My mother and her honey bees

Mom told me she had seen honey bees on her hummingbird feeder. So while I was there Sat. I filled it up. It's already half empty today. These bees are hungry. Mom even fixed some sugar water in a small bird bath. They don't drink from that. They like this feeder.

I wonder if these are wild bees or if there is a hive somewhere in someone's yard near her. I'd love to find them in a tree somewhere. There's lots of hollow limbs on some of the oaks around my mom's place.

I love honey bees. I miss mine and can't wait for spring now so I can get more. I got really close to these bees and they were great. Love them.

Picking muskadines. And cows.

This morning, my friend Stephanie called, wanting to know if I wanted more muskadines. Well, yeah huh! So she stopped by and got me and my big bucked and we went a few miles up the road to the Clark's. I just love this valley. Everywhere I go is a more beautiful view. They have some Black Angus cattle so have lots of acreage. They cut hay off the front part. And in the back too. You can see Lookout Mt. there over the tree line.

Mr. Clark had gotten this old hay thing from someone who was going to scrap it because a part didn't work and he said it couldn't be fixed. Well, Mr. Clark fixed it. I love this thing.

And he had so many deer antlers on this side of his barn, I had to get some pictures of them. He had 3 sets somewhere in the middle that were upside down. Those were from a pet deer he used to have that shed them. Each set is unique and so cool.

                                                The cows had to come say hello.

                                                 This one is huge and her head is really long.

 Isn't she cute? And they are all so friendly too. There are about 6 calves here I think. I asked if they ever sold them to individuals instead of taking them to the sale barn. They said yes they did. SO I have my name in for one when they are weaned. I've been wanting another calf to raise on grass. We are about out. The little one with the spots in it's head is a lighter blackish-brown color. If it's a steer, I'd like that one.

Here is the muskadine vine. It's is only one vine. It's full of fruit too. They've been picking on them for a month now. And I got those 2 gallons the other day from Stephanie to make jelly. Then I picked about 2 1/2 gallons this morning. And scupernongs are the same as muskadines. And they do grow all over the US.

Here's Mr. Clark up on the roof of his tractor picking apples for Stephanie. I have some so didn't need any. Next week, we will all go to a friend's place who has an old apple cider press and make cider. I need to pick all my Yates and granny Smith apples this week.

Right now, I am cooking down a bucket of Yates apples to make apple butter. I'll post pictures next time. These will go to market to sell. I am waiting on a frost so I can pick persimmons next to jelly. Yum! And I will save all the peels to make apple jelly too. And maybe try to make some apple cider vinegar.

What are ya'll making into jellies and preserves and butters? It's that time of year, right?

Lovin' my chickens...

 I am just loving my chickens right now. For the moment anyway. Things can change really fast for me around here! Ya just never know when the s*** will fly. But right now, I am really enjoying these girls. And Black Bart. He still hasn't figured out he's "the man" yet. Hopefully he'll be crowing soon and the ladies will respect him. They pick on the poor guy now.


So this is most of my flock. All together and pretty much getting along. They have plenty of room to spread out or run if they need to. So far so good.

This is one of the "Peaches". A Red Star hen. I have 8 of these. And 6 White Leghorn, 7 Barred Rock, 9 Black Sex Link, 2 Black Austrolourpe and 2 Black Giants. And Black Bart is a Black Giant rooster. That should be 34 hens and a roo.

This is one of the 2 Austrolourpe pullets. These 4 are a lot younger than all the others. And smaller. They hang out with Black Bart. But I thought she looked so pretty here in the straw.

And would ya just look at this! I had seen some of the white hens over here in the corner where the bee hive was. Singing their egg laying song and just hanging out. I didn't think anything about it. But haven't been getting but 1 or 2 white eggs a day now. Thought they had stopped laying. Til I found this, behind the bee boards I hadn't put up yet. I know, I am lazy. They can't be but a few days old, so I'll keep these for us. I put the boards back the way they were and see if they keep laying there. Crazy birds! But good to know they are still laying. I was getting worried already.