Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Watermelon, Art and Bees! Our Country Wednesday!

It's heating up in Texas!


I bought a watermelon last week when we were in Waco and it's been in the fridge ever since just waiting to be cut. Today was perfect!


It's not 100 degrees yet - but it will be soon!!


I had a dilemma with our humming bird feeder.
The wind kept blowing and the nectar made a mess.
When I started to sit down on a sticky cushion out on the deck - I took the feeder down.
It has now been relocated to the little tree by the driveway.
I found the metal hook out where Louis Dean's been working on the new utility room.
Can you see the camouflage duct tape I used to hold it to the tree?
We can still see this feeder through the windows when we are in the front room.


We bought a second feeder last week and I filled and hung it up this afternoon - but not over the deck.
The tiny hummers are coming and it will be nice they can find the feeders in the same place every time.


Louis Dean is just as happy as he can be!
He loves a project!


This will be the utility room!
It's small - only 8' X 8'.
Just enough room for a water heater, washing machine and a small freezer.


Our one and only mirror!
Other than the small one in the camper bathroom.
In the new bathroom, the sink is right under a window.
Not sure where we can put a mirror in there. Oh! No worries.
THIS one is on the wall next to the shower!


I painted today on an old license plate from Louis Dean's truck.
It's hard to see it yet.....but it will be a red tractor pulling a cart full of picked cotton.
The tractor is heading to a lean to where they are storing it in bags.
It's hard to paint the details with the raised letters but I'm hoping to add some better details tomorrow after it's dried a bit.


Will continue to work on the Paris Texas Eiffel Tower in a few days. 
Will allow it to dry some first.


I decided to redeem this old rusted tray using a gray primer on it after I traced the design.
Painting it back just as it was - only better.
It wasn't a hand painted tray in the first place so now it will be extra special.


Buddy was Dean and Sherry's favorite goat.
I used a photo from a few years ago and the cerulean blue in his coat is from a chemical they were using in the tanks at that time. He's based in and I will add the details tomorrow.


Sherry contacted a bee keeper and he came this evening to look at the bee situation.
The hive inside that wall is huge! It goes six boards up and between a couple of studs.
Good news! The bees are plain old fashioned honey bees. Not Africanized Killer Bees!!
The reason they are so aggressive is that the hive is so big.
The bigger the hive - the more protective aggressive the bees are.


Sherry and I sat in the truck and watched him.
He's a really nice guy and will be back Monday evening to take the bees.
What a blessing!!

After the bee man left, I walked down with Sherry to see the new baby chicks.


This is a small bantam mama chicken and she's been setting on a lot of eggs.
When we got to the pen, we noticed she had kicked several eggs out of the nest.
Some baby chicks have hatched and are back behind her.


Sherry took one out to show me.

Every day down here is unique in some way and all the days are good.
I slept so well last night! It was 10:30 when I woke up and after fixing a big breakfast of bacon, eggs, fried potatoes, and toast - I went back to bed for a little nap at 1:00.
Louis Dean is staying happy and busy and that's good, too!
He's already in bed now.
I will be there soon myself.
But I'm going to finish the book The Supremes at Earl's All-You-Can-Eat Diner before I go to sleep.
If anyone would like to have this book I will gladly mail it to you. Otherwise it will go in the goodwill bag.
Reading until you are sleepy is better than a sleeping pill!




18 comments:

Ginny Hartzler said...

Your Eiffel Tower is lovely! Painting on a license plate - I have never heard of that, so cool!! Will you actually use it to decorate the truck, or display it somewhere inside? I can see the tractor and the cotton! I am so glad a pro is now handling the bees, and that they are just honey bees! I hope for a full report after the job is done. I guess he will have to remove some boards, but at least they are now found! Your goat painting is wonderful and so lifelike. What is it that you painted on, fabric of some kind?

Linda said...

Oh my, looks like you’re in for a long hot summer. That watermelon looks so good. Glad the bees are moving to a new home. Your country art is fun.

Bluebird49 said...

Oh, we need honey bees! They "make" a lot of our food,one way or another. We saw a documentary on them once, and the way God made them is amazing. Of course all things He created at amazing!
It's so good to hear you and Louis are having fun!

Susie said...

Linda, I am so happy about the bees. We need to take care of the honey bees. You are a wonderful artist. I wish I could take lessons. Stay hydrated down there with that kind of heat. Blessings, xoxo ,love, Susie

Carol said...

My, you have been busy. Life on a farm is always a new challenge every day! I am glad those are just honey bees, but glad someone is coming to handle them. I absolutely love the license plate painting and the goat!!
I would like to read that book if you are willing to mail to me. I will send a message to you!

Vee said...

Yay for all that creative painting time!

Yay that they are just regular honeybees and that the bee man is going to take them! That really makes me happy and I know that you’ll be happy to get them to a better situation.

Arlene G said...

I love your art Linda..you are so talented.

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

Thank goodness a professional was called in to help with the bees. You all were fighting and endless battle there with a hive that big. Honey bees are wonderful and need to be taken to a good place to live. Some bee keeper will appreciate them. I love your painting on the license plate. That is something I've never tried, but I did find some old ones I'd kept for some reason?? So now I'll have to think about what I could possible paint on one. I love to repurpose old things with a painting. I also love, like you, to read every night before I go to sleep. It's a habit for me formed over the years. Not matter how tired I might be, I read before going to sleep. I bought my first of the season watermelon yesterday to put in a fruit salad for Saturday's party. I do hope it's good as yours. We won't have fresh ones till later in the summer. I got it at the grocery store. Hope your have a great day! Happy Thursday!

Tina said...

Your art is amazing! I love your idea of painting on the old license plate! I'm happy to hear the bees will be taken care of and Louis Dean won't be stung anymore! He's such a hard worker and looks like he's definitely in his happy place! You both have a wonderful Thursday!

Changes in the wind said...

Love the artwork and especially the goat. Good news about the bees and ice cold watermelon.....the best.

Cheapchick said...

So glad the bees aren't the killer kind! So many art projects, they look great!

Linda @ A La Carte said...

I want to go to the Paris Texas Eiffel Tower!!!

MadSnapper said...

i am so glad there is a happy ending to the bee story. good for the bees and for all of you for him to take them, plus think of all the honey. yum. tell tell LD to stay away from them until they are gone by by...i like that idea of painting on the license plate

Judy said...

I have to agree with that last quote...having a good book 'on the go' makes me happy. I've had a dilemma as to where to hang our hummingbird feeder as well. Do I want syrup on the patio...or hummers feeding out-of-sight?

Your paintings are always amazing.

Joy@aVintageGreen said...

Linda I love your post today - it is so FULL of love and good things. You share the best things - the painting of the wonderful goat - wow ! you are so creative. LD building a room for the water heater, washing machine and a small freezer will be such a great addition (and so will the contents!). So glad that a bee keeper sorted out the bee issues and that they were just crowded in a space that made them angry and not killer bees. The bee keeper and bees getting a new home will make such a positive difference to summer deck sitting (as well as walking around the area). You are having such a full and wonderful time.
Hugs.
Joy

FABBY'S LIVING said...

I love the painting of the goat and that juicy watermelon, I'm sure the weather up in Texas is warm for it too.
I'm glad those bees are going to be well taken care of honey; I know LD is happy for that !
Loved your post my friend. Thanks for sharing it with us.
Fabby

Deanna Rabe - Creekside Cottage Blog said...

I love your country posts. I know you love it there, it shows in every photo and word.

Carole said...

Glad the bees are going and will be ok. We had a whole bunch of goldfinches in our yard this morning. Beautiful little fellows with red heads and yellow on the sides. Cheers