WELCOME BACK OH BEAUTIFUL GOLDEN CHAIN TREES!!!

It has probably been about 3 years since we have enjoyed the beautiful Golden Chain blooms. Early bloomer, so it usually freezes just as the blooms come on----OR----if it actually gets to bloom---the wind will blow the blooms away. Gpa took this picture while it was in it's full glory! Both trees are simply gorgeous this year and we are really enjoying them!! Wonderful Middle School Graduation, Dear Grandson!!! It was a great, though hectic, time!! Got the enjoyable opportunity of visiting with friends, family and aquaintances that I have not seen for many years. The topic of conversation was pretty much the same----------"How did these kids grow up sooo fast??" Hang onto your hats young graduates----The wonderful world of 'LIFE' is going to FLASH by----make EVERY SINGLE MOMENT COUNT!!! Keep in touch with your friends and family. The Golden Chain of friendship is a strong and blessed tie, binding kindred hearts together as the years go (flying) by (Helen Steiner Rice). OH-------------and by the way------Golden Chain trees are for gazing upon and enjoying-------don't eat a Golden Chain Tree, they are poisonous!!!

SOMETIMES---GOOD HELP IS HARD TO FIND!!!

Yeah---sometimes good help really is hard to find!!! Yesterday---planted 15 Heirloom Tomatoes--- that requires 15 holes, dug about a foot deep, filled with lotsa water, backfilled with 'good' dirt, tomato plopped into its new home, more water and ready to do what a good tomato will do---- According to my calculations---15 tom. plants, each hole dug approx. a FOOT deep---am thinking if I dug one hole for all the digging I did, it would have been one hole 15 feet deep! Maybe that's why I am finding a few sore muscles today! Gotta love my helper, Gus! Sometimes the 'really good help' does not need to be there for 'hands on'----they just need to be there for 'MORAL SUPPORT'! Gotta Love Gus!! He's a really good moral supporter (I think)!!! (he must have supported too hard??)...

WE LOVE OUR MOMMY AND THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT!

Been just a tad bit busy around here lately! Have had hatchings of DUCKS, CHIX, TURKEYS and all the TRAUMA that goes with----Little Buff Silkie Chix in the upper pix.---Her Mom decided she would rather set on more eggs than be a Mom, scooped little Silkie Chix up and brought her inside. The stuffed dog became her Mom and worked out great, little Silkie Chix slept under her just as she would do her real Mom, BUT---not wanting her to be alone---along came a Turkey Poult that was just hatched today and she became the step-sibling of the Silkie Chix with the 'Pretend Mom!' Seems to be working out just fine, am sure we will be adding to the 'normal, disfunctional family' and all will be well! OK-----------gotta toss in some other 'goingsONs.' Baby shower for granddaughter----awsome!!! Great visit with her! Wonderful time!!! Planted peas are up, sweet peas are in, harvesting the salad greens from the LATTICE GARDEN! Some toms. planted, more will go in the ground tomorrow! It's rained, the wind has blown, it hasn't froze and there are pears, peaches, apples, almonds and golden chains coming on. All have frozen the past years. Am thinking the upcoming weekend is going to be very buzeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

OK---OK!!!

OK--OK!!! Put the straw hat away!!! Better get out the umbrellas and a BOAT!!!

KEEP IT UNDER YOUR HAT!!

The first memories I have of my Paternal Grandmother was working along side her in her garden, somewhere around the age of 3-4 (ish). (yes, yes, long, long ago!) She always wore a BIG straw hat. She always wore that BIG straw hat when she was out in the boat fishing, as the lady LOVED to fish!!! Her garden, as I remember it, was the most beeeeeutiful garden in the whole world! Grandmother's garden actually was surrounded by a white picket fence! SERIOUSLY!!! A garden with a WHITE PICKET FENCE! It just doesn't get any better than that!!! As I recall--------I don't even think there where any weeds in Grandmother's garden!!! (gotta love those memories)! She was always 'working' in her garden, I was always making the most gorgeous mud pies under one of her apple trees! In those days, a lady never exposed her skin to the sun, those gals where so smart! All you red-headed, fair-skinned offspring of mine------------PLEEZ, PLEEZ put a hat on your head when you are outside!!!! Master D.----when you are golfing, put on the hat, Mrs. K. ---when you are gardening, put on the hat, etc. etc. to the rest of U's!!! What is it you need to keep under your hat, you ask???? WELLL---your HEAD, of course!!! Whatever became of my Grandmother with the big straw hat? I look at her every morning in the mirror. I have become that G'ma-----------A message to Edna------'May I follow your footsteps down that garden path and inspire others as you did me, dear Lady.' The best accessories a farm gal/guy can have-----a good straw hat, a good pair of work gloves, and some packets of seeds!!! Life is good!

PEACE AND TRANQUILITY!!!

Realizing this is not the greatest picture in the world, I just had to share it because it is an UNUSUAL picture. As I was taking my walk yesterday morning, I saw our 4 geese, Carey, Sophie, Claire and Marcelle MarssO swimming in the canal----peacefully, not bothering anything or tormenting anybody, or trying to pluck a feather from some unsuspecting duck or chicken!! Sometimes they want to make ME pull my hair out! (no feathers in my head---but can be sure I have been called a 'feather head' by some of YOU!!!). The geese where just sooooooo peacefull. I was very proud of them. They where even eating things in the water that geese are supposed to eat! Maybe that will cut down on the feed bill a bit!!! Remember back to the blogs of 'Goose B Gone'- 'I'm King of the World' - 'Father Goose'???? They can really be 'out there' and be a nuisance at times, but remembered some Goose Facts that I had read long ago and will share a couple:

The geese flying in formation HONK to encourage those up front to keep up their speed!!! (how cool is that?)!

If we have as much sense as geese, we will stand by each other in difficult times as well as when we are strong!!! Hey-----next time you see and hear those geese flying in the sky---look up, salute------ and appreciate them!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHERS!!!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY TO ALL MOTHER'S!!! What a wonderful celebration day! For those of you that know our Gracee and how evil, wicked, hateful and bitchy she could be, she was an absolute WONDERFUL MOTHER!!! No, she didn't just have pups, these are pictures from several years ago of Gus and Gracee's one and only batch of puppies! What a HOOT those puppies where. Born in DECEMBER when there was lots and lots of snow on the ground, but they did have their outdoor play time and did climb 'snow mountains' everywhere. It was fun------------wouldn't wanna do it again! Here's to all you MOM's no matter what your breed----Celebrate your Day, you have earned it!!!

WHAT'S THE BUZZ ALL ABOUT???

BEE UPDATE----Sorry, my computer has been 'touch & go' for about a week, hopefully everything will be working ok for awhile. Had to break down and call the computer tech!!! The bees have all been placed in their 3 hives and are doing BEEutifully! It's been quite surprizing to see how many blooms there are actually around that they are taking full advantage of. Pear, apple, peach, almond trees are all in bloom, and they are loving the Dandy Lions!!! A very good reason to let them grow and not POISON them! There is a BEE in the middle of the flower getting that yummy nector to take back to the hive! Congratulations to the Honor Society Grandson!!! (N)... Awsome job!!! Yur the BEEZ kneez!!! Check out Blake Shelton's song----Honey Bee. You all BEE of good cheer!!! OK ----Honey's-------------Later---

DESTINATION---------LOGAN, UTAH!!!

Logan, Utah---what a beautiful city, with spectacular snow-covered mountains as a backdrop! Had never been there before yesterday. 5 1/2 hr. drive from our home to Logan, Utah. We drove there yesterday and back home the same day! Gpa and I where on the road 12 hrs!!! And 'why?' you ask?????? Check out Blog 4/24/10 in reference to the loss of our bees. The bees needed to be replaced and Logan, Utah was the nearest place that we could go and get them. So we got in the SUBEE (Blog 3/18/10) appropriately named for a BEE trip, huh? (just a coincidence) really means Subaru, left home at 7:14 am after chores, drove approx. 400 miles, a few of those where LOST miles cause Gma canNOT read directions----sorry----stopped only for gas, split a 6" subway sandwhich (that's a 3" sandwich for each of us--yummmm!), gathered up the 3 packages of bees--each pkg. containing between 10 and 12 THOUSAND bees!!! Put them in the back seat of the SUBEE----- HEY----- boys and girls and you 3 Queen Beez----buckle up----we are headed for home!!! Kind of eery at first, thinking that there where 30 THOUSAND PLUS- bees sitting in our back seat, but they where very well behaved (beehived!) all the way home! (did have 1 escapee, had to stop and roll down the window and send it on its way, hopefully it flew back from wence it came)!!

G'pa installed one pkg. of bees in their new hive today and as they settle, the rest will go into their new homes. It is going to be very nice to have the bees again. No honey this year, as the bees will get most all of it to get through this coming winter but next year----we should have lots and lots of 'Liquid Gold.' All in all----it was a pretty good drive, saw some new country, the weather was good from the inside of the car, and the SUBEE is a comfortable car to take a long road trip in. AND----THAT WAS A 750 mile LONG--- ROAD TRIP!!!