Bee~ Journal of then...

[Beekissed]

Got those bluebird boxes mounted up and that feels good. They are my favorite songbird and we've had as many as four different families of them nesting around the meadow at a time. The past few years not so much and I think it was due to my substandard nest boxes...more decorative than functional and falling apart. And the good one had several bees nests built in it that I didn't know about...could have kept them from nesting there.

All cleaned out now and new, sturdy boxes built to a bluebird's liking are now up. The new ones have a slide away front that can be opened for cleaning out the box if need be. Not beautiful by any means, but they are functional and should last a long while.

The lawn is greening up with all this rain and warm weather, the honeysuckle is putting out new green leaves. I've put away all the winter water heaters for the animals and put the fermented feed back up at the coop, as well as the feed storage can up to the shed. Got out the communal watering pan for dogs and chickens alike. Transition to spring/summer living for animals has started.

Pretty soon I'll be switching out tarps on the coop from clear to shade.

 

[sumi]

Sounds like spring is knocking on your door, Beekissed Wonderful time of the year, isn't it?

 

[Beekissed]

Sounds like spring is knocking on your door, Beekissed Wonderful time of the year, isn't it?

It always is! Spring in the mountains is always a beautiful thing to experience, with much wildlife to observe, trees in blossom, baby animals to see, etc. It's much too short of a season, as is fall.

That's one reason I don't mind winter and I savor that season along with all the others....I don't want to hurry through it at all. A hard winter makes spring so much more to be grateful for and there's so much work to be done in spring and fall that winter is a much needed rest and recupe from it all.

 

[Beekissed]

The family came out for a day of work on Saturday, wanting to help me get caught up on many chores, while also having a good excuse for a cook out. I was more than happy to receive the help and the love of fellowship with family.

Joel worked like a mule and Eli tried to keep up, so got quite a few naggy little chores marked off the list, but towards afternoon they both started flagging...Joel because he had worked all night and only slept a few hours in his truck afterwards, trout fished awhile and then came here to work, Eli because he stays up all night and usually sleeps most of the day.

Got raised beds filled more, wood chips moved to flower beds, more hay placed on grass growth in the garden, chicken compost removed from the coop and placed in raised beds, in compost rings, etc. Got taters planted finally...got plenty left over to plant, just need to find a place to plant them! Got my outside sink/butcher table/potting table moved from the carport to a sunny spot in the yard(will place hoops on it and use it as a grow table/hardening off table soon), got bags of potting soil moved to the garden. A few large items moved to the "dump", awaiting hauling away to the true dump. Got Eli's pee soaked haybale distributed to the raised beds.

Meanwhile, I got to repot my tomato and some of the pepper seedlings. Will repot the hot peppers soon. Little Ella kept bending over the repotted plants and taking huge sniffs...she thinks they are flowers! Cute, cute, cute!

The little girls and I got some lava rock removed from one place and placed in another. Eli found a HUGE salamander in the wood chip pile and tons of worms as well.

Like this one...but MUCH bigger, less spots.

Had a fire that evening and made smores, had some really good food, played cards that night and laughed 'til I cried, had so much fun, felt so very loved, got to spend so much time with my little girls out in the sunshine. I feel so tremendously blessed, loved, and cherished by the Lord that I can't say thanks enough...but I kept trying all day long.

Filled raised bed...needs tromped down and top soil added to top so I can plant some root crops.



Got to spend time with my little girls in the sunshine and they got to see baby chicks and hug their dogs.

 

[sumi]

It sounds like a wonderful, wonderful day! The little ones are so cute, I love the pics of them kissing the chick

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Oh I wish I lived closer! I'd come do some tromping to get time watching those girls. Great pictures, Bee!

 

[Beekissed]

Making some changes in lifestyle here in a few ways and will post about them when I get the chance. Just need to rebuild my overall health(better fuel intake and more exercise), increase my hours of sleep, but mostly increase my time in the Word and praying each morning.

Been getting up at 6:30 am each morning to have time to read my Bible and pray while the house is still quiet, so I won't have to hurry to do these things because I didn't manage my time well, etc.

Feed, carry fresh water to water pans, etc.

Then taking the dogs for a leash walk to the mailbox, approx. half mile away with 4 moderately steep grades to traverse, so it has a minor work out to it if you walk briskly and focus on your stride and push off the balls of your feet with a little power. Ben is loving it, Jake, at 12 yrs old, has rarely been on a leash and never been tied up, so he's hating it...but still liking a chance for a walk.

This is good for both of them, but especially Ben, who needs more alpha training and more exercise, now that he's on his dog run line full time. I'll work up to taking them in the evening also, to double their walk time for each day.

After we get back, they get a good brushing with a rubber horse brush to get their winter coats brushed out and condition their skin...Jake's already looking less flaky and his fur is back to shiny...was looking a little rough there after winter. After that exercise, they are less rowdy when they get their nails clipped, so got that done this morning too.

So, time with the Lord and more time with the dogs(been neglecting them for some time) and it seems like I have more energy to get things done during the day when I get up earlier. The day seems longer somehow. Still having trouble getting to bed on time, so not getting as much rest as I need, but I'll work on that.

It's nice to have the morning to myself, all the birds singing as we walk along...saw some turkey this morning on the way back, the woods are cool and fresh, so it's all so beautiful to experience. I'm thanking the good, good Lord for the motivation to change things and to spend more focused time getting to know Him better...it's been a lovely week of this new activity thus far.

 

[sumi]

Starting the day on a positive note makes the day good

 

[Beekissed]

Starting the day on a positive note makes the day good

Always, Sumi. Starting out the day in prayer gets one ready to face whatever comes that day because you've already prayed about it, asking God to help you through it all and trusting Him to do so.

I pray throughout each day too, but somehow the quiet of the morning is when I can focus on prayers for others more and that's something I've been needing more of.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

Ps 5:3, "My voice shalt thou hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto thee, and will look up."

Ps 143:8, "Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee."

Bee, that's my special time of the day too.