Strolling....

It's that time of year that makes my heart sing...a short stroll through the yard showcases so many of God's beautiful creations, like these chives... 

...and I can't wait to see blossoms on these snow peas, 'cause that means the yummy peas are not behind!

The grape vines are setting their bounty....

and the red potatoes are going crazy back on the old compost pile!

And it's time to check that hive for brood to see if the queen is still laying....

Yep....looks like she is doing pretty well for herself! 

 And there is already honey production underway.  I have one word for that....YAY!!!

More yummy baby grapes....

Anybody need any red sail lettuce?  It is always so prolific that I have a hard time using it as fast as it is ready....but I do love a couple of big red sail leaves on a juicy hamburger!

Looks like there will be plenty of plums for jam this year if the bugs and birds will leave enough of them alone.....here's hoping!

And the cherries are even setting....

The newest addition to our "permanent" summer time bird-watching pleasure.  We have at least two pair of indigo buntings that are nesting in the vicinity and the males are making frequent visitors to this feeder on the back deck....

And then there are the flowers....just as the tulips were dying back, the iris starting blooming.  First, these purple lovelies 

...and now these beauties.

Even the peonies are starting to bloom!

The apple trees are setting their fruit....wonder if the harvest will be as abundant as last year.  If so, I need to find some new ways to preserve apples...maybe dehydrate?

Before I forget, here are a few pics of the recent installation of the new queen and her attending hordes in our second hive....

 The queen and her loyal attendees....

...stapling her (in her cage) to one of the frames so that the rest of the bees and she can acclimate and make nice...we hope.  Several of the new boxes of bees in our area have killed the queen before she was even released from her cage, so here's hoping!

After the queen cage was securely attached, Willie shook most of the bees from the box into the hive...and then started putting frames back in....

 All ready to close up...

We'll keep you posted on how the acclimation process goes.  Hopefully, we will have a healthy, thriving hive with a productive, laying queen!  You think it's okay to pray for our bees?  I do!!  They provide us with wonderful raw, organic honey and provide the environment with a much needed service....pollination!

Check back in a few days to see how the new "family" is doing!

 



Spring has arrived!!!

Yes, spring really has arrived....and summer will soon be upon us, but let me "wallow" in the joys of spring for just a little while....

 

"Scrambled egg" daffodils, as our neighbor calls them....

And we consider it a good sign of spring when the goldfinch return to the finch feeder....let me tell you, they can clean that thing out in just a few days!

 And I mustn't forget the bluebirds....they just make me smile!

 We have a pair who are tending a nest with five eggs in it....

Spring also means it is time to start checking the bees.  One of our hives is doing great, but the one behind Willie....well, we had to order a new box of bees and a queen.  (Insert really sad face here!)

 Love our flowering quince...

 Just a bright spot at the back of the lot...looks like this robin agrees!

 





The damsen plum out back by the apple trees was LOADED with blossoms.  I'm hoping that translates into a bumper crop of plums....yum, yum!

Our garden is already producing...the chives wintered over well, and have already been the "victim" of harvesting....

 And our deck planters have already provided a few fresh-as-fresh-can-be salad greens....

Now I'm impatiently waiting for that spinach...

A stroll around the yard reveals that the daffodils have faded, the tulips ARE fading, but look, the Asiatic lilies are sprouting up fast and furiously

 ...the peonies are budding...

 ...and the grape hyacinths are still blooming back by the shed.

Oh, and look...the radishes are popping up,
 
 ....the dogwood are blooming....

 ....along with the apple trees.

And, of course, a tour of "Our Green Acre" wouldn't be complete without a shot of my favorite view from the back deck...

On this Easter Sunday, our prayer is that you will know the risen Messiah as your personal Savior and Lord, and rejoice in the power and glory of His resurrection.

Change....

Today is one of "those" days....a day when I feel a slight restlessness, when I am ready for a little change...and I think the changing of the seasons is just what I am looking forward to.  A crispness in the air, the beautiful colors in the ever-changing foliage....the taste of a pumpkin latte or some mulled apple cider. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed the summer months with all their activity, but now I am ready for time for introspection, self-examination....and that seems to come easiest to me in the autumn months.  Don't get me wrong, there are still a lot of "activities" to be involved in....community group has started back up, the Bible study that I lead is already in progress with another one to start the first of next month....but there's just something about fall that seems to give me time to look deeper within myself....and others...and situations.  At times it can be eye-opening....at other times it is painful....and still other times bring a deep sense of peace to my spirit.  Whatever else it brings, it usually brings growth, and for that I am grateful.

What about the coming autumn months inspires change in you?

Life goes on....

In the midst of all the events of the last several weeks, we have been reminded that life does, indeed, go on!  Last weekend, we decided that if we were going to get any honey from the hives this year, we had better get busy....so on the appointed day, Mr. Man and I suited up.  Well, Mr. Man did....I settled for a good thick white shirt and my hat/veil.  After all, I was only taking pictures, right?  I'm not sure all of the bees believed that.  No, I didn't get stung, but boy, were those guard bees ever vigilant....at one point chasing me halfway up to the house!  But we did manage to "rob" enough honey to get us through the winter and spring....hopefully, next year will be a more productive year for "our" bees, as my dad used to call them!

Looks like a pretty good brood (eggs, larvae) for this late in the year!

I really don't think they were too happy with us today....

 Mmmmm....yummy honey!

 Closing up...

And, now, on to today's chore....well, yesterday and today's that is.  Mr. Man borrowed a power washer from our wonderful neighbor yesterday, and in the middle of cleaning our front porch and sidewalk, it inexplicably stopped working.  After much fretting and some time on the internet....love that easy access to manuals...he was able to diagnose the problem and soon had it working again!  Gotta' love a "can-do" kind of guy....that's my Mr. Man!

 And wow....what a difference!

 



Thanks, hon....job well done!

 

And now to leave you with a little bit of beauty from the field behind our house....

 

Just look around....there are always little bits of beauty....even in the midst of tangled messes, hard situations, hurt feelings, medical issues, financial difficulties....whatever your particular struggle is today, stop and look for a little piece of beauty.  It's there...we just need to take our eyes off ourselves for a little while and we will see it.  What little bit of beauty have you seen today?