As if Valerie didn't have enough going on with piano and cello, she's moved on to tenor recorder. We all agree it sounds better than the soprano.
Both girls recently showed off their cello prowess at a recital. Amira seems to enjoy the limelight.
More entertaining than photos of Valerie playing cello were the photos of her "patiently" waiting to practice. I thought this sequence was hysterical!
When not wrangling some instrument or playing with rats or attending a 4-H event, Valerie has been working on a fort in the backyard with the world's best dad ever. Madelyn, Amira & Rex also assist with this project under the mulberry tree.
Not pictured we have also planted a Persian fruiting mulberry tree. Michael refers to it as the "stick" that cost him $30. I remind him that some day it will provide shade and fruit ... Perhaps even pie!
A couple of weeks ago my friends, Julia & Eve, took me for a walk in Upper Bidwell Park in the rain. It was amazing. We also go on nice days ... Well, Thursdays when we can no matter the weather. These two are also my Zumba buddies.
Yes, clipping the bunny's claws is a mundane task that shouldn't warrant a photo, but look at how darn cute he is!
We've definitely been feeling a little Spring in the air around here. So have the chickens. They kept getting out into my garden ... Which is probably good this time of year for pest control. But when it turns into cabbage control, they have to be lured back into the orchard.
Now, going into winter I left all the honey on the hives, figuring the bees would need to eat it. Well, those generous girls left me 1 3/4 boxes of honey filled comb. Since the almonds and pears and other trees are coming into bloom, I needed to make some space in the hives. Yes, we totally robbed the bees!
Michael pointed out that we rob the chickens daily. And while it is fun to burgle a nest for chicken eggs, it doesn't have the same sense of adventure as swiping honey.
Michael wore the full suit of armor for this and provided some muscle. A box of honey weighs about 50 lbs. Our trusty red wagon helped to haul the booty back to the house.
Here is a full frame of honeycomb that weighs about 10 lbs.
We had never harvested honey before and don't have an extractor. So, we used the "crush & strain" method using a couple of buckets with holes drilled into the bottom of one. There is a spigot on the bottom bucket for bottling. (Equipment repurposed from Michael's old brewing days).
We put some cut comb into jars right away and spent the day licking our fingers and smiling. We're waiting for gravity to help separate the rest of the honey & wax.
Thank you, Bees!
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