keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[keljonma]

The mold John used for the large queen bee mold was metal and I think he got it from Mann Lake or Dadant. I got it in 2005, and it still smells wonderful.


I still have the garden in containers, Lori. Currently TR and I take turns taking them outside for fresh air and sun and bringing them back in when it pours down rain. Just like pets, they are!


The rosemary, which was doing really well, was out in the garden, not in the deck. But it was still in the container, and I think it just got too much water. The lavender was out just as long, but it seems to be doing well and has a lot of new growth on it.

The veggies are another story; one in which I am in complete denial.

Tonight after mowing the grass, TR found 3 rabbits in the back yard trying to figure a way into the strawberry bed! We wrapped it in nylon deer fencing. If the main garden dries up this week, we'll be planting. And the main garden is getting wrapped as well. Take that, rabbits!

 

[keljonma]

Oh I like that mold!!

The girls were busy as bees today We think they are visiting the pond behind the neighbors house.

We had that same thing happen. I put out nice clean safe water station and they would drink the mucky pond water.

Wish they would just stay in our own yard HAHA

Yeah, but you can hardly put them in a time out corner or pen them for leaving the yard. Sometimes children and chickens are easier that way.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Were we really in the mid 90s just days ago with heat index near 100?! This morning it sure seems hard to believe.......

The temperature was 51 when we woke up. Now we are hovering at 55 with 10 mph breeze and humidity of 60%.

I see weatherbug has changed the heat index back to wind chill !! So the wind chill this morning is 53

I am not complaining, though. The sun is shining and the forecast is calling for a high of 65. Tomorrow's forecast is currently predicting 77 and more sunshine. So it should be another couple of beautiful days here in NE Ohio.

Well we only got to a high temp of 60 today. The breeze got up to 20 mph, so I ended up shutting most of the windows in the house.

The house temperature, which was reading 95 just a couple days ago, dropped to 60. That is pretty funny considering that in April we had the furnace set to go on at 55. The forecast for tonight is predicting overnight low temp of 40! MY GOODNESS!


Paul removed the full barrels of old roofing material, took his tools and the extra (left over?) bundle of shingles away. But he didn't finish picking up the debris and he didn't finish the main roof leak repair. I didn't get a chance to talk to him before he left, so I have no idea if/when he is coming back.


Here is a pic of some beeswax products. A 1-pound mold and a votive candle. The difference in the two is the age of the wax when melted....and how it was used by the bees. The mold was made by a mentor a few years ago. The votive is from one of my hives. It is mostly virgin capping wax. This afternoon I melted some more beeswax, but it hasn't hardened in the molds yet.

http://i107.photobucket.com/albums/m291/keljonma/2011Jun2BeeswaxandcandleP6020001.jpg

You ain't kidding, sister. It's downright chilly out there tonight!!!!

 

[keljonma]

When we woke up at 5am the temperature was 39!! I am sure glad TR brought the houseplants in last night!

I had big plans to actually work this morning. You know those days when you KNOW you are going to ... x, then x, then x.

Well today, for me, those x's were:
1 - take TR to work
2 - drop off the things at the library that we are done with
3 - clean the church kitchen
4 - stop at bank to deposit last month's paycheck on the way home

So TR's at work, the library drop-off completed and I head over to the church. So far so good.

When I arrived at 7am, I found no one there except the construction guys who were already working on the education wing.

But then I got into the kitchen and found every countertop space available is covered with food! And the (now working) refrigerator is packed as well. It's all cookies, breads, cakes, fruits, and veg everywhere kind of food. Lots of home-made kind of food. It's not a Christian Cafe Tuesday, so that's out. But it's a ton of food like maybe there is a funeral today kind of food.

But there is nothing scheduled on the calendar. There was no notice in the kitchen that something is going on today. But there no way to clean. :/ And the bank isn't open yet, not even the drive through, so that means another trip into town sometime today. So much for my great plans!

TR is helping Neil by weed-whacking around the church property this evening. I will see if I can clean the kitchen then, I guess.

The temp is up to 50 now. Hopefully, we will reach the predicted high of 72. I'm praying for warm and dry....and maybe we can get the garden in this week-end.

This morning I heard on the radio that Ohio Agriculture officials said farmers have only 19% of the fields planted, compared to 60% this same time last year. The worst growing season to date.

This article in the Farm and Dairy is about new reports about honeybee loses. I had seen this information from other sources as well....

http://www.farmanddairy.com/news/ho...to-hit-commercial-hobby-beekeepers/25300.html

 

[keljonma]

Dispite the chilly start to the morning, the day has turned out to be quite wonderful..... sunshine and 71.

The county mower knoced over the mailbox. I put the post back in the hole and it seems to be okay for now. I did have to put some more rope around the box, but that's another story.

I DID get some things done today.

Got some yard work done (plus the mailbox).
Cleaned the compost buckets out from under the kitchen sink.
Got new books and movies from the library.
Depostied my pay check.

I just checked at the church; the kitchen countertops are still overwhelmed with food. No one was in the office to ask, so I'm not sure what is going on. If I don't get to it tonight, it won't get done this week.

I'm off to pick up TR. I'll go a bit early and read the new issue of Bee Culture magazine while I wait.

Probably something grilled for dinner, as TR has to help Neil.


TR is off work this week-end, so we have plans........ some of them might even include putting the veg garden in; it the soil is dry enough.


Have fun!

 

[keljonma]

This evening TR saw two teeny red strawberries on the plants QA & E just sent home with us!

 

[FarmerJamie]

What a beautiful NE Ohio day today!!! I'm sure I saw frost down in the creek bed this morning at 6:30.

It's looking like the Tribe is starting their "June swoon".

Have a good weekend!

 

[framing fowl]

This morning I heard on the radio that Ohio Agriculture officials said farmers have only 19% of the fields planted, compared to 60% this same time last year. The worst growing season to date.

That's scary stuff... I was just reading on OFG's blog where she had photos of the fallow fields.

Note to self: you will get the garden in and fenced this weekend with no excuses come flooding or 120* heat.

 

[FarmerJamie]

This morning I heard on the radio that Ohio Agriculture officials said farmers have only 19% of the fields planted, compared to 60% this same time last year. The worst growing season to date.

That's scary stuff... I was just reading on OFG's blog where she had photos of the fallow fields.

Note to self: you will get the garden in and fenced this weekend with no excuses come flooding or 120* heat.

The farmers around here have been running non-stop during our multiple day respite from rain. The wheats/oats are looking good in most places. It'll be interesting to hear the next update.

 

[keljonma]

What a beautiful NE Ohio day today!!! I'm sure I saw frost down in the creek bed this morning at 6:30.

It's looking like the Tribe is starting their "June swoon".

Have a good weekend!

Another beautiful day, FJ! another Tribe loss. Texas Rangers