I had several 100 gallon water troughs at the farm that had cracks which would no longer hold water. Rather than throw them in the land-fill, I decided to put them to good use. My son and I set them around the edge of the patio. I had him drill extra holes in the bottom for good drainage and holes in the top to attach chicken wire to the top. We put old sticks in the bottom, then added a…
About five weeks ago I wrote a blog about seeding clover for my bees to feast on in order to make delicious honey. Last weekend I searched for any sign that the sowing of clover seeds in February snow was a success. If you look closely, you can see some tiny clover leaves peeking through the ground cover of dead grass and fall leaves. All three hives made it through that -20 degree weather. I feel very fortunate, because many…
I was challenged to write a cinquain (pronounced sin-kane) this week. I was out Saturday night in the snow after taking this picture earlier in the day. In case you are unfamiliar with an American cinquain, it is a poem with five lines. The first line is the subject of the poem with two syllables. The next line has two adjectives that describe the noun with a total of four syllables. The the third line has three verbs of action…
I like yogurt, but don’t like the high price so I decided to make my own. It’s not hard. You might want to give it a try. You’ll need:8 cups of whole or 2% milk1/2 cup of commercial yogurt that says “live cultures” on the label. That’s all the ingredients you’ll need. Heat the milk in a Dutch oven. Heat it over medium heat to 200 degrees. Stir the milk gently so the milk doesn’t burn. Cool the milk to…
During WWII housing was at a premium. My folks and I lived with two other couples in a small apartment in Albany, Oregon near Camp Adair. One of the ladies, Marge Wasson, made a most wonderful chocolate cake. That recipe has been our family favorite since that time. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour:1 tablespoon vinegar into 1 cup milk to sour it if you don’t have sour milk on hand.boil 1 cup waterset these aside to add alternately when…
In this sub-zero, record-breaking weather I am afraid my bees might freeze. So the other night before the thermometer plunged to -20 wind chill, I went to the bee yard with some blankets. I couldn’t cover the front because they need to get air, even though it’s so cold. I was alone and feared I’d not be able to secure them well. I prayed for “an extra pair of hands”. When I got to the farm, a son-in-law was just…
The term “Beekeeper” entails more that robbing honey once a year. In order to be a good beekeeper, you have to keep a constant eye out for mites, destructive moths, and hive beetles. In winter, it’s wise to provide extra food for them in case they run out of their stored honey. There is no end to the tending. In order to provide my bees with plenty of flowers in summer, I sowed white clover the other day. These seeds…
After 56 years we have renovated our guest bath. We removed the flowered wall paper that had been up for 42 years and ripped the speckled oatmeal tile from the walls. This project took a month but is well worth it. We closed the window so the tile pattern can shine through. Replacing the vanity and toilet refreshed the space considerably. The box the toilet came in boasted you could flush ten golf balls in one flush. I don’t…
When you do a rehab in one room it makes another one look shop-worn. That’s what happened when we did a redo to the guest bath. Suddenly, the carpet looked dingy in the hall and family room. So what do you do? Move all the furniture into the dining room to make room for the carpet cleaners. Hopefully, they will show up when they are scheduled and then we can shove all the stuff back into its proper place. If…
Our family tree is expecting a new branch to emerge soon so I made a blanket and hat for the new arrival. Hopefully, she will appear in April. This makes great-grandbaby # 8! How did I get to live so long to see my children’s children’s children!