Critters, Wine and Other Things! A Catch up Post.....

 Louis Dean and I had such a good time with the Bells visiting us on their spring break.

Those few day simply flew by and every minute there was something going on!

Amber and her dad on their first night here after arriving just after a big storm.

I had an appetizer table set up and dinner was in the crock pot so we enjoyed ourselves while the wind blew and helped dry up the grassy area where Mike then set up two tents.

We were so excited that they were HERE! Everyone got a second wind after dinner so the kids and I played BLURT while the parents set up camp.

I love this banner that hangs on the inside of our front door here in the front room.

SO true!!! What a beautiful jumble of people, clothes, supplies, debris and all manner of 'stuff!'

 I woke on Tuesday morning and looked out to see if anyone was up yet

I saw Kailey looking over the fence at the peacock!

He comes up every morning looking for breakfast - and I always have something for him.

One time it's corn on the cob, another morning it's grapes - or blueberries. The only thing he's turned his nose up to was strawberries! No worries, the ducks and geese will eat those.

Trystan, Logan, and I had coffee every morning with Kailey and Harrison had hot chocolate.

One of the things the Bells liked to do the best was roam around the ranch meeting all the critters. Me, TOO!

We stopped to visit a few minutes with Dean and admire the pretty chickens and roosters before going on over to the goat pens to see the baby and mama.

The kids were so patient that pretty soon the baby would come right up to them and let them pet her - for a second or two -before running back to her mama!

Trystan and I meandered over to the field north of the pens and she carried food for all the goats staked our along our way. Then we fed the horses.

I do believe this was Amber's favorite! She has long loved horses and was active at horse camp every week when we homeschooled.

About this time on Tuesday afternoon, I started getting ready for our bee meeting which is in Hillsboro while Amber made a sandwich lunch for everyone.

While we were gone, Mike took all the kids down to fish!

He managed to catch a pretty good bass himself in between Daddy Duty!

It was late when I got back to the ranch and the kids were all tucked into bed inside their tent - but they got up to greet me and tell me goodnight.

Look who came down to see me???

Rufus has not been in good health the last year or two but a new vet and some medicine has perked him up again. He knows I'm always good for a handout and tonight it was some fatty meat trimmed off the steaks Mike had cooked plus a couple slices of bologna.

I nearly teared up at seeing him come up to my door like he used to!

Wednesday was Magnolia Day and we had a great time at the Silos and shops.

Mike has the patience of Job and found us a decent parking space.

We looked and shopped and ate a bite of lunch on the Greens.

There were enough of us for a few to hold our place in the shade of a small tree while Mike went to the Burger line, 

I stood in the tea line and Amber got brisket sandwiches.

She was a Happy Camper!!

This is such a family oriented place and makes for great people watching.

Everyone was all smiles and happy to be there and I heard no one complain about the lines for purchasing merchandise or waiting for food.

Here is our shady spot and I chose the lean against the small tree......

even though there was a bird up there. Then two birds.

Sure enough - I got pooped on but Amber had some wipes to clean me up - my hair, my hand, the right side of my shirt, the bottom of the left side and even a splotch on my back!!

That bird was loaded!!

The weather was great and we ended our trip with one last shop - The Refinery.

I really love that place and made my only purchase - other than food, tea, and gourmet popcorn - there. I bought two knobs and spent less than $5! They were on clearance. One hook hanger to replace one that came on a rack I bought recently at Goodwill. It got damaged in transit down here so now it's been redeemed. The only knob was for my bathroom in the camper and I took the broken off and replaced it with the new one - all by myself!

I'm not all that handy so it was a proud moment!

The trip was a complete success EXCEPT that the lines to the bakery were waaaaaaayy too long and we needed to get back to the ranch. 

Next month when we leave for home from our April time at the ranch, I will stop by and see if I can't get the cupcakes and cookies Amber wanted for her.

SHHHHH.....it will be a surprise.

Within an hour of driving in the gate, Sherry, Amber and I were all suited up and ready to go to the apiary. Amber wore Louis Dean's suit and Sherry wore her Dean's. Her suit has some holes in the veil and will need to be addressed and repaired before we work the bees later this spring. They will not be nearly as docile then as they were this visit.

Our Hive #1 inspection was pretty much what we expected.

Honey stores and the second brood box busy so we felt no need in opening up the lower brood box since that is where the queen would be and we did not want to disturb the propolis has sealed the openings between the boxes - just in case we have another hard freeze.

Amber got some good pictures and video!

Sadly, our Hive #2 was empty. A mouse had moved in to escape the last round of freezing temps and the bees were not able to get in to leave - so they did.

This pic shows capped honey and you can see the bee activity down below.

All healthy signs for this hive.

Amber did well on her first hive inspection.

Sometimes the suit and veil can be claustrophobic but she did fine.

In truth, we could have done this whole thing without our suits, veils, and gloves and while we had two smokers, we didn't even need to use them. I took my gloves off but it is always best to have protection in when working the hives. On this day, we walked over from our place but normally Sherry brings her vehicle and leaves the motor running and the AC on. You always need a place of safety if the bees become too aggressive.

Thursday morning we all made one last round of visiting the critters and this time the peacock put on quite a show for us. 

He's such a pretty boy!!

They spread their feathers and shake them as a warning when they feel threatened. 

We were not the ones that were bothering him - it was the chickens and roosters who kept running up to get the food we were tossing his way.  They are greedy things wanting what we threw to them as well as what we were giving the peacock. No worries! He held his ground and we enjoyed hearing him shake his feathers and 'talk' to them.

All too soon, it was time for them to pack up and head home while Sherry and I left for Hamilton, Texas where her parents live. Her mom belongs to a group of ladies who have dinner at a local winery every third Thursday of the month.

We were excited about attending!

It's the Red Wing Dove Winery and they do, indeed, have some delicious wines!

As soon as we entered we were seated and served a glass of Orange Blossom wine - tinted green in honor of St. Patrick's Day - which is a rather sweet Moscato. I opted for a Sauvignon Pinot - and it came tinted green! The host provides an entrée and everyone else brings snacks or sides.

Trystan helped me put together this dessert cookie combo by dipping fat Oreo cookies with green mint filling into white chocolate bark and then into green sugar sprinkles. We put two sandwiched in between with a thin Oreo.

Sherry brought her famous Pepper Poppers and Jeanie brought Egg Jewels which feature jalapeño peppers in an egg base cut into squares. I seriously need to get her recipe! 

There was a LOT of really good food!

The main dish was Irish Fish Chowder and buttered Soda Bread.

It WAS St. Patrick's Day!

The winery........

The vineyards, looking bleak this time of year but not for long.

When we got back late Thursday night, all was quiet in the camper.

These were the only things we found after they left.

Except for all the food, snacks, paper goods, water and more that they left behind for us to use. While we hosted them, they came with a load of great food and steaks and more. We ate so well every single day!

I did have plenty of tea cakes, chips and goodies that come under the heading of 'Spoiling' the grands!! Trystan said she loves that about me!

I spent Friday in rest and recover mode and then most of Saturday working in the garden and preparing to plant things.

Louis Dean had gone fishing Thursday evening and I do believe he caught the very same fish Mike did. It is catch and release around here. I didn't tell him that h=this particular fish has made the rounds!

The peacock has come to the red screen door every single morning we have been here - but this afternoon he ventured into the fenced yard.  Louis Dean saw him fly over the fence yesterday but this was my first time to see him out there.

I figured he was looking for food, and since I had just cut up the fresh pineapple Amber left for us, I wondered if he would eat it?

Yes, he did!!!

That pretty much catches me up!

I have clean and organized the camper and will start on the front room tomorrow.

I'm taking out all the red and black and putting in the spring fabrics and covers.

In small quarters one is always reorganizing and moving things around.

Yesterday I washed all the windows - inside and - out in the front room.

What a difference!!!!

This afternoon Louis Dean hung up a sun screen we bought a year ago and will shield ys from the too bright sunlight in the mornings as we sit on the deck with our coffee.

I'm looking forward to seeing how it works!

For now, I am calling it a day and going out to take my shower and snuggle down in the girl bunk to read myself asleep......unless Louis Dean wants me to sit outside and have a glass of wine. We'll see how it plays out.....either way.....