keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[keljonma]

Thanks, everyone. It seems to be a year for loss.

TR used to tell folks that we'd call Pastor Meredith over to hold a funeral service when any of The Ladies died. (Not true...we did the funeral service ourselves. ) So I've had lots of people ask what we did for the girls in the hive.

The answer is I saved some in a jar for the local beek inspector and the rest when into the flower garden. They were fascinating, but they definitely weren't pets!


I am glad Saturday was nice enough to get the job done (hive cleaning), as we are back to crap rain and temps are dropping. Our high this morning at 6 am was 56 and the forecast I heard said low 40s by tonight. Thunderstorms are in the forecast for the week. :/ I heard our area got over 70 inches of precipatation in April - the highest amount on record.



My "baby" sister C turns the big 5-0 on May 5th! She and sister K share a birthday, but K will be 54. K lives in Nevada and will get the usual HB card. But here in Ohio, sister L and I and C's daughters are planning an HB party. I am making an Italian Cassata Cake with strawberries, which is one of C's favorites.


I should be extracting honey today, but am playing catch-up with my emails, family blog, facebook, and ss. TR is working today but off tomorrow. Maybe I'll wait until tomorrow to extract, so I can get his help.


HAVE FUN!

 

[BeccaOH]

Sorry about the bees.

 

[keljonma]

Thanks, Becca. Granddaughter said we should look at it as the honey left is their final gift to us.

I didn't get any extracting done today because TR had a bunch of errands to run and we had to go vote this morning.

The only issue on the ballot in the township was a levy for the local public library (where TR works part time). We're praying the levy passes, as if it doesn't there will be more cuts made this year. If the levy does pass, it will bring in just enough money for the library to continue working; it won't add anything to the budget.

So far the director has taken a 5% pay cut, the library cut the open hours by 1 day, and patrons were asked to adopt subscriptions for the magazines. Any magazine not adopted is no longer being carried by our local library. They also had a donation tree set up at Christmas - patrons could pick a tag and purchase needed items. Some of the tags were pens, pencils, dvd tv series or dvd or blue-ray movies, music cds, and stuff like that.



The weather is crap again for the next couple days. We have rain and 43 today; and tonight's temp is supposed to be mid 30s. I would say it feels like February, but I think we were in the 50s back then!

The road used by the Amish lumberjacks is a river of mud. Yet they have been working half days Monday through Friday for the past month; except for Good Friday). TR said they have some wood planks down on parts of the road they are using to get to the back 30 acres. TR is 6'4" tall and his mucks were covered with mud to his knees!! He is really glad he isn't working back there with those guys.

There was an article in the local newspaper that the farmers in this area are concerned that they won't be able to get crops planted in time to get a good harvest this year. The fields are still too wet to work. Agriculture is the number one economy in our county.... not good news. Here in our garden, it looks like the garlic planted last autumn is gone. There were green shoots earlier in the year, but now there is nothing. The yarrow was starting to green up a bit but doesn't seem to be growing much. We have green bits on bulbs in the flower garden, but only the snowdrops here and some daffodils next door at the landlords' have bloomed. We do have the hawthorne, sour cherry, apple, and I think dogwoods, in bloom here. At the library, the azaelas are in full bloom and are magnificent.


Tonight TR had a Relay for Life team fundraising meeting, then Disciples Bible study and then 2 hours working at the library.

I have just been cooking, reading and working on family tree quilt tops.


HAVE FUN!

 

[keljonma]

The only issue on the ballot in the township was a levy for the local public library (where TR works part time). We're praying the levy passes, as if it doesn't there will be more cuts made this year. If the levy does pass, it will bring in just enough money for the library to continue working; it won't add anything to the budget.

Thank God! The local library levy passed 77.56% to 22.44% !!

 

[Farmfresh]

 

[Denim Deb]

 

[BeccaOH]

I think the only crops we're going to get out of gardens this year will be under greenhouse hoops. I need to set one or two up I guess.

On a funny note, I have 3 broody cochins in a nest box that has 4 holes. I decided to give each 9 eggs to set. One ditsy girl keeps leaving her clutch to go to the new eggs laid in the open box. So yesterday I found 4 broody hens filling all the boxes. Seems like Betty the BO has decided to take over a clutch that a cochin abandoned.

 

[keljonma]

I think the only crops we're going to get out of gardens this year will be under greenhouse hoops. I need to set one or two up I guess.

I understand about the hoop houses. We are experiencing a rare day - NO RAIN in the forecast for TODAY. And the temps are supposed to reach the low 60s! Not surprisingly, thunderstorms are forecast for tomorrow. Last Saturday while I was playing with hives, the landlord was testing soil temps - still not warm enough for traditional Mother's Day planting yet.

On a funny note, I have 3 broody cochins in a nest box that has 4 holes. I decided to give each 9 eggs to set. One ditsy girl keeps leaving her clutch to go to the new eggs laid in the open box. So yesterday I found 4 broody hens filling all the boxes. Seems like Betty the BO has decided to take over a clutch that a cochin abandoned.

So much for downsizing!

Watch out for Betty! She is the typical nasty broody hen. While Lou would scream when we checked on eggs or hatchings, Betty always attacked!


edited for typos

 

[keljonma]

Yesterday my landlady told me it was National Respect A Chicken Day! So I gave her a knitted chicken ornament.

We had pizza fish for dinner last night. TR is not truly fond of plain fish, so this one goes well at our house.

Pizza Fish
Fish fillets
Pizza or spaghetti sauce
Finely diced veggies, optional
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan cheese, grated

Thaw 1 large fish fillet per person. Place the fillets in a greased or foil-lined baking dish. Cover with the sauce, veggies, and cheeses. Bake at 325 for about 15 minutes, or until fish flakes when checked with a fork.

I made it with haddock fillets this time, but any fish works.


Today is the National Day of Prayer. While I am not against a *named* day of prayer.here EVERYDAY is a day of prayer. We have a great deal to be thankful and prayerful about.

Among those we are praying for is our friends Paul and Sophia and their family

Pauls uncle Bob was recently diagnosed with Alzheimers and has moved in with them as he cant take care of himself. While his mind is going, Bob is in excellent physical health, so someone must be at home with Bob at all times so he doesnt do any of those things Alzheimer victims are infamous for. Like walk or drive away from home and get lost; or start cooking or turning on a faucet and forget about it. Since Paul and Sophia are the only two employees of their small home construction and repair business, they are having a hard time financially this year.

Sophias brother John had a stroke almost 3 years ago. Recently she moved him from a nursing home on the southwest side of Cleveland to a health care facility closer to their home. John was very happy about the move and seemed to be doing well. On May 3rd, John was taken to the hospital because he was seriously ill. Yesterday John was placed on Hospice care.


Have some fun today and bless someone with your prayers!

 

[keljonma]

I posted this on Javamama's journal and thought I'd post here as well.

Here is the forecast for our NE section of OH...
High Low Conditions
Today 58 45 Sunny
Friday 61 48 Showers
Sat 62 60 Showers
Sun 57 48 Showers
Mon 60 51 Mostly Cloudy


So much for planting on Mother's Day this Sunday!