according to Abbie... "Twinkle".... she seems to be settling in well, though I have come to the conclusion that she is afraid of children. Every time she sees Abbie, if she can't run off, she stand and literally shakes. She doesn't like Abbie to go to the side of her.. and I can only imagine why. We've been putting her out with Mocha and the two of them seem to becoming good friends. I hope I can sort out this "child thing" because I got her with the idea that she would carry grandbabies... but I certainly don't want anyone getting hurt... so, at the moment her future remains "watchful". I really don't want "another mouth to feed that doesn't do anything...." we're not in any hurry.. Abbie isn't into riding just yet, so I have time, but I'm going to be hard hearted when it comes to making any decisions about her.....
On Memorial Day itself.. we went down to Mom and Dad's for a cookout. I was hoping to catch a parade or two, but with all the morning chores, and some guest doggies coming and going, that didn't work out. So, in the afternoon we just went to the cookout, and fortunately, it was a grand weather day. Bob and Kate were there.....
And little Reagan... who is fastly growing....
And as cute as a button... I might add......
Mom and Dad invited some of their neighbors, and this gentleman was so interesting to talk with. He was a pilot during WWII... for the RAF in Great Britain. Nate is a big "fan" of WWII and they had a great chat together. After the war, he continued to work as a pilot and has flown all over the world. He told me stories of time he spent in Africa... such an interesting man. I told him he should be writing a book of his adventures... and it make me appreciate that if you take the time to listen to others... you may hear some wonderful things!!!!!
Reagan has such a great life ahead of him... but for now.. his little snail is a great source of entertainment!!!!!
We will be saying goodbye to Hope at the end of the week. It will be time for her to head back to NEADS and finish up her work... Rylie will be back on the farm, but I dare say...not too much longer. Hope loved baby Reagan... and it was nice to give her the chance to be around a little baby....
so, life plugs along.. good weather, bad weather, animals.. babies.... family cookouts.... we are blessed!!!!!
It seems like.. all of a sudden .. spring is here. We have waited so long for it's arrival, and the truth is... we have it for just a short time. Which is why... when I had to cover the post last week, so that my boss could have a little time away... I got kind of "grumpy". Now.. don't get me wrong, first off, I really like my new boss, and she certainly deserved a break, and I was happy that she could go on a vacation with her hubby... and secondly, I do like my job at the post... mostly it's just Saturdays, and I like seeing the people and such...
But.. when the perfect weather arrives... and the "outside" looks like this, and we were waiting for the bees, etc.... I just "hate" to leave the farm for most any reason.....
Everything in bloom.. my little garden to get ready.. I love being outside.... (on and on and on!!!)
The horses have been anxiously awaiting for us to open up the pasture. I managed to do that one evening after work... they were so happy to get out there!!! (and haven't really been back in the barn since....)
And, on a couple of the quiet afternoons.. I brought Hope in to practice some of her service dogs skills.... so that was all good...
Working at the post is a great place for the dogs to practice. For one thing, you don't see most of the people that come in.. they're just grabbing the mail and off they go. For a dog.. you hear the door open, foot steps.. the little door opens on a box.. maybe some voices.. and they're gone. That would be tempting for any dog to bark at, but not the working dogs. And then, when I have things to get done, it's "hide under the desk" and wait... (can you see her????) I will say that Miss Hope passed all these things with flying colors...
I was also getting grumpy, because I hadn't seen my family all week. Abbie is off with her Mom, and Reagan.. off with his Mom... and here I am "stuck at work". But... all was not lost!!!! As a surprise.. Kas got lunch for me one day.. and went to the farm to surprise me when i came home. However... as luck would have it.. it was the one day that I decided NOT to go home and went to run a couple of errands on my lunch break. Ed called to see where I was and said ... "you might want to get back home".. so I rushed back and found out that I nearly ruined a very special treat!!!!
Fortunately, Kass had some things to mail, so after our lunch, she and Reagan came over to the post and I got to show him where Baby works!!! (sadly no one came in so i could show him off)... but while Mommy did her thing, I took him behind the counter with me.. just so we could have a few more minutes together!!!!
You can be sure that this little package got very special handling.. but of course, we're not about to ship him anywhere!!!!
Seeing him at the post reminded me of a story.... when the girls were little.. Kass was about 3, Sadie was an infant.... Sadie was being rather cranky one day, and I said to Kass... "if this baby doesn't stop, I am sticking her in the mail and shipping her out".....
About three weeks after that I had some things to mail at the post. So, I took the girls and off we went. Sadie was in a car seat - much like the one Reagan is in - and when I got to the post, I put it up on the counter, so she wouldn't be on the floor. Seeing that car seat on the counter, Kas began to pitch a complete fit.. all she would say is .. "nooo.. nooo.. don't!!!" I was trying to mail the letters and couldn't even think of what I was doing, let alone what she was doing.. and I did my business and stormed out with the kids. Once I had Kass buckled in the car, I asked her what her problem was.. and she said.. "I thought you were going to mail the baby".. I asked her where in the world did she come up with that idea... only then to realized... I had said that a few weeks back!!!! Needless to say i felt awful for getting so mad at her,and after that.. i watch my words closely around the kids.....
who knew that I would ever be working for the post one day. But, I got threw the week.. had a very exciting weekend... and truth be told.. i am so happy to be just at home this week..... for sure!!!!
We were (are) so happy, because Abbie slept over last night. Sadie had a late shift at work, and since I didn't see Abs all last week due to my work schedule, I was aching to have her here. I picked her up late in the day as she had been with her Dad all weekend, then had to teach classes... so I didn't see much of her last night either. But this morning she was up early, ready to check on the chickens... and of course... meet the bees. I don't want her to be afraid of them, so we have been talking it up to her.. telling her how she can see them and how to be around the hive,etc. She couldn't wait to get her veil on and go out to the hive with me....
The day was damp, so the bees weren't flying much. I wanted her to wear a jacket but we didn't have any of her's here... so one left by her Mom had to do. We put Papa's gloves on her too... I figured her first experience out by the hive.. I didn't want to take any chances of her being stung... that certainly would not be a good introduction to bee keeping....
She wasn't so sure about the get-up we put her in... but I figured if she isn't afraid of them.. then I will look around and get an outfit for kids... I know they make them.....
We walked out together... I showed her how to approach the hive and not to get into the flight path of the bees. I decided to bring some food out to them as well, and show Ab how we feed the bees... she was all excited...
I was very proud of how she listened... she stood just where I asked her too.. and had a lot of questions about the bees and where they lived, and what they were doing. She really wanted to look in the bottom box and see them, but with the weather so damp and cold, I didn't want to run the risk of opening the hive and chilling them....
She loved watching them fly in and out the 'front" door.....
And we listened to them humming away inside...
As I said, there weren't too many flying today, but again, I figured it's a good way to get Abbie started around them....
I promised her that on a warmer day, we'll get down into the brood box and see what they are up... but she seemed happy with her first meet and greet.... (notice Mona had to help out as well!!!!).....
And would you look at these turkeys!!! I figure by the weekend, we'll need to get them moved into turkey manor..... they are growing quick. Abbie held one, but they aren't the cute fuzz any more and she is beginning to loose interest... she even remarked about them "going into the freezer!!!"
Finally... they have arrived!!! My interest in bees actually began almost eight years ago... when Ed and I took a bee keeping course threw the adult education in our old home town. After the course, we looked around for the supplies.. Ed began to make the hive boxes.. and then "life" I guess just got in the way. Between Kass going out on her own, Sadie making her way in life, then moving to the farm... it all got put to the back burner. But.. if you dream long enough and keep at it... things do come true.
I had to work at the post office this morning, so Ed went to get the bees.. actually it's a mini working hive. Once he got them home, he set them on our hive and opened up the shipping box so they could fly and get used to the place. Bees - (interesting fact) - will not poop in their hive and need to fly to do that sort of thing.,.. so, while everyone waited for me to get home... they did some flying time and got to stretch their wings....
I couldn't wait to get out of work and in no time, we had everything out.. ready to put it to work..... we probably didn't need our full bee outfits, because these gals are so disoriented that they are pretty calm.. but, we wanted to try it all out just the same...
Ed fired up the smoker (and no... you don't really use this much smoke!!!)...
And we got our hive all opened up and then moved onto the shipping box.
We had a few dead bees at the bottom of the shipping box, but mostly the frames all looked like this... busy bees... pretty well established and ready to continue their work.....
In the bee world .. this is called a "nuc"... and we have five frames of "bees"... our hive is a 10 frame hive.. so once the girls are settled.. they will need to build out the five frames that are in our box.
We put the "built out" frames in the middle and the empty frames around them... and when they have at least nine or so built out.. you add another box with 10 empty frame onto... and allow them to continue to build the nest. These two boxes which are their home.. are the brood boxes.. after that, smaller honey boxes can be added.
Whether or not we actually get honey this year will depend on how quickly the bees can build their home... and the season itself. According to what we are learning in class and in talking to other bee keepers... it should be a good honey year, and they think even first timers - like us - might get a little honey. That would be "sweet"........
Even though things are in bloom and easy to find.. we still need to feed the bees until they can figure it all out. Plus the extra food will make it that much easier to build the empty combs. We feed sugar water.. and put it in the feeder box on top of the brood box. We left four gallons of sugar water for them.. and I will check again mid week to see if they will be needing more.
Then we put the top on.. and left them to settle in and start making this hive feel like home. Welcome little girls... we're mighty happy to have you here on the farm!!!!!
However, our day wasn't over just yet... I have been looking for a little companion for Mocha. After we lost Kringle last summer, I have thought she seemed a bit lonely.. I have seen quite a few minis looking for homes, but none seem to 'speak" to me... until this past week, when I "found" this little girl via a facebook friend. She was bought at auction by a "dealer" and if she wasn't sold to a home by the end of the week.. she was headed back to auction. Her story "bugged" me all week... and after talking with the dealer... I decided I best go and get her.
We don't know hardly anything about her.. except that she appears to be about 12 years old. She was advertised as a "mini".. but she's a little too big.. and yet, not really pony size either.. so I am thinking she is a cross between the two. I guess she has been ridden... but not in the last year. She has very good manners.. knows how to lead, hopped right into the trailer.. knows how to be polite... but she is "shy" right now and more than likely very overwhelmed.
She seemed generally happy to see other horses and called and called out to the others. Because I don't know when her last shots and such were done.. she will be kept from the others for a while and we'll need to get the vet out. I hope she and Mocha will become good friends....
And I'm also thinking that if Abbie and Reagan become "horse kids".. she will be a nice little "pony" for them to ride on. Time will tell and in the meantime, she and I have some work to do. Her feet too... need a lot of care - that in itself is going to be about a year's worth of trimming I'm afraid. I think someone who had her pretty much left her to herself for the past year and then shipped her to the auction.
But she's here now... and if i can help it.. this will be her "forever" home....
She certainly is enjoying the space, the company (even if from afar) of the other horses.. and I think we can make her happy....
And her name????? well... we're working on that.......
so... needless to say.. fun, busy and exciting times here on Sweetgrass Farm..... there will be many more stories to come!!!!!
