Country Mouse Monday: Do, Know, bees...

It’s a glorious morning here on the farm, the birds already raising their ruckus at 5:45am. It’s been light for ages, and it looks like it’s going to be another scorcher.

In just a few hours, a friend is stopping by to see the bees – to actually suit up in the spare bee-gear I keep on hand and inspect the hives with me – so I’m excited in advance, anticipating her delight when she, finally, after wishing and wanting for so long, gets to use her hands to see inside.

It’s a funny thing, this yearning for bees that so many of us have.

Click to read more ...

Country Mouse Monday: everything i ever wanted

Sometime this past weekend, probably while driving somewhere, this popped into my head:

Suddenly, somehow, I have everything I ever wanted.

It seemed nutty when I first thought it, but now that I've been sitting with this notion for a day or two, I know it's completely true.

Click to read more ...

Country Mouse Monday: parties & quiet

Maybe I'm alone on this one, but one of my favorite moments of having a party is the very end, when everyone's gone home and the dishwasher is humming along and all the platters and glasses are washed and stacked, ready to be put away.  

Don't get me wrong: I like the actual party-part of parties. I like people, really, I do. It's just that I most deeply love the taking-stock bit that comes at the end of an evening of revelry.

And the quiet. Oh, how I love it.

Click to read more ...

Country Mouse Monday: Spring Cleaning

It's springtime here at the farmlet and we and the bees are getting busy with cleaning.

Springtime is bee-ventory time!

That is, time for cleaning and tallying up our stock of hive parts, all the boxes, all the frames, all the fragrant, pleasing bits and bobs of this "work," the entrance-reducers and screened bottom-boards, oh all the sweet accoutrements.

Click to read more ...

Country Mouse Monday: glitterati

I freely admit to a love for all things glitter, and at no time of year is this on greater display than now -- in the lead-up to my favorite holiday.

There's glitter everywhere, in my hair, all over the floor, glinting in the hall runner, even on the dog.

And I couldn't be happier.

Click to read more ...