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 Our friend the honeybee. We got our first hive and hopefully not our last, from a friend this spring. We were a little intimidated at first, thinking they would gang up and sting us. But they haven't. They are nice little bees. When we take their honey (and leave some for them) this fall, it may be a different story. Thus, we will use the protective suits,etc. But, until then, we really enjoy our bees. It is actually a 4H project for Sweet Maggnolia. We have learned a lot from 4H, because we decide to do a project and then learn as much about it as we can; like we did with poultry. Poultry is a whole other story by FAR. After studying honeybees and different problems that ail them, for example, Colony Collapse Disorder or Syndrome , I decided to do a little bit of poking around and found this site about disappearing bees. It seems as though something bad is happening to the honeybee. It mustn't be. Bees pollinate our plants and flowers. Without plants or flowers we would have no food or beauty. Have you seen The Bee Movie? It is very informative. Watch it. One thing that is very toxic to the honeybee is Sevin dust.  We use it to dust our poultry for lice, but after reading the warnings on the back, we may not use it anymore. A lot of people use it on their gardens to kill bugs and creepy crawlers. Everyone would like a beautiful garden and lawn. But have you ever wondered why the pest people that spray your lawn wear the SUIT? I hear the wait time to go back into your yard after they spray is something like 48 hours. There seems to be something wrong with that picture. Could it be HARMFUL? So, let's do our part for the honeybee so they can do their part for us all. |
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For six years, nine months, eleven days and some odd hours we had no cable or antenna connected to our television. We chose to not have television input into our home( there is just so much yuck on t.v.)(but we are HUGE movie fans and have logged many an hour in front of the tube watching those!) . Recently, the Olympics got the better of us (and I suspect the up coming World Series-go Cubs). Hoss, as I affectionately call my husband on occasion, decided to put one of those indoor/outdoor antennas up in the attic. Within MINUTES we had Michael Phelps breaking world records right in front of our eyes! Boy we were living high on the hog for sure. The next evening...while waiting for the nightly olympic broadcast...Sweet Maggnolia was flipping to see what other cool 'snowy' channels we could receive. Oh. JOY!..."Wheel of Fortune" man! that comes on like every night!!!! Is this heaven?...no it's just Indiana. Much to my dismay, I was shocked to hear and see what is on commercials and the little half hour shows that come on at 5 in the EVENING. Last I knew, language like we heard, wasn't allowed on until after 9 p.m. Will we watch television after the Olympics are over? Yes, but sparingly. Yes, I have had to learn how to read the T.V. guide all over again.  |
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On occasion we let our small flock of chickens with one large white leghorn rooster, out into the yard to forage and enjoy a little freedom. Sweet Maggnolia is very hesitant to go out of doors on those days for fear of getting attacked by the rooster-Foggy. He is a beautiful bird but very protective. When he is out, I tell her to take the broom and the dog with her if she goes outside. I too, take the broom with me in hopes of getting some batting practice in-to no avail. This situation has me to thinking about all the uses of a broom. Obviously, you can sweep the floor with it (a rarity for me), you can brush the cobwebs out of the corner of the ceiling with it ( rarity-again), you can use the handle to slide between the washer and dryer or other appliance to get something that fell in between them, you can use it as the middle post in your sheet tent in the living room, you can trap a spider with it til Husband comes to the rescue, you can brush the straw off of someone who has been 'handling straw'. Of course, you can use it as a weapon to protect yourself from roosters, you can shoo unwanted animals away from your garden with it,...etc etc etc. Let me know how YOU use your broom. |
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I know about two people (including ME) that do not have high speed internet. Those of you who used to have a slow dial up connection......37.2k is what I have.......may not remember the snails pace at which the computer speeds along. I spoke with our internet provider yesterday......high speed connects at 512 k. and several more monthly dollars. I am almost convinced that the extra monthly expense of over $40.00 is worth it.......BUT then I got to thinking about all of the things I can do WHILE MY 37.2k connection is pulling up my e-mail. Here I have listed a few things that can be completed while waiting. 1) Make a complete breakfast and watch my husband eat it. 2) Feed and water ALL livestock. 3) Take a shower and make the bed. 4) Tidy the kitchen and load the dishwasher. 5) Crochet about 7 rows on the bag I am making. 6) Vacuum the entire house. 7) Plan ALL school lessons for the week. 8) Dry and fix my hair. 9) Read the entire newspaper. 10) Make this list and drink a glass of sweet tea. Would I be able to adjust my life around a new connection speed? Would I be able to get any of these things accomplished? You bet I could!!!!!!!!
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If I didn't see the Stepford Wives at the County Fair last night, I don't know WHAT I saw. I stood outside the show barn with my much younger sister |
waiting for our daughters to return from a trip around the livestock barns. I couldn't help but notice that most of the teenaged girls were very skimpily dressed. We were scanning the crowd for our daughters and I told her that the three (teenaged) girls with CLOTHES on would be ours. Well, I was right, around the corner they came fully clothed. 
