happy first day of summer!

Ahhh, today is one of those days that will surely bring up opposite points of view. To some, (me), it's hard to believe the days will be getting shorter...it's a bit sad, how is that possible already? To others, (you know who you are!) it's now officially summer, nothing sad about it, let's enjoy every moment!  

And so it goes...summer has officially come to the farm, but you would hardly know it. 

yes...the flowers are in boom

yes...the garden is growing madly

yes...the grass seems to need mowing endlessly

and yes, the kiddos are out of school and enjoying these lazy days

However, my hubby said it was 48-degrees when he left for work yesterday, and do these look like scenes from a Midwestern summertime usually filled with heat & humidity?

Yes...this is Sweet Girl, 

and Little Man, roasting marshmallows...in June!

Now, don't get me wrong...this is just fine by me. While I love the summertime bounty found at the farmers' market and from our own back yard, I do not love the heat & humidity that usually come along with such joys of summer.

The weather, while fall-like, has been ideal for putting in the garden, weeding flowerbeds, and all around summertime chores. It could stay like this all 'til October and I'd be jumping for joy!

And so, while it lasts (deep down I know it will hit 90-degrees eventually) tonight, to celebrate the first day of summer, I'll hang tealight lanterns from the trees, light a small bonfire, and we'll be roasting marshmallows again...s'mores anyone?

Sarah Ban Breathnach sums up my feelings perfectly...

"I believe the nicest and sweetest days are not those on which anything very splendid or wonderful or exciting happens, but those that bring simple little pleasures, following one another softly, like pearls slipping off a string,"

Happy first day of summer, friends! 

4-H llama time!

When we see this rolling field,

 and the cupola with a distinctive llama at the top...

we know we're getting close to the llama farm! Both our kids are in 4-H, and will be
taking llamas to the county fair for showing...there's just something about
these quiet, and yes, humming animals, they have always loved.

And since we don't have llamas of our own, we're fortunate enough to have found a club that has a terrific Lease-a-Llama program...it works out perfectly!

The warm weather has found us at the farm lately for practices and meetings, and yesterday we were greeted with lots of friendly faces enjoying the springtime sunshine...

along with week-old babies...

and this sweet one-day-old, who was staying very close to mama...

There are lots of things I like about 4-H, and the pledge sums them up best:

logo source: www.caes.uga.edu

garden whimsy...

Some spots in our our flower gardens just need a little pop of color. The flowerbeds on the west side of our house, which should have lots of cheery afternoon sun, are in heavy to dappled shade from 3 very old, very tall maple trees.

Now while that makes the house much cooler on those hot summer days, it makes planting colorful flowers somewhat hard on that side. Hostas are thriving, but nothing else seems to, and I'd really like a bit more color.

And so, here's a fuss-free, no-weed solution...

What do you think?

It's oh-so easy to make...you can have your own in no time at all. You'll need four mismatched plates of different sizes, a little glass bottle (you can find them at your local craft shop), a 20" length of rebar from the home improvement store, and a tube of permanent adhesive (Quick Grip is my favorite...it's water and weather-proof.)

Set aside the largest plate, right-side up...this will the bottom of your stack of plates. Making sure each plate is dry, begin with the next smallest plate and run a bead of adhesive along the underside. 

Center it on the large plate you've set aside. Continue layering the remaining two plates the same way, until all 4 are glued together. Set them aside to completely dry for 24 hours.

Once the stack is dry and secure, gently turn it upside down and center your glass bottle on the back of the largest plate like this...

and let set for 24 hours...just to be certain it will be strong.

Here's the fun part, find a spot in your garden that needs some color, and pound the rebar into the ground, leaving several inches showing. Turn the stack of plates so the bottle opening is facing down, and slip it over the rebar.

You may have to adjust the height of the rebar a few times to get it just right, but that's easy.
And you're done...

stand back and admire your creativity!

who would have thought...2 honeybee swarms in one day!

Well, my next post was supposed to show you the whimsical what-not's I'd been creating for our flowerbeds...

but no...it didn't happen, and here's why. 

My beekeeping neighbor found swarm cells during her last hive inspection, and asked our bee mentor to take a look at them with her. I was invited to tag along, which is always great...I'm almost ready to complete my first year of beekeeping, so it's terrific to learn something new.

As I was putting on my bee suit, I received a message that she'd just discovered a swarm...what luck, and with our mentor on the way! It was amazing to see how the swarm was caught and then moved to a new hive. Viola...she instantly has more bees!

Here are a few snapshots of our adventure...

The swarm landed in a nearby evergreen tree.

Once the branch was snipped off, the bees were carried to a nuc box...

and shaken into their temporary home, while a new hive was quickly put together.

Now, about this time, my hubby and Little Man show up at our neighbors' home with the news that they've found a swarm at our house too!



And here's what it looked like...

It was in a tree just a few yards from our hive.

The frames of a nuc box were sprayed with sugar-water.

The swarm was low, so it was decided to shake them into the nuc box...

I love the before & after of this photo and the one above!

And,  as if by magic, they climb into their temporary, new home.

Whew, what a day! 

Now, our neighbor is keeping her swarm...making 4 hives at her home. She sells at the farmers' market each week, along with a few other markets around town.

However; I've decided I'm still learning, and not ready to add a second hive just yet. And although I hate to lose this queen (she has a good temperament making the hive a gentle one), I'll have one of her daughters as a new queen in our first hive.

And so it goes...you just never know what each day will bring!

springtime & May...

 

During this merry month of May, it's been a joy to putter in flower gardens, listen to the buzzing of bees, and wake to songbirds greeting each new day.

What a lovely feeling to walk barefoot on the cool morning grass along a well-worn path leading to sun-dappled spot just made for relaxing in. My favorite place to sit has two vintage chairs just waiting for me. You know the kind of chairs I mean...the springy ones from the 50's that gently bounce back & forth. Oh, how I love them!

May is also the ideal time to plan a vegetable garden...at least here in the Midwest. Our last predicted frost date is May 15, and after the long, cold winter we've just experienced, friends & neighbors are happy to let the memory of those bitter winds steadily fade.

Not far from home, there's a small family-owned nursery, and then down the road a bit more, is a Mennonite farmstand that sells seedlings and potted plants. It's always fun to look over the plant names and choose something new to try each year. Sitting in a row with my usual finds are some new tomato names...Black Cherry and Marglobe.  My goal is to get them all tucked into the garden this weekend, then enjoy watching them grow under the warmth of the sun and the cooling of the spring rains.

Spring is also a terrific time for hitting the antiques trail! There are some great barn sales and flea markets popping up now, and the little shops along our town square are filled with great finds. I came across a stack of the prettiest mismatched plates, along with some flowery teacups & saucers. With the help of some Quick Grip permanent adhesive, I plan to created a bit of whimsy for our flower garden. (Will show you this weekend!)

And so it is spring...soon to officially become summer, and it invites us to spruce up our nests both inside and out. These fine days and simple pleasures lighten our spirits...and beneath these blue skies, country living is bliss.

petal to the metal...uh, dirt that is

It was a lovely weekend here in the Midwest, and we all enjoyed the breezy, sunshiny, blue-skied days of spring.

For Mothers' Day this year, I was gifted with a full-of-fun, made-me-smile retro-style bike!

It's just what I need...a good old-fashioned bike with no speedy gears or handlebar breaks.
The perfect bike to get me from here to there.

There's a handy spot in the back to hold a little picnic basket, 

And, surprise...a pop bottle opener along the side! It'll be perfect when it's time for an icy bottle of root beer, orange cream, or grape soda while biking along the country roads.

Now don't get me wrong...I still love my good old 1955 Cadillac bike (it's the green one along the left sidebar with flowers in the basket), and it's just right when I'm out on my own.

However; throw two energetic kids into the mix for a bike ride, and I need something just a bit more updated...but then, not too much. 

I took her for a spin last evening with the kids...and would you believe, in May, that we were bundled up in sweaters, sweatshirts, and gloves? There was an icy breeze blowing and even a freeze warning for our area!

And so it goes...the ups & downs of springtime.

Happy Monday to all!

today's giggle...

I'm thick in the "Spring Cleaning vs. Spring Fever" battle...I must admit, cleaning is losing.  

The weather here has been absolutely perfect for filling flowerbeds, tilling the garden, inspecting the hive, sprucing up the hen house, and plotting and scheming my summertime dreams.

However, I quickly took a break when I received an email from my friend, Kris, who shared this adorable picture with me...it's had me smiling all week! 

Etsy Shop here...

Ahhh, so sweet!

Etsy Shop here

Swing by and visit Julie Persons at her Etsy shop to see her terrific photography featuring...

Chicks in Hats...here.

Sure to brighten you day!

Thanks Kris!

on my wish list...

Photo Source...here

For my birthday I was gifted with a bag of goat treats, colorful goat leads complete with matching buckets (orange, pink, yellow, blue & lime green...I'm sure Sweet Girl had something to do with the color choices!

Also tucked inside was a certificate stating that...
"The bearer of this certificate is authorized to acquire up to three (3) goats for her enjoyment."

What more could a girl ask for?

It's officially...

The Year of the Goat!

spring fever...

Simply stepping outside or listening through an open window, I can hear the melodies of springtime songbirds. They are enjoying this week's good weather, which you'll see from my last post, is quite a change! It's just about perfect outside...blue skies, puffy clouds, and warm breezes. 

The girls are happy to leave the confines of the hen house behind as they stretch their legs and enjoy this breath of spring. 

The bees have been out buzzing around bringing in pollen...yay! It's a thrill to know they've made it through their first winter...now to keep them healthy through these critical weeks in early spring. 

Not only us, but the the animals, whether it's Cocoa the rabbit...

or Mr. Myrtle the cat...

are all enjoying the early days of spring.

This time of year we try to give our house and yard a close inspection. And while I've been spring cleaning lately, anyone who stops by might think that's debatable. In my opinion, it always looks worse, before it looks better. 

Cleaning out clutter is never enjoyable (to me, at least). In the bright sunlight, surfaces seem hopelessly dusty, while dust bunnies are clearly in view from their winter hiding spots. Paperwork seems to have a way of multiplying, and has sadly ended up stacked in perilous disarray.

Outside however; the first tender shoots of daffodils are pushing their way through the warming earth. There are buds on the lilac bush and red maple tree. With a little work, sticks and branches from winter winds will be collected, flowerbeds tidied, and the garden tilled.

Yes, spring fever has a way of winning the battle each year with spring cleaning. The warming days certainly tug at us to come outdoors...the days are fine, and Sweet Girl has already brightened my heart by giving me my first bouquet of spring flowers. 

It's truly a time to make plans and enjoy the spirit of rebirth...a time of promise and simple pleasures.

spring break...

Last week was our spring break from school, and even though the calendar said March, this kept us indoors...

Don't get me wrong...it was lovely, and we "camped out" just for fun in front of the fireplace most nights. 

It was a homemade hot cocoa & popcorn, favorite movie marathon, bowling, crafting, visiting with grandma & cousins, egg-hunting, & chocolate eating kind of spring break.

Now today, the house is quiet...

However, I've realized that post-spring-break leaves the house looking like a pack of wild animals ran through it. It's definitely time for me to kick it up a notch and dig into spring cleaning! It'll keep me busy until the kids are back home with their stories of the day.

sending wishes for a happy Easter...

spiff up a candle for Easter!

As soon as the "wearin' of the green" was taken down, the Easter goodies went up! 

It seems that Easter is so early this year...there's no time to waste, so I thought I'd share an idea that's oh-so quick & easy. 

A postcard-wrapped jar candle is so simple, you'll easily make several in no time, and they're terrific for sharing with friends & family.

A trip to your local flea market will turn up oodles of vintage postcards for a song, or if you don't want to brave the still-wintry weather (it was 12 degrees when I took the kiddos to school this morning!), take a peek here to find lots of postcards, silhouettes, and other clever images you'll love.

Use decorative-edge scissors to cut a piece of colorful paper a bit larger than needed, then add a copy of your postcard or image...a bit of spray adhesive on the wrong side of the image will secure it, then another light spray of adhesive on the back of the paper will keep in place on your jar candle. 

You're done in no time at all, and now you have gift from the heart for sharing this
Easter season.

 

conundrum...

Conundrum is defined as:

"a  logical postulation that evades resolution, an intricate and difficult problem."

Today's conundrum...

1 day

5 happy hens

7 eggs

I have 2 questions...

Number one: How is this possible?

Number two: How soon can I expect a golden egg?

This isn't the first time we've been surprised and collected more eggs than we have hens. A joke, perhaps? Well, our nearest neighbor is a dear man of 77 who is not the prankster type, and our trusty farm dog is always near the hen house...she would definitely let us know if there was anyone nearby.

I absolutely checked the nest boxes first thing in the morning...empty.
At day's end, 7 eggs are tucked inside.

Here's my advice to anyone considering buying chicks this year...

find. these. breeds.

       

Tetra Tint

Golden Comet

There's just something magical about them!