Category Archive: Bees
Ankle brace and long ago
I spent two afternoons getting this ankle brace fit. I somehow injured the tendon that goes by the ankle and so for at least the next 6 weeks, I will be wearing this. It does slow me down some. But hopefully it will give the tendon time to heal.
This afternoon, I was looking for felt that I think I have to finish the twinkling snowmen wall hanging when I found a box that was put away long ago and I wasn’t even missing. In it were some unfinished projects. Imagine that! One was labeled as a quilt that a daughter was going to make. However, she only chose fabrics and didn’t actually start. So that was easy, I just put the fabrics back with the other fabrics. Project done. 
Then there was this Fall pattern with pattern pieces pinned to it and not put back together very carefully. So I will try to figure out what was going on here and possibly finish it. The pattern is dated 2001, so I know that it is not older than that and might be 2-3 years younger.
I did make a trip to the grocery as it has been so very dry that we are having to supplement this for nectar from flowers so the bees don’t starve this winter. 
Then I went to the bee supply store. The item on the left is a “J” hook to use when looking inside the hive and the thing on the right is a “bee protein patty” which I’m guessing has peanut butter in it. The screen is for making the entry hole smaller to keep the yellow jackets from storming into the hive and stealing.
We froze a few more bananas for “nice cream” which we enjoy on hot days.
And, because you asked, this is what the cucumber chips look like when they are ready to eat.
2017
08/31
Category:
Bees
farming
food
Garden
Life
machine embroidery
quilts
Sewing
COMMENTS:
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Whirlwind August
What a whirlwind this month of August has been. I feel as if I have been chasing my tail. Today is the end of the month and I did finish 4 sewing/knitting goals, but two were left undone. A third,
is now put together with backing and batting, but when I have time, I’d like to add more quilting.
In addition to these projects, I have spent an incredible amount of time in the kitchen. Today again, there was more pear butter canned as well as more produce brought in. I have another dehydrator full of cucumbers for chips, the last batch of pear butter is condensing in the crock pot, the refrigerator is full of cucumbers waiting their turn. I gave up and gave some raspberries, blueberries, cucumbers, zucchini, and tomatoes to the neighbor. The grapes are starting to get ripe and the weather is so incredible, this scenario may continue for another month. We have started new beets and greens for the winter and they have popped their little heads above ground now. And we water, water, water, water. Usually it rains a day or two when school starts, but not this year.
Today a neighbor came over and we wormed 1/3 of the sheep for the winter. We will be dividing them and giving each group a suitor soon. Then we count out 5 months to start the baby business.
In between all this, we have made time for doctors visits and a very few staples to eat. (Today, I visited with the Geek squad so I could bring you this report – I love those fellows) And we have daily fed, watered, and cared for the bees, sheep, ducks, geese, and dogs – oh, yes, and for each other. I am loving this crazy, out of control summer.
Male & Female cardinal, bee suit and naan
This is the female cardinal paper pieced. It comes with two patterns and not thinking, I made the one facing the same as the male, so at some point, I will make the other so they can face each other. I am linking up with ELM STREET Quilts “One Monthly Goal”
I finished this male earlier this month
This is my bee suit. The bees like to crawl in right at the top of the zipper and sting me on the neck. NOT a lot of fun. So I took a piece of fabric sewed it to the neck of the head piece and it will Velcro to the body part. This is my effort to keep those bees out of there.
And then because I had time on my hands (and a bridge to sell) I made naan bread
to go with the apple butter that I also made. If you have not made naan bread before, you might want to try. It is super simple. Much easier than making bread. And the apple butter. Fill your crockpot with applesauce and add cinnamon or what pleases you and let it simmer until it is half the volume you started with. Yum.
More animal adventures
Animal adventures are getting a bit too time consuming around here. The dogs managed to get out to the road and visit with a couple neighbors this morning. Beau got out of one pasture into another 4 times before we figured out how he was doing it. He also got a cut, so he gets to go to the vet for 3-4 stitches. Tomorrow, the electricity will be moved lower on the gate. Then we’ll let him test it again.
It was hot for here today. At 95 degrees, even the bees came out to get cooled off. See the mass of black on the gray box. That is just a mass of bees. I’ll check their box again tomorrow. Maybe they need another box for ventilation. See the fellow in the background? If they see me, their is one thing on their mind: FOOD. Yes, I am the food dispenser.
After all that fun and running around this morning, I was able to spend a bit of time in the studio (where it is also cooler) this afternoon. I think I will get this fellow finished on Sunday.
Tomorrow, there is gym, then picking blueberries, watering and another doctor appointment.
July monthly goal link up + cooking
I am linking to http://www.elmstreetquilts.com/2017/07/one-monthly-goal-july-goal-setting-link.html with this little fox.
I won’t make all my goals this month, but that seems to be the new normal.
Today, after going to the gym and picking blueberries, I tackled Lasagna from scratch, making a double recipe of marinara sauce. It took two hours to chop and prepare everything for the marinara and “cheese”, then an hour in the oven. It will be gone in two meals. Something seems wrong with that, however, that’s goes to show how much being able to buy preassembled items affects our lives. And I do have enough of the marinara sauce for another meal.
Dar, one of the readers here, sent me a relish recipe to try. This is as far as I am. Everything is cut and salted and spending the night in the refrigerator. At least when I tackle that tomorrow, it will be half done, so it won’t seem like it is taking so long. I am nearly caught up on the cucumber issue. Next I’ll tackle the zucchini. I can grate that and put it in the freezer to make items during the winter.
And I did get a chance to check on the bees who are doing just fine. One hive received another box today.
Bee watering and moving sheep
The boxes on the left are the best thing I’ve seen yet for the bee watering. They are coated so that they hold liquid, yet they have the slatted boards inside so the bees can land and not drown. They are meant to be able to feed the bees sugar water in times of drought, but since bees need water all summer, I think I can just put water in them and the bees can easily find it. The screens are for on top. One can just pour the liquid through them and not have to open the bee box and get the bees upset. So these came home with me.
The spent most of my day with a friend going through the wool that I have here. She showed me how to clean the finest wool and we looked at the sheep which her husband brought to me. It appears he didn’t find the list she left him and brought some of the correct sheep and some will be replaced. After she left, I moved the Cormo sheep to the big pasture behind the house, which has been empty for 4 months and left the Shetlands where they were. There are plenty of blackberries for them there. The Shetland rams are moved up to a hot wire enclosed acre. We also decided which ones should be sold. It was a very productive day, but I’m ready for the Sabbath.
I pray that each of you will have a restful Sabbath and happy weekend.