This, That, and the Other

Hello! I hope everyone is enjoying the same glorious weather that we are having! It gets warm during the day and gets cool at night. It's the kind of weather that makes you want to play in the yard all day, and that is exactly what we have been doing!

This afternoon we walked to the mailbox, which is quite a walk, and Rose was able to stop and pick some wild flowers along the way. Sometimes I feel like I have a kazillion things to do before getting dinner started but I always try and drop everything to take the mail box walk. It's worth it and the kids love it. You know what? All my chores are still waiting when I get back and I manage to get dinner started.

This week has been busy as we are anticipating the arrival of our family cow in a couple weeks AND I also have my Basic Bee Keeping Course in a couple weeks as well. This afternoon I ordered the books I will be using as reference and I must say I am excited.

I inspected some of my hives today and they all look great. I also have some nucs I started a couple weeks ago but I didn't open those hives up. I have learned through the years that when a split or nuc is in process of raising a queen it is best to leave them alone for a good month unless it's an emergency. They all looked great from the outside and seemed calm when I walked by so I think they are doing well. I will be selling a couple of them to people who are getting started in bees this spring.

Next year we plan another Bee Class and also a backyard chicken class, complete with baby chicks. It's so nice to have a couple of long range goals and my teens will be able to help with the classes.

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Now about 6 months ago I posted about my Home Made Vanilla that I was making. Well I am so pleased to tell ya'll that the stuff is divine!

I made a Cream Cheese Pound Cake and used a whole TB of my vanilla. All I can say is "WOW!"
I will be making another batch this spring so that it will be ready by Christmas for gifts. If you have any friends or family who like to bake, then this gourmet vanilla is just the thing to give!
This cake recipe was really simple and delicious too. I highly suggest you check it out!
Thank you Elizabeth's Edible Experience for the great recipe.....I might now be addicted to your blog as well!

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A couple more things I wanted to share:

1.The Human Experience 
   This is a great documentary and I think it would benefit not only ourselves but our teens to watch. It's on     Netflix instant play too!

2. With all the media frenzy over birth control, I thought this would be a great post to revisit, especially for us family loving mothers. The Culture of Birth Control.
 Thank you Missy for bringing it back to my attention! If ya'll don't know Missy yet, then please go meet her. She's a hoot!


3. HSLDA is defending a family in a horrible case of "the hospital and social workers were overstretching and will hopefully gets their booties sued and will think twice before ever doing this again!" I advise all parents to read this case in astonishment, but if you home school and are members of HSLDA, please consider donating even a tiny bit help pay the legal fees. Here's the full story!

4. I want everyone to have a blessed week! Go out and enjoy the weather! Drop what you are doing tomorrow afternoon and take the kids out to play, sip on some sweet tea, and count your blessings!

I will be back on Friday!