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!
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.
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.
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:
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.
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!
Did I mention that the Billmeyers make a great cheering section?
