keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[keljonma]

....I just noticed our bees are the pic of the week!

I found that a frightening, but not an unusual, sight is seeing 100s of dead bees outside the hive. I have a couple frames of honey in cold storage to put into the hives as soon as the temps warm up a bit.

We have been in the mid-20s at night and mid-30s during the daytime. We have had rain and ice and snow recently. However, the temps are supposed to be near 48 today, although it was 26 when we got up this morning. And temps are supposed to be in the upper 40s again tomorrow! And the sun is shining!

TR was scheduled to work today, but was transferred to working modified 2nd shift today instead. I am glad he has tomorrow as his day off so that he can get some sleep - he won't get home until after 2 am.

Jo-Ann Fabrics had batting on sale (40% off) and I had a 10% off coupon for regular and sale priced items. So this week-end I bought the batting for Jon's & Erin's genealogy tree quilt; queen size natural cotton batting came to $17!

Martha, one of my friends from church happens to be an applique queen! She has offered to help me figure out my whole cloth quilt applique. In all the years I've quilted, I have never done applique.

I took the sewing machine out of the room we use for storage. This machine used to belong to one of my sisters, but she gave it to me about 4 years ago when she bought a new machine. Anyway, I haven't ever used it yet. I have to see if I can find the mfgr's user manual online, as she couldn't find the original. When playing with the machine yesterday I found the tension is way off on the bobbin and needle threads.

Things have been busy at home and church. We found another water leak - this time in the second floor master bedroom. The water is coming straight down one of the walls near the closet. I think this is near the main chimney of the house, so may mean the landlords will have to replace/repair roofing on the main portion of the house as well as the already planned replacement on the downstairs bedroom, bathroom and sun room.

Tomorrow night is Ash Wednesday service at church. Our church is starting an all-church study called HEAVEN tomorrow. On the 16th, the Mary/Martha circle are going to the Quilt Show at the Lake Metroparks' Farm Park. And this coming week-end, it will be time to JUMP AHEAD ONE HOUR!


Have fun! Enjoy the sun if ya got some!


edited for spelling

 

[ksalvagno]

I used to applique. It isn't hard. I bet you will enjoy it.

With all this rain that we have had, the leaks in your house must be a pain to deal with. I'm just glad we are getting some sun today. Getting the barns and everything ready for rain tomorrow in case it floods.

Enjoy your week.

 

[lorihadams]

My mom used Wonder Under for her applique stuff. She said it was fabulous! It is the fusible stuff.

I love your bee pic! I'm so excited for our next meeting, they are showing the NOVA video about bees and we are going to have an observation hive so I'm going to let the kids tag along for this one and then we get our bees!

Sorry to hear about the leak....maybe it is the flashing around the chimney, make sure your landlord checks that cause it is a fairly easy fix.

I'm hoping our weather is finally turning around too, although today it was cold when I got up. Felt like the 30s but I'm sure it was probably warmer.

I hadn't thought of pulling out some frames of honey and putting them in storage for the winter. Could you have just left them in the hive or would it have frozen and been unavailable to the bees?

 

[keljonma]

lorihadams wrote: I hadn't thought of pulling out some frames of honey and putting them in storage for the winter. Could you have just left them in the hive or would it have frozen and been unavailable to the bees?

Lori, I loaded up the hives with frames of honey for the bees to eat during the winter. I planned to put the extra honey frames back into the hives in early spring. Keeping them in cold storage prevents moth damage.

****

Paul was over today to check out the house and the septic system - for 2 or 7 unrelated water problems. He checked out the leak upstairs and seems to think that the water is coming down from the chimney flashing. This morning more plaster fell and the paneling on that wall is buckled a bit more as well.

When Paul called to say he was coming over, the rain hadn't started yet; but the minute he pulled into the drive, the deluge began! ! We are under flood watch and a winter storm watch as well. The forecast is predicting up to 10 inches of snow!


I am making bulgaki tonight. (This recipe was posted already, over a year ago). I was going to make a burnt oatmeal cake, but am out of butter, so have to make a run to the store before heading home from the library.


I finally downloaded a pic of the last prayer shawl I made. This is it - a 70" long cable I made in baby blue (although it looks more white in this pic, I think).

My friend Pat wants me to make one like this for her. I'm thinking this will wait till 4th quarter, and I will make it for her as a Christmas surprise. She and her dh Ron are leaving for South Africa in a couple weeks to visit their son James and his wife Rebecca who are teachers with the Peace Corp.

Last Sunday, I saw a new pic of Pat's and Ron's dil Alvina, and she is looking very well. She had morning sickness for the entire first trimester of her pregnancy but has been doing well since. She and Matt are awaiting an April baby.


My friend Miki has 4 1/2 weeks to go before the birth of her 7th. She has 3 boys and 3 girls now...

Our friends Wayne and Regina are about to become grandparents any day now. Their daughter Robin is on bed rest ...... until labor begins. I know they are pretty excited - being a grandparent is terrific!


But here we are all about wedding plans!

I have the preliminary sketch for the center of the quilt drawn up. I am just waiting for Erin's parents to provide names for grandparents and greats. I made a couple practice yo-yos (another first for me ) and it looks like they will be about 3 inches in diameter when done. I have been practicing my script as well.

I was hoping to get with Martha this week, but she has had other plans. So I am just practicing while I wait. I would really like her input on the design I did for the tree portion.


I love this pic of Erin and Jon with their dogs, Roger and Biggs taken earlier this year. I is an unofficial engagement pic.

{picture removed 15 Apr 2011}

Well, I best get a move on so TR can get home and get some dinner.

Stay warm and dry! and Have fun!

 

[framing fowl]

That shawl is beautiful.

What is burnt oatmeal cake? Is it a family tradition?

 

[keljonma]

That shawl is beautiful.

What is burnt oatmeal cake? Is it a family tradition?

Thanks! Well, it is an oatmeal cake with a oatmeal/nut/coconut brown sugar topping that is broiled. I thought I posted the recipe already but couldn't find it. So I will have to bring that one to the library on my flash drive the next time I show up.



My friend Chris just stopped by to tell me that she has had 20 freshlings so far this year and has 2 more pregnant does. She raises Nubians, Toggenbergs and Oberhaslis.



Paul had to replace the septic line from the house to the tank the other day. The back yard is a muddy mess.

The lovely honeybees in Hive Number 1 were out and about today enjoying our 58 temperature and the beautiful sunshine. I was outside too, as it was warmer outside than in the house!

Unfortunately, I saw no action at Hive Number 2..... and our temps are supposed to go back into the upper 30s again this week-end. I will make some HBH sugar syrup tonight and put feeders on tomorrow.


Took the sewing machine to Case today to get cleaned/repaired. I have had no luck with it at all. So far I have made the label for the quilt and started cutting some applique pieces.


Have fun!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Hey, friend! How are you enjoying this weather? I'm so glad the snow is gone and it was almost 60 today!!

 

[keljonma]

Hey, friend! How are you enjoying this weather? I'm so glad the snow is gone and it was almost 60 today!!

We are doing well; thinking of you guys a lot lately. And we are looking forward to some more good weather so we can get down there for a visit!

Titan and TR and I were outside enjoying the sun after TR got home from work. We got as high as 58 and the sun was shining. I see tomorrow's forecast won't be as warm, and temp is supposed to go down to mid 30s tomorrow night.

The sewing machine shop said it will take a week for them to get to call me back with the verdict. A cleaning and tension/timing adjustment is $50. I am doing as much as I can on the quilt without getting anything actually done.

Enjoy the weather! It won't be long before it is here to stay!

 

[keljonma]

Temps got down to 34 last night and our high today is supposed to be 38. The sun is shining, so that is a great thing!

I put 1 pollen patty and HBH sugar syrup in the Miller Feeder and put it on hive#1 a bit earlier today. I should have done it yesterday when the temps were a bit warmer, but wasn't really home to do it when the syrup wasn't too warm to put in the feeder.

We're supposed to get back up into the 50s this coming week, so maybe I will open up hive #2 and see what it really looks like in there. I am not really expecting much, as there hasn't been but 2 or 3 bees on the outside of that hive any of the warmer days we have had. This morning there were 5 bees sitting in the sun on hive#1 when I went to add the feeder.

Kel was asking me to go down to TX to visit, but now is talking about bringing the kids up here for a month's vacation. The grands are about the same age as QA's children .... so that could be a fun visit.

TR has the week-end off so have been just doing fun stuff this morning. The local quilt shop had their green fabrics on sale $1/off per yard, so I bought a green fabric with tree images on it for the back of the genealogy quilt. And I was playing around with the quilt design a bit more and have decided to remove the two outer borders in the original pattern and just make a wall-hanging sized quilt. I promise pics as I have them.


Take care and have fun!

 

[ksalvagno]

I hope your bees do ok for you. Great find on the material!