Chicken!

The last week has been taken up with all the myriad tasks of getting my whole flock of chickens 1) butchered, 2) cooked and boned, 3) canned.

Suffice it to say, I will not be eating chicken anytime soon! I am not sure if it is economically any cheaper, but I really do like knowing that they lived a happy life, and that I know EXACTLY what is in the food I am giving my family (at least where the chicken is concerned!)

We decided that this would be the best course to pursue, since I will be doing a lot of traveling this summer, and this way I won't have to find someone to take care of them. They were also getting older and laying less, which did influence my decision! We will be getting new pullets (young hens that are just beginning to lay) in August or September. I figured it out and, even at $10 each, it will be cheaper than buying chicks and feeding them all summer, plus, once again--no caretaker arrangements (I will miss the cuteness, though!)

Walking!

I am pretty proud of myself! I walked this morning--even though it was raining! (True, it wasn't raining very much, just a little sprinkle that kept things cool, but I didn't cave, so "GO ME!") Wildlife count-- no turtles, but I did see a bunny. Also the ducks, who only had 4 ducklings. I thought last week they had 5. Did something happen (I am looking squinty-eyed at YOU, evil raccoons!)? Is it a different family? I don't think so. Were there really only 4 all along? Hmmm...Questions!

Morning of WIN!

Today is my one week anniversary of dragging my tired self out of bed before 6 am so I can walk while it is still cool. I had to figure out a new groove since school is out, so I am not going to the Y anymore.

I have walked a little farther every day, so that is WIN.

When I got to the park I decided to do a lap around the walking path that borders the reservoir, and I saw: a momma duck with 5 babies, a blue heron taking off over the water, and 2 box turtles laying their eggs! Also, LOTS of stupid, poopy, hissy, bad attitude (but still surprisingly pretty) Canada geese (their babies aren't cute anymore).

Snow Day!

ANOTHER Snow day. We have had LOTS of them. The part I get tired/sick of/mad about is the weather forecasters (especially on the TV news) getting so hyped up about EACH AND EVERY STORM. This particular meteorological event (aka "Snowmageddon") was supposed to dump 8-12" between Sunday Night and Monday Noon. With 50 mph winds. What we got was maybe 4", no wind. It was a really nice packing snow--lots of snowmen on my way home. Even if we had gotten the full 12"--we live in the NORTH, and it is FEBRUARY. 12 inches of snow is not a crisis here--it is WINTER. I really wish they would stop with the panic-mongering.

Wall Art

I have referred, in times past, to SmallDaughter's Picasso-like tendencies. Most little kids take a turn drawing on a wall or two. She has written on LITERALLY every surface in our home--The list includes the front of the toilet bowl (and of COURSE the top of the seat, goes without saying!), the INSIDE as well as the outside of the oven door, both the top and the underside of the dining room table, every window, the TV and computer screens, the list goes on and on. She has used a wide array of media as well--the obvious choices being pen, pencil and marker. Less obvious choices have included lipstick, nail polish, glue stick, Tide Stain Remover pen and deodorant (which, ironically marks on EVERY SURFACE!)

However, since we took the nasty old wallpaper off of the upstairs hallway, and since I have not gotten around to PAINTING the hallway in question (yeah, yeah, yeah, it's on my list...) She has been joined in her decoration activities! If you get to come up the stairs to the upstairs hallway, you will see every wall has something--and the main wall has LOTS!

And, if you look closer, the details (which may be weird or gross!) are often pretty darn amazing! If you look up high:

If you go further down, there are some informative and factual tidbits:

And, clear down at the bottom, lurking above the baseboard is a tiny, mysterious doorway (with further examples of SmallDaughter's art, as well!):

SmallDaughter's Day Out

Yesterday (Friday) SmallDaughter didn't have school--but all of the big kids DID. So I decided to make her day great! We started by getting dressed at the normal, super early time (We have Seminary from 5:10 to 6:05, and normally she gets on her bus around 6:30, but instead--she got to go with her beloved big kids, and we dropped them off at school. Then, we drove over to the YMCA where I normally go do a workout (I have been meaning to blog about that fairly important change in my life, but I...haven't. Ah, well.) She got to SWIM for 2 full hours! She had a great time! The second hour was during my "AquaDance" class--where I didn't get the best workout ever, but she had a lot of fun! After we got showered and dressed I took her over to the library. The town the big kids attend school in is about 30 minutes away from our house, and she had never been to this library, but it was (of course!) love at first sight! Especially when she found that they had an elevator! And an adorable little playhouse kitchen area--which is her favorite! Just to top it all off, we got her a hamburger and fries for lunch!!!!!
Then we went to the Amish Sewing Machine store (no, not for me to buy an awesome new Bernina, but to get my scissors sharpened--finally!), and to the little Amish bulk food store. She is still a little rough on the concept "only eat ONE sample", but we had a good time! Then we picked up the big kids and came home.

She had a great, great day (I know this, because as soon as she opened her eyes this morning, she asked to go swimming!).

Sadly, I was developing a fever and body aches, which really clouded my joy with her. The big kids (bless their hearts!) put me to bed, dosed me with meds, cooked a yummy dinner and watched SmallDaughter for the rest of the day. I think a nap, meds and a full nights sleep may have conquered it, because today was definitely better.

Looking on the bright (and sparkly!) side of life!

Last week was pretty gloomy. COLD--temps in the single digits, with wind chills into the "double below zero" digits. And gray. VERY gray. The kids first day back to school was a two hour delay. Tuesday was cancelled. Wednesday was another two hour delay, and the last day of school for a week. We had 6 teenagers here for most of it--because the roads were too crappy to drive and this was a nice, safe place. But--it was very cold (especially before I realized somebody had turned the (*&^%$#@! thermostat down to 58 degrees! Much better after that!). So mostly we sat or layed around in warm quilts watching movies, binging on netflix and drinking mass quantities of herb tea and cocoa in the giant new Christmas Mugs (everybody got one--they hold 2/3 of a quart, and I personalized them with a name and mustache for each person. Pictures may be forthcoming).

BUT--today, is GORGEOUS! Not warm---just gorgeous! It warmed up enough for fog, then dropped suddenly, coating all the trees with amazing hoarfrost. It is cold enough that all the fresh snow has crystallized and every field looks like it was sprinkled with the best diamond glitter ever made. And--the sun is shining and tiny, bright shiny ice crystals are floating in the air, so everything literally glitters! Perfect weather to be in a warm car or house looking out onto. Not so fun to be out in, since between the time I drove everybody to school and they came home it had warmed from -7 to-2. Woo.

And Now...Home Decorating with SmallDaughter!

To recreate these amazing 3-D effects, SmallDaughter recommends that you simply start with a box of baking soda and a box of table salt (the large, round one)--then add a can of shaving cream, 2 bottles of lotion (she prefers the really nice, expensive kind, not the cheap stuff that smells weird that nobody wants anyway) and a brand-new bottle of liquid sub-lingual vitamin B Complex (because that stuff is a DEEP yellow, that really stays!). Mix it all together thoroghly, with your hands (and feet if you want!). She recommends doing it in your mom's bedroom.

Ed. Note--FYI--do you know what is worse than crumbs in your bed--salt!

Note 2--You know what makes a really gross, but surprisingly pleasant smelling mess to clean out of the vacuum tube? Guess!

Too much space

This week the city guys cut down the two big old Maple trees in front of our house. It was not a surprise--they asked my permission (even though they are technically on the right of way, and they didn't have to LEGALLY ask--I think it's nice that they did), and I have known for several years that one of them was rotten in the middle and would have to come down. They are running a sewer line down, and I know how hard it would be to work around them. With all that being said, there is too much space and too much sky where they used to be!

I'm BACK!

Wow, we had a busy, fun summer! Living without internet, but LOTS of other things! Company, adventures, fun, good food--you name it!

There is real news forthcoming--I promise! I just wanted to let you know I am still alive!

Au Revoir!

We are getting rid of internet for the summer, in a grand attempt at getting outside and doing "non-electronic things"! Which is a lovely thing for the children, but also affects me a LOT. Since I am the worst offender at spending mass amounts of time on the computer!

Which is a long-winded way to say, I probably won't be posting much.

Some of the most exciting things in a child's life only come once a year...Christmas, Birthdays, Halloween, and then (when they get a little bigger) Colossalcon! It seems hard to believe that only a few years ago, I was pretty unaware of the existence of fan conventions. I vaguely knew that there were Sci-Fi conventions where weirdos dressed up as Klingons, but that was about it. Now I know that there are conventions for EVERY fandom--if you love Star Wars, Anime, playing games, Dr. Who, Harry Potter, Steampunk or almost anything else (!) somewhere there is convention hall full of people just like you! Now I have more experience, I love the enthusiasm, creativity, acceptance, cheerful friendliness that abounds at conventions. While at first it is a little odd to see people in long pink wigs or Pokemon costumes, it is no stranger than those hardcore Cleveland Browns fans who paint their faces (and, horribly, their naked bodies!--some things should stay covered!) I have had a houseful of excited teens who worked on costumes and preparations and had an amazing time together!

Now I need to go take a nap!

New Arrivals at our house!

and not what you were thinking!

Today, the new fridge and upright freezer arrived! YAY!

The old fridge made it, but it was a pretty close thing! The new fridge is almost exactly the same--black, side-by-side (we need the handles so we can lock it--SmallDaughter is very naughty about the fridge!)--however this one doesn't have an ice dispenser in the door.

Since we never used it for dispensing water or ice (it's last service was as the fondly remembered accidental "snickers bar dispenser"), we decided we would rather have the space!

Also--the new fridge is shockingly blank. No recipes or menus chalked on it. No job lists or coupons on the sides. Weird.

A Very Tired Butt

Today I drove (according to my car's odometer, that I reset this morning when I filled the gas tank), 275 miles. That means I could have gone someplace exciting like Chicago or Indianapolis or Pittsburgh to see people I love. I could have gone anywhere in the entire state of West Virginia, or at least half of Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan or New York State. I could have gone to Toronto (which requires a stamp in my passport, oooooH!). Did I go any of those exciting places? No, actually. I went to boring local places--and back--multiple times. There were many good things accomplished, much good was done--but as a road trip it was pretty lame.

Trying new things

So, one of the side aspects of taking apart and recolonizing the beehives is that I had some un-needed beeswax. In the form of (mostly) brood comb. In case you didn't know this (I know I sure didn't!), when the bees first make the wax, it is the palest white/yellow (virgin wax). They make LOTS of cells of this, which serve different purposes at different times. Sometimes they store the pollen the worker bees bring in, so they can eat it later. Sometimes they store honey, which is capped with more pure virgin wax for storage. Sometimes they store brood and little baby bees, and in the process of hatching, pupating and emerging, that wax gets brown (almost black eventually) and pretty gross.

There are lots of ways to process beeswax, and it is a pretty simple to do--put the chunks of wax in a deep, old pan (that you never want to use for anything else, ever again!), fill it with water, bring it to a boil, than let it cool. The wax floats and cools into a disc. The water with a full load of nasty residue (which is called "slumgum" is left behind. You can skim out the solids and load them into cardboard egg cartons--after they dry they make dandy firestarters (it is still well permeated with wax!) or you can give it to chickens (they love it!), or you can pour the whole mess on your garden or compost pile, where it is an awesome enrichment. If you want the wax to be purer, you can melt it again, for further refinement.

The process of melting the wax is easy, and it made our whole kitchen smell--exotic. A very strong smell, but not unpleasant--very floral and honey/sugar scented.

Poof!

So, there may (or may not) have been a certain grill lighting event last week, which may (or may not) have involved me setting the match to the burner, without letting the propane (from someone else's previous lighting attempt) dissipate.


POOF.

Look ma! No eyebrows!

Actually, I DO still have eyebrows (and eyelashes, AND bangs)--they are all just much shorter and thinner!

Fortunately, it blew my bangs upward, so the parts that are only 1/8 of an inch long, are under the parts that survived unscathed.

Even more fortunately, I only got 2 tiny (like sunburn level, no blistering even) burns on two fingers. I feel very blessed, since it could have been SO much worse!

New Life!

I was feeling pretty bummed when I wrote my last post. I cleaned out literally thousands of little bee corpses from both hives, to get them ready just in case I could find some new package bees (they only come in once a year, and my usual supplier had already sold out). I did finally find a new supplier--but they were sold out through 2015. sigh.

As I did my research I found out that 75% of Ohio hives froze to death this year. Hence--very short supply. I felt better when I realized there was nothing I could have done, even if I was a much more experienced bee-keeper.

And then--I got a call back from the supplier--they had had a cancellation from a major buyer (over 100 packages), and I was able to drive about an hour and a half to pick up my two packages (one for each hive) on Saturday. There were people there from other states, so I felt pretty good to have only a beautiful drive in the country (although, it took us considerably longer than 1.5 hours since we got lost and went in very large circles!). Both packages are now installed and getting used to their new homes. I am interested to compare the differences between the two styles of hives.

A "package" of bees is a rectangular wooden box with screen on the longest sides, that has about 10,000 workers,and a queen, along with a can of sugar syrup so they have food on their long journey--in this case about 2,500 miles!

After I removed the (almost empty) syrup cans, I took out the queen (in her separate, tiny little cage), and then, literally dumped the worker bees into my waiting hive! It seems a little freaky to casually dump living creatures, but the bees handle it well!

False Euphoria

My bees are all dead-- both hives. The activity I saw was just other bees robbing their honey stores.Sigh.

Just so you know--Carrot Seeds float in milk.

This scientific update brought to you by the inquiring mind of SmallDaughter. Sadly, carrot seeds floating on milk look disturbingly insect-like. They have now been strained out of the nearly full gallon of milk. Life here is never dull!

I am pretty excited about my garden---once is stops raining enough to plant! BigGirl got home from her quilt bootcamp with my aunties, and it is nice to have her back--it is amazing what a hole one person's absence makes!