Hey Honey!

At the beginning of the summer it was the big question.  Would the Italians outperform the Carnolians, or vice versa?  Kyle looks pretty confident in his 4 lb.nuk of fuzzy girl-bees, Mark a little concerned.  No need.  Our honey bees both did well and gave gallons of the liquid gold stuff.  Now Mark and Kyle have been busy bottling and labeling and are ready to sell the sweet success of Mother Nature.

 
Yum.  Watching honey flow is like watching ocean waves come to the shore, or a camp fire burning low – captivating, mesmerizing and irresistible.  Poke the fire, splash the wave, or dip a finger in the sweet, sticky stuff.  The twins were carefully instructed not to, but I still feel the urge and have to instruct myself too.
  
Here they are making custom labels for their honey jars (at no extra charge to their customer).

Wildflower Raw Honey – $4.00 a pound (that’s about what you can get it for at your local grocery store.)
Sold in sealed quart or pint mason jars
Quart size – $13.00   Bring an clean wide mouth quart  mason jar to replace and the honey is $12.00  (3 lbs)
Pint size – $7.00 Bring a clean pint mason jar to replace and the price is $6.00 (1 1/2 lbs)
Coming soon: 
Honey Crèmes  (The sweetest, creamiest most delicate hard candies EVER)
Honey Silk  (also known as Creamed Honey or Whipped Honey)

A Thousand Welcomes

Still blowing off  Election Blues and “grey clouds of trouble hang o’er us and threaten our peace to destroy” and doing that, in part, by getting creative.  Today it was finishing painting our front door.   Here it is finished:

My favorite part is this:

It is a ‘wee giftie’ that Cheri brought home for me when she went to Ireland a few years ago, searching our ancestors. (I was delighted to find out we had Irish and Scottish blood in our veins.  That explained the excitement and racing heart whenever I hear a bagpipe.)  The brass plaque is Gaelic for “A Thousand Welcomes”.

And here is my favorite Cheri and her Scott.   And speaking of Cheri:

*I call her to hear my own life philosophies expressed in new, lovely ways.  * I call her to tell her about my troubles and ask her my questions.  Got a problem?  She’s on it.  Got a question?  She’ll research it.  Need an idea for something/anything?  She’ll have one or find one.  Got the blues?  She’ll dispel them with her wit and wisdom and humor and love. * She doesn’t Facebook or Blog or email or have a dot com.  She’s not virtual or techy but she’s real.  *She uses the phone and the US Postal Service.  *Every October she becomes ‘Aunt Spooky’ and sends dozens of wee gifties to nieces and nephews so they can experience what it feels like to get something in the mailbox just for them.  *She’s  all about the business of  ‘smiles and  joy of living’  for others.  *Even when she is suffering  her own afflictions and disappointments, out comes her skill in the healing arts, ready for anyone around her that needs her special brand of it.  *Her approach is like a cheerful warmth.  *She has good will, good judgment in speech and conduct.  *She is discreet and has an utter calm and prudent silence timed just right.  * Her home is a retreat – always full of good reading and delightful projects and her brand of humor.

I think we look a lot alike.  I hope I resemble her inside too.  And now she is blushing and saying “Oh, Lauri.”  Oh, well.  I wish to wish her every wish she ever wishes to come true.  I have no doubt, in due time, they will.  The heavens will not be able to withhold them from such an angel.  In the meantime, may all her heartache and sadness (nobody is more nationally savvy and vigilant, and feels the disappointment of this last great American letdown than she) be swallowed up in Gratitude and The Reason for the Season and the knowledge that ‘there is Hope smiling brightly before us and we know that Deliverance is nigh.”

Yay for Sisters.

 

 

Just one more Fall image before the wind blows winter into town.

Pals and Puppies

Since the day we brought our Meg-girl border collie pup home, we’ve been dreaming about the day when she would have her own adorable pups.  Mark and Kyle have high hopes to raise Meg-pups in 2013.  This afternoon we took the Cox’s to Axtell to see Nannette and Kerry Despain.  Nannette breeds AKC Australian Shepherds and was so kind to answer doggie questions and show us her kennels and the adorable occupants.

Linda and Nanette were roommates during their Snow College days.





 

America, America God Shed His Grace On Thee

I was talking to Cheri this morning about this Big Historic Day for our country.  I really enjoy her calm assurance when she said , “I’m not going to be a nervous Nellie.  I’m going to be a witness to the Miracle.”

While the polls have everyone skittish, I like to think of the pollster (in Florida I think?) who said when asked who he thought would win this election that it was trending Romney because of the ‘ground swell’ that can’t be reflected in the polls.

Here’s one American-loving family who voted for a President who wants us to vote for ‘love of country’.  I love knowing there are millions of others too.