7/31/12

Here a chick, there a chick

Gosh, it's been a long time since I've been here! The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity, you see. We've been frantically getting things ready for the new additions to our little homestead. We had planned on next spring, but, somehow, one thing led to another and... WE HAVE CHICKENS! 
Chick arrival day!
In just a few short weeks, the coop has been (mostly) built and (mostly) painted, the chicks were ordered, and today was chick arrival day! They hatched yesterday, were put in the mail, and today we received eight of the cutest little chicks ever. Little balls of fuzz. They are currently keeping warm in a brooder box that Nate built and in a few weeks will make the transition to the (completely) completed coop.
Coop building
Chick arrival day!
Chick arrival day!
Walter would have held them all night if we hadn't dragged him away. Molly took a few good sniffs. We'll be keeping a close eye on her. With any luck, she'll befriend the birds... but I won't hold my breath.

7/15/12

A summer tradition

Four years old – four visits to the Morey Airport for the annual fly-in breakfast. (Years one, two, and three.) It's always a huge hit and there's always something new to see. And who doesn't like eating pancakes in a hangar?
A morning at the airport
A morning at the airport
A morning at the airport
A morning at the airport
He climbed right in – no fear this year. But he decided he's not quite tall enough to pilot this plane.
A morning at the airport

7/3/12

The bees. They're bearding.

When it gets hot (and, oh golly, it's been hot!) bees will "beard" on their hive. They cluster up around the entrance to cool off and to allow more air circulation in the hive. Our bees are doing just that:
Untitled
You'll notice that Ramona is a bit taller than Beezus. During our last inspection, Beezus' first honey super was near empty, while Ramona's was almost full. We don't really know why, but we've noticed that Beezus seems to have fewer bees than Ramona and it's definitely showing in the honey production. It's fascinating to me that two seemingly identical hives, in the same environment, are performing so differently. I'm curious to see how the rest of the season will play out.

7/1/12

She "tri"-ed. She succeeded!

If you've never been a spectator at a triathlon, marathon, or any race event, I highly encourage you to do so. I'm not sure there is anything more inspiring than watching athletes put their hearts, minds, and bodies into their race. I love standing at finish lines and watching the victories. And it's even better when you have someone to cheer for! Erin, my sis-in-law, raced in the Verona Triathlon on Saturday morning. I admit, I grumbled a little when my alarm went off so early on a Saturday, but all I had to do was clap and cheer. Erin, on the other hand, woke up early to swim, bike, and run her way to the finish line. She did more before 9am than most of us do all day. Congrats on your great finish, Erin! It was fun to watch!
Erin races in the Verona triathlon
Did I mention that the Billmeyers make a great cheering section?
Erin's cheering section