Mother's Day Printable

With Mother's Day being in a few days I wanted to share a FREE printable. It would make a nice last minute gift if you print and frame it for your mom or to go along with a gift card or whatever. You could also size it smaller to print, cut, and place it on the front of a card to use as your Mother's Day card. So there are lots of options!

Here's one version matted with cardstock and on a simple folded card.

If you have photo editing software, open the JPEG, and change up the colors to what you want. I made some various color options for you that are printable as a 8x10....

CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW TO DOWNLOAD A HIGH RESOLUTION JPG TO PRINT!!

Here it is printed and framed!

If you have the time, then you can whip up this simple hand embroidered pattern and either frame it in a 5x7 frame or just leave it in a wooden hoop you used to embroider, tie a ribbon bow on top, and voila! You can size it for whatever you want in either Word or your favorite photo editing software. The DMC colors I used was 817 (red), 775 (blue), 704 (green), and 727 (yellow). I backstitched the words, stem stitched the green flower part and used French knots on the yellow flower parts.

Just FYI, I am very much an amateur at embroidering. Maybe you can tell?!? lol Anyways, I was able to stitch this up in about two hours. Transfer the image to your choice of fabric and get stitching. (I do wish I had picked a darker blue for the words. Still learning!)

Here's the image.

Please share where you found the printables and embroidery design if you use it and feel free to backlink to this post! I would love to see your version of it so share on our Facebook page, Instagram, or wherever but let me know so I can check it out!

In honor of Mother's Day, here is my mama and me in summer 1985. :)

Whether you are celebrating Mother's Day this year or not, I am hoping you have a beautiful day! And whether you are a mother or not, then you can still strive to be the attributes below! <3

Prepping For Guests

Last weekend we had four ladies from a Bible college stay at our house while we had a teen-family weekend retreat at our church. They made up a traveling trio and their pianist who are starting to travel to churches this summer. I was so excited to have them as was the rest of the family. Growing up, my parents kept college students when singing groups visited our church. Wade and I have also kept multiple guests over the years from college students to families to missionaries and guest preachers that were visiting our church. Our kids already have great memories of those we have hosted.

Getting ready for their visit, I have some set things I like to do to make sure our guests feel welcomed and comfortable. I thought I would share a list of the things that help ready the guest room for our company.

1. CLEAN ROOM.
I know this is NOT a very profound statement. However, it is ideal to make sure the room is dusted and vacuumed and that the bathroom they will use is very clean. We all know how we feel when we stay at a hotel and find a hair in the bathroom upon arrival. Yuck. Make sure there is extra toilet paper close by as well. I am not saying you have to clean the baseboards and windowsills but how tidy the room is will be a reflection on you and your family.

Be sensitive to fragrances when cleaning the room. See my post discussing Synthetic Fragrances to find learn a bit about how they can hurt people. I did not think to bring this up until my husband mentioned I should. We stayed at a hotel recently where they sprayed Febreze every day when they cleaned our room. We both got headaches. Synthetic fragrances are in cleaners, plug-in air fresheners, candles, room sprays, etc. You can make a super easy, inexpensive, and natural room spray yourself which I shared on Room Spray Alternative. I also have a recipe that fits the same description for dusting spray on Homemade Dusting Spray and Furniture Polish.

2. FRESH SHEETS.
Our guest bed stays made up when we do not have company but the sheets are not on it. That way when I am preparing for guests to arrive, I can be sure the sheets I put on are fresh. If it’s been a while since we have had someone stay, and they have sat in the closet for several months, then I will often throw the clean sheets in the dryer and fluff them for a bit to freshen them. Sometimes I even throw in my dryer balls with a drop of nice smelling essential oil to help.

My husband and I love fresh sheets. In fact I have told him that one of these days (probably when the kids are out of the house), I want to change the sheets every other day instead of once a week like I do now. I feel like I sleep better on fresh sheets. How about you? I think it’s nice for guests to have as well.

3. FRESH PILLOWS.
I could have very well included this with sheets but I think it deserves its own point. When we travel, I almost always bring my own pillow. I know when we stay at hotels they clean the pillows, but how well? I do not want to lay my face on a pillow someone else has slobbered on. (Am I getting too gross today? Just the truth.)

Over time I have bought a pillow cover for every bed pillow in the house including the pillows for guests. Because I use them, I feel confident that they are clean. No stained pillows lurking beneath those pillow shams! I have on occasion fluffed the pillow in the dryer. Extra pillows are optional but nice if you have them! I make sure there is a soft and firm pillow for guests so they have their choice. I only do this because I sleep on my stomach usually and like a soft pillow whereas my husband sleeps on his side or back and likes a firmer one. (Experience IS the best teacher!)

4. EXTRA BLANKETS.
Some of us tend to get hot at night and some of us could wear sweats and keep three blankets on us and still be cold. When we go on vacation we will set the thermostat at the house on what we keep it at home, but it seems it does not feel the same. We are either hotter than usual or cooler than usual. Make sure you have an extra blanket and point it out to your guest so they know it is there to use.

If you live in a cold area or it is winter time, then several extra blankets or an electric blanket would be helpful. And likewise, if it is summer or you live in a warm climate such as sunny Florida, you may want to offer a ceiling fan or an electric fan to keep guests comfortable.

5. CLOCK.
Many people nowadays use their mobile phones as an alarm clock, but if they do not, then offer an inexpensive clock with an alarm they can use.

6. NIGHT LIGHT AND/OR LAMP.
Keep a lamp or night light by the bed so they can get safely in and out of bed when it is dark. You know the feeling when you are staying somewhere new. They may have luggage laying in the floor or just not know the setup of the room so to keep toes and shins free of stubs and bruises, it’s nice to have a lamp to help with navigating.

In the bathroom I keep a nightlight that has an on/off switch so they can decide if they want it on.

7. SNACKS.
This is an area that I went a bit overboard on last weekend. I thought it would be nice to get the girls some snacks to have in their room. I started out thinking peanut butter crackers, cereal bars, and bottled water – all things I already had in the pantry that I could spare. However, I thought it may be nice to get some fruit…and peanuts…and chocolate of some sort (they were girls, after all!)…and chips.

Like I said, I got a little crazy. (Surprised?) Just having some bottled waters and fruit or some snacks (like crackers or cereal bars) is nice to offer. You may have family staying at your house and this is not necessary because they feel completely at home, but if you have first-time guests like we were, it is polite to offer something like this as most will not feel comfortable rummaging through your pantry or refrigerator to find a snack if they get hungry at eleven o’clock at night or wake up at six in the morning and need to stave some hunger pangs.

The chalk pen below is the one I used to write the "Welcome" on the little chalk label on the basket. It was my first time using one, and I was okay with how it came out. (I am far from being one of those chalk artists though!)

You could go the extra mile and include a small coffee pot or electric tea pot with cups if you know your guests are coffee or tea drinkers. We kept our old four-cup coffee pot when we bought a new one several years ago, so I have that as an option if needed.

8. EXTRA TOILETRIES.
There have been several times we have visited family, and I have left my shampoo at home. Sometimes guests forget things like that or a toothbrush or toothpaste. Have a drawer or basket or someplace where you can keep some extra toiletries to offer guests if they do forget. I keep normal sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner in the shower but also have some of those small bottles from hotel stays I keep in a drawer along with some extra toothbrushes and those small tubes of toothpaste the dentist gives when we get our teeth cleaned. Buy sample sizes or keep the ones when you travel to use for guests.

Things to include but not limited to are toothpaste, toothbrushes (you can get them for less than a dollar at Walmart), dental floss, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, cotton balls, cotton swabs, disposable razor, lint roller, small first aid kit, etc.

9. FLUFFY TOWELS.
Do you enjoy a nice, fluffy, thirsty towel like I do? When our towels get used over and over, day in and day out, they get a little thin and worn. Maybe even stained from cutting yourself shaving. (raised hand) Keep a few newer, fluffier towels for your guests if you can. Lay out clean (unstained) wash cloths to use as well. Make sure they are available and visible so they know where they are when they go to take a shower!

10. CLOSET SPACE AND/OR DRESSER FOR CLOTHES.
You may not have closet space to offer but you could put a hook over the door for them to use. If you do not have dresser space then just have a small stool or place where they can keep their suitcase easily accessible. If you do have these to offer then keep extra hangers in the closet and make sure those dresser drawers are clean!

11. IRONING BOARD.
When I go places, I do not pack things that need to be ironed. Okay, who am I kidding? I do not even buy clothes that need ironing (or I will wear them wrinkled or my husband irons them for me). However, our guests have very often needed an ironing board. In our last house the guest room and bathroom were right beside the laundry room so it was easy to use.

Now the ironing board stays in Wade’s closet (told ya he did the ironing!). It would be a bit awkward having a college girl ironing her clothes in my husband’s closet, so about a year ago we purchased an extra ironing board and eventually an extra iron to keep in our guest room closet. It is not necessary to have an extra of these but just have an ironing board with iron available for them to use.

12. TISSUES.
This is something so simple, but yet I always want need a box by my bed. Wade grew up using toilet paper to blow his nose, but my mama always had a box of tissues in practically every room in the house. You will find it that way at mine. lol Maybe my family tends to have stuffy/runny noses? Whatever the case, I like to offer this simple thing in the bedroom or bathroom for my guests.

13. TRASH CAN.
Is a reason needed for this one? Just make sure you have emptied before they arrive.

14. WI-FI INFORMATION.
There are lots of cute and neat ways to display it on Pinterest. If you run out of time to do something like that, just writing it on a sticky note and putting it the room will suffice.

15. FRESH FLOWERS.
So fresh flowers are not necessary, I realize. And if we were having only men stay, then I would probably not do it. For the four ladies who stayed with us last weekend, I bought a bunch of fresh flowers at the local grocery store and divided it into two vases so there were flowers in the bathroom and flowers in the bedroom. Fresh flowers always make me smile and can make a room feel cheery. Would it not make you feel welcomed to walk into a guest room to see the hostess had bought fresh flowers for you?

Plus, when your guests leave – if they are only staying a couple of nights – you get to move the flowers into a room where you can enjoy them a few more days. ;)

This list is not exhaustive nor are they all a necessity. We have been fortunate to have an extra room for guests in our last two houses. However, in our first house we did not and that meant we either had guests stay in our bedroom or on the fold-out sofa in the living room (which meant we slept on the fold-out sofa bed). We made do with what we had and did our best to make our guests feel welcomed and allow as much privacy as possible.

I also do not expect you to go out and buy all the things on this list. As I have noted on several things, we have slowly acquired these things over the years. In the past I have taken a clock or lamp or trash can out of another bedroom to be used in the guest room for the extent of their stay.

Other ideas: brochures on area attractions, paper and pen, magazines or books to read, chair to relax if there is room in the bedroom, hairdryer, robe, extra house key (and house alarm code, if applicable) if they will be coming and going, and you may want to leave a bottle of DIY Poo-Pourri Spray in the bathroom!

When we have guests I feel like I need a checklist of everything I need to tell them. For example, last weekend I forgot to show them where the extra blankets were. I was lying in bed going to sleep and started thinking about this and consequently, began to worry a bit. Now, I have this list on paper to help me remember what to do. I can also use as needed to remember the things I need to tell my guests when they arrive (such as where the extra blankets are, the extra toiletries, where they can put their clothes, etc).

No matter the size of your house or what you are able to offer your guests, you can always make sure they feel welcomed and comfortable. For my family, we know the Lord has blessed us with an extra guest room so that we can show hospitality for family, friends, and when the church calls to see if we can keep visiting missionaries or Bible college students. (By the way, college students are my favorite! They are so fun!)

When the ladies stayed with us last weekend, my daughter also had invited a friend to spend the night. So my poor husband and son had seven females in the house Friday night. We girls were up to almost midnight playing the piano and singing and laughing. It was fun and made great memories.

The fact that my daughter has a desire to be part of a group like this makes me want to be especially warm and hospitable to girls like this, because I realize one day it could be my daughter staying at someone’s house. My wish is that the homes or churches she stays at will desire to make her feel at home.

What about you? Do guests ever stay at your home? Is there something I completely missed that you think is a must or at least a good idea? Please share with me below by leaving a comment or find me on Facebook and let me know!

DIY Garden Markers

As I have continued to add to my medicinal and kitchen herb garden, I have found I am adding plants quicker than I can remember what they are. I knew I needed a way to remember especially what some of my medicinal herbs are. I have looked at a lot of different ideas for garden markers - some you can buy and others you can make. I wanted something that would weather well and was also cheap (and easy!) to make if I went that route. After many ideas came and went through my head, this is what stuck!

Today, I am sharing how to make polymer clay garden markers!

As you can see, my lavender is currently recovering indoors from frost.

Supplies Needed:
Polymer clay
Rolling pin
Ruler (or some other long, sharp edge tool)
Letter stamps
Pigment ink, optional
Baking sheet
Parchment paper, optional

Baking sheet and parchment paper not pictured.

Here's the polymer clay I used:

Instructions:
• Preheat oven to 275 degrees Fahrenheit or whatever temperature your polymer clay package recommends.
• Take a portion of clay and knead it for a few minutes until it becomes pliable and you can manipulate it easily.
• Place on a clean surface and roll to desired thickness, about ¼” is as thin as you will want it for this project. You want an even thickness.
• Using a ruler or other long, sharp edged tool, cut a straight line to start the edges of your garden markers.
• Lightly stamp your letter stamps making sure not to press too hard. If you are using ink, make sure the stamp is adequately covered with ink before stamping.
• Use a paper towel moistened with water to clean your stamps after you are finished.
• Use your straight edge to cut along the other side of your stamped word. The width of your marker will depend on the size of your letter stamps. My markers ended up being about ½ inch wide.
• Cut a wedge on the end of your marker to help it pierce the ground. You do not need to have a sharp point especially since the thinner it is, the more likely it is to break off. This part does not have to be perfect since it will spend its life in the ground. ;)
• Gently remove the marker from your work surface and place it on the parchment paper on the baking sheet making sure there is no bend or curve to your marker. The position they bake in is how they will harden.

After playing with and without the ink for my stamps, I decided not to go with the ink. The letter stamps I was using did not have deep impressions so with the ink it made too much of a fuzzy, muddled look to me. I liked the clean, white look.

You could use colored polymer clay for added interest or even mix various colored clays to get a swirl look or a new color. Cutting the markers wider would allow for more room to stamp decorative images along the edge such as swirls, birds, flowers, etc.

This is one I used ink on and like how
it shows up better but not the fuzzy look.
Now that I think about it, I may play around and try painting these
or make some more and see what I can create! We shall see!
I will share on the Facebook page if I do.

Tips:
1. Make sure your letter stamps are clean before using to keep any residual ink from past projects off your clay. While looking at tips for using polymer clay, I also found there are special embossing letters available specifically for that medium.
2. Write out the herb or vegetable names you want to make markers for because once you begin to stamp them, words start looking funny and you wonder if you are spelling them right!
3. Practice stamping on scrap pieces of clay first, if needed, to ensure you know the right pressure to stamp clean images. Words can be stamped where you are reading up or down. Mine are reading down.
4. Allow for about three inches of the garden marker to actually go in the ground. My shortest one was 6.5 inches because I wanted to ensure I could see the word clearly.
5. See this link for 10 simple polymer clay tips. It gives excellent ideas such as on how long to bake polymer clay (the longer, the harder it gets - read the link for more info!).

If you have a garden - whether vegetables, flowers, or herbs - and you need help to remember what is what or what you planted where, then maybe these simple and inexpensive garden markers will work for you! Do you have garden markers? What do you use?

Beekeeping for Beginners

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that we've started beekeeping. I honestly don't know what got me started down this path, but it has been a fascinating experience. I knew next to nothing about bees, and still don't know much, but I am learning more every day.

I have a tendency to talk a lot about whatever is on my mind so lately I have been talking a lot about honeybees. There are two common reactions I get when I tell someone we've started keeping bees. The first one is "my dad (granddad, uncle, etc.) used to do that." or a shocked/horrified look accompanied with "I'm allergic to bees."

I've read a good bit about reactions to bee stings. I learned a few things that were news to me, that I'd like to share. First, if a person is allergic to one kind of bee, they're not automatically allergic to all bees. For example, if you're allergic to yellow jackets, you might not be allergic to wasps. Secondly, many people THINK they are allergic to bees who actually aren't. If you've been stung by a bee and it swelled up and stayed hot for days and hurt like a hound dog, you're not actually allergic to bees. That is considered a normal reaction. If you have swelling around the eyes, lips, tongue, or throat with difficulty breathing or swallowing  that is an allergic reaction. However, all bee stings should be monitored closely, because it is my understanding that you can become allergic even if you weren't previously. Chances are, if you've been stung before, it was by something other than a honeybee. I do believe I have stepped on one in the grass before and gotten stung, but back then I probably didn't take time to consider what kind of bee it was, as I considered all bees my arch enemies.

That brings me to my next point. Bees are not our arch enemies. They are our friends. If it wasn't for these buzzy little bees, our food supply would be in great jeopardy. In fact, our food supply IS in great jeopardy. Something called Colony Collapse Disorder has been affecting bees all over the country for the last decade. Whole colonies of bees are dying suddenly. Some beekeepers report losing 30-90% of their hives in a single year. Although the exact cause of CCD is unknown, high levels of pesticide use in agriculture have taken their toll on the bee (and human) population.

Because there aren't enough wild bees to pollinate areas where commercial agriculture is dominant, beekeepers are paid to relocate their hives to different parts of the country as different crops are in season. Without the bees, the farmers wouldn't be able to produce their crops. Many bees are transported all over the country starting in the more Southern climates and moving North as the weather changes and Spring moves north. Agreements are made with the farmers that they won't spray their crops with pesticides until after the bees are moved. There are several documentaries on the plight of the honeybee that you can see HERE. I've been watching the one called More than Honey in pieces.

Beekeeping seems to have gotten more complicated in the last decade or so. In addition to Colony Collapse disorder, there are also pests like Small Hive Beetles and Varroa Mites that have to be addressed. Years ago, beekeepers didn't have do deal with these pests. They set up their hives in the spring and came back in the fall to collect rent (AKA honey!) Now, beekeepers have to inspect their hives weekly to check for the first signs of these pests and take immediate action. Failure to do so will result in the loss of the entire colony.

There is a movement to encourage people to keep bees. They are even being kept in cities, on rooftops. This is what we are doing.... kinda. We live in a subdivision. Even though we are technically within the city limits, we are also kinda out in the country. We opted to put our two beehives on a deck over our garage. We figured they would be more out of the way up there and less of a concern for neighbors. We also have a lot of company and a lot of kids in our yard, so the bees are less likely to be disturbed up there. Plus they have a beautiful view. They can see all the way from  our home in Tennessee to Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina on a clear day.

People have asked about us selling honey. That's really not why we are doing it. In fact, it is unlikely that we will be able to harvest any honey at all this first year. One colony of honeybees can make up to 200 lbs of honey on a good year. One thing I didn't know at first, is that you have to leave a lot of the honey for the bees, so they can survive the winter. The amount will vary depending on where you live. In colder climates, they need larger stores for the winter than they do in the South. I doubt we will be selling any honey. I hope to have enough for my family and maybe be able to give some as gifts,but, we will see. So far the whole family is really enjoying this hobby, so I suppose it is possible we might expand our operation in the future. Most beekeepers I've talked to say it is addictive.

Speaking of talking to other beekeepers, I've learned this is a very social kind of hobby for some. Beekeepers really enjoy sharing what they know with new beeks (that the nickname some beekeepers use for themselves). I've also learned if you ask ten different beekeepers a question, you will get ten different answers. In a way, that's good because that means there are many ways to accomplish the same thing... but I like to do things the RIGHT way, and it bothers me to some degree that there isn't a RIGHT way. There are beekeeping clubs in most communities and I've found several beekeeping pages on facebook. The people there have been so helpful and answer promptly so when I'm panicking, they are there to answer my questions and help settle me down, which is sometimes harder than it sounds. I've been called high-strung before. (by meanies!) Personally, I think they are low-strung and have no idea that while they are sitting there like a knot on a log like nothing is wrong, they should, in fact, be working themselves into a full-blown panic attack like a normal person. Why are they so calm????

There are a couple of ways to get started with honeybees, The first way is to order a package of bees. This is what we did. We ordered two three-pound packages of Italian honeybees. They are estimated to have about ten thousand bees each. The second way is to find a swarm of wild bees and catch it and set them up in your prepared hive. That is what I really would have loved to do, but for a newBEE, that's a pretty big job. The advantage is that they are free, and are already acclimated to the climate and produce more honey. Bees that have swarmed usually have a mature queen and know what they're doing. Check out my Papaw picking up our bees.

Most people who raise bees (at least in the South) raise Italian honeybees. They are not very aggressive. We are able to go right up to the hive entrance and sit down inches away from them and watch their comings and goings. They don't seem to mind our presence one bit. We don't wear any protective gear for observing. and they completely ignore us. We do suit up when we are looking inside the hive. I am careful where I put my hand, as it would be easy to get stung by smashing a bee. In fact, when I was installing one of the packages of bees into the hive box, I took off my glove to take a picture. A bee got in the glove and when I put my hand back in it, I got stung. I take the blame for that though. I should have been more careful. Honestly, it didn't hurt much at all. Please don't mistake me for a tough ol' broad, because I'm not. I'm like a two year old when I am in pain. I walked out to the yard and picked a leaf from a plantain plant and chewed it up and put it on the sting. It instantly stopped throbbing. I do mean instantly, as in, the very second I applied it! This is what plantain looks like. It is basically a weed that most people don't want in their yards, but it and dandelion greens have wonderful medicinal properties and can be used to make all sorts of home remedies.

We have found watching the bees come and go from the hive to be very interesting. VERY! In the pictures below, you will see that some of the honeybees have yellow spots on their hind legs. These are pollen pouches that they fill as they are out doing their work. I saw one bee come in that was absolutely COVERED in a bright orange pollen. Seriously, it looked like someone had spray painted him with blaze orange paint. He got in the hive before I got a chance to snap his picture. Some of the pollen they are bringing in is light yellow, and some is school bus yellow and today we've seen some very dark red pollen being brought in. More experienced beekeepers can tell what they are bringing in based on the color and knowing what is in bloom. The redbuds are getting ready to burst open in all their purple glory any day, and I'm guessing that is what some of the really dark pollen is.

Speaking of what is in bloom, I've been reading up on plants that are good for bees. It turns out that they like pretty much all of the herbs, and since I've been wanting an herb garden, I ordered a bunch of seeds to plant. I'll be attempting to grow basil, oregano, lavender, catnip, feverfew, German chamomile, rosemary, marjoram, sage, bee balm, dill, echinacea, milk thistle and milkweed, cilantro and salvia. I also will be trying to growing a bunch of flowers that are known to be favorites among pollinators such as cosmos, zinnias, poppies, aster, yarrow, candytuft, alyssum, calendula, marigolds, and sunflowers. I'm more worried about trying to get all these plants to grow than I am about the bees. I really don't have a green thumb, but I do want to try. I do pretty good getting everything started inside, but when they move outside to the flowerbeds, that's when things go downhill. At least that's what happened last year. I'm hoping this year will be better.

We have a LOT of flower beds but not a lot of flowers. We've spend the last two years digging out overgrown shrubs and cutting them back to reasonable sizes. I joke that if I ever make a horror movie, it will be named Roots. (I know the name isn't new... but I'm telling you, those things are EVIL!) You can pull roots out for days! If you're not careful you will also pull your back! When I say a lot of flower beds, I'm talking over 200 linear feet of mulched beds that are between five and eight feet deep. Our front yard is terraced, so there are two levels of them. That is a lot of landscaping for someone who is not experienced and doesn't really enjoy yard work. My bees are motivating me this year. I wanna be the best bee mama I can.

 Anyone know what kind of weeds those are in the picture below? We didn't have them last year, but I've dug up enough of them to fill a five gallon bucket this year.

That is a heckofalot of weeds to pull in a year. Go away, dandelions! You're not welcome here!

We just ordered ten yards of mulch. I think it is the biggest load they can put on one truck, from this place, at least. Another place said they can only deliver five yards at a time, so we would have had to pay two delivery fees. My dentist asked me if I had plans for the weekend. I just laughed. I guess you can call that plans.

The driver who delivered the mulch accidentally knocked down our basketball goal.  I started yelling and waving to get his attention before it happened, but he didn't see/hear me in time to stop. I didn't yell afterwards. He felt bad about it and they're going to fix it. Worse things can happen, right?

I said all that about my flowers to say... I think YOU should plant flowers too. If not for my bees, do it for the ones who live near you. Some bees have to fly up to five miles to gather enough pollen. If you are interested in planting some flowers for bees, there is a program where you can get free seeds. Click HERE to get a free pack of wildflower seeds that are good for pollinators.

I know its not likely that you will be moved to become a beekeeper from reading this post, but I have learned so much in the last month as we've been getting ready for our honeybees, that I wanted to share with you. Many of you are friends and have been asking questions. Hopefully I have answered some and caused you to ask more! I'd love to talk with you about this, especially if you have any desire to get some bees of your own.

One last thing. We have a Magnolia tree just outside our front door. Last year a robin built a nest in it right at eye level when you are on the sidewalk. She's was renovating the nest last weekend and then disappeared for a couple of days. We were afraid something had happened to her. She showed back up yesterday and laid one beautiful blue egg and today she deposited a second egg. We're excited to get to watch the next couple of weeks and see the eggs hatch again this year. This year our Spring seems to be all about the birds and the bees and the flowers and the trees.

your buzzy friend,
Kristy