I know it's July, but what day is it? What state am I in?

   I knew July was going to be busy.  I knew it, but wow, it is very densely packed.  We started with a July 4th party with a bunch of our daughter's friends.  We had food, and then drove them up to the high pasture on the farm to watch the fireworks (and as it turned out, concurrent illumination shows from the  lightning bugs and the heat lightning over the next mountain).  It was fun, and by about 11:30 pm we had  kicked them out so we could get some sleep.
    The following day we went to CT, stayed overnight there before heading to Long Island to celebrate my aunt and uncle's 60th wedding anniversary.

The Anniversary Kids!

We took the ferry over the Long Island Sound, which was so much nicer than driving down the L.I.E. in the blazing heat.  We had a party/luncheon at a lovely inn and got to spend the time with cousins, sisters, nieces and nephews, Mommy, and various old friends from my family's past. It was great, but HOT!!!  Everyone was so great - between my sisters, cousins, and nephews, everyone helped keep our eldest son as relaxed as he is capable of being in noisy crowded places!
    After the luncheon, we went to Aunt G and Uncle T's house to have a house/home mass celebrated by Fr. Bill who was marking his 50th year as a priest.  We sweltered through it - even outside - even with fans on (outside).  The air was so hot, heavy and still that we had no relief.  Sooo, we laughed and sweat, and kept passing tissues and paper towels to stop the drips!  All the pictures are of our VERY shiny faces!

Not just a natural glow - more like an unnatural melting!

Still, so many of us are in so many places - East Coast, West Coast, now, Chicago as well, that we do not often get to see each others - it was great.
    We took the ferry back - another sunny day that lent itself to sailing topside.

Watching the ferry docking.

A gorgeous day on the Sound

My section of family drove home Sunday night, then Tuesday morning at about 6:30, my daughter and I rolled out the door to drive her to Western Michigan for 2 weeks of Fine Arts Camp.  I stopped (just to fill up the gas tank) in Jamestown, NY, just to say I had been there.  For those of you who do not understand this, Jamestown is Lucille Ball's hometown, and I have always admired her, so it was just my personal nod to her memory to say I had been there once.  (Although I may want to go  back to the museum!!)The drive wasn't too bad, but the construction was everywhere, slowing us down, as did the driving rain storm outside Williamston, MI that brought the traffic to a hazard blinking crawl.

Modern lighting

NON-smoking room accessory!

     We finally got to our motel - a little Mom and Pop place with a sign from the 60s, a room with 1970s panelling and a 1960's bathtub. The sign said it was a no smoking room, but the ashtray on the desk belied that,





 as did the stench of cigarette smoke that permeated the bedding, carpet and curtains. It was...memorable.  At least the bed was firm.  My husband and I had reservations for the return trip to pick our daughter up, and we cancelled them this morning, choosing to stay in a hotel an hour away in order to avoid the cigarette experience again.
    I dropped my daughter off at the camp and got her settled and off to the theatre for her audition, then back I drove.  The return trip was much smoother, the construction starting at hours other than the ones I was driving through.  By 2:30 a.m. I was home, and I have a whole day here before we head down to Maryland for a wedding!  Another week and it is back to MI to pick our daughter up!
    Our house sitter is loving us this month!

Surviving Prom

   My daughter went to the Senior Prom this week.  She looked gorgeous.  Her date looked very handsome and was brave enough to wear a pink vest and pink bow tie to match her outfit.  They drove off to go to his house so his parents could take photos, then off to a restaurant, then to the prom.  Simple, no?
     Well the week before prom was a blur of pink fabric.  The dress we bought (no I did not make this one) had nine different layers of skirt.  Since my daughter is a 5'4" young lady, we needed to hem it up about  6".  This would be a cinch.  I do this kind of stuff for a living.  Except, at my house I do not have a dress dummy that fits her size.  So we  marked and cut by having her stand on the footstool which we placed on the coffee table, and she stood there for ages as I marked and cut, and checked and double checked.  We set up the dining room as dress central - we mopped and vacuumed and then laid sheets on the floor to avoid messing this dress with dog hair or dust.

I just serged the slip, but did a rolled hem on the underskirt.  The crinoline layers were an easy cut, trim, re-trim process.  But the tulle - oy! if the crinolines were wrinkled or folded back on themselves, everything shifted.  Since I was just cutting off the four layers of tulle, it all had to lay "just so"  or there would be a higher section.  

   Prom was Thursday night and  we were ironing the gown Thursday morning.  The dress looked good, and now I know it really is easier to build the darn thing myself. 

 

Second Grade Fiber

   Last week my son's second grade was doing a unit "from sheep to cloak."  They carded raw wool, made books about the entire process.  Wove a bit, and I brought in my spinning wheel so they could spin some.  They were very cute and enthusiastic, but the yard they spun was a variety of thick, thin, tight and non-existant twist.  Still I told them I would finish spinning it and knit it up as a gift from them for their teacher.  Trying to spin with the same inconsistencies they had in their yarn was, um, a challenge.  However, I finished it and knit this very irregular yarn on size 15 needles into a quick stockinette stitch scarf.   The lumps and smooth areas, while difficult to knit cleanly, made for some really interesting texture.  My son told me we needed to dye it because plain cream colored yarn was boring.  So last night we threw together a quick alum mordant/onion skin dye (he was really adamant it be onion skins - maybe the teacher had spoken of natural dyes?) and we came up with a very pretty golden yellow scarf.  Of course, I failed to photograph it, but it was pretty.
    I decided the scarf  was really a metaphor for the second grade: smooth patches,  rough patches, hard spots, soft spots, but golden over all.  

Summer's Insects

   As a bee keeper, this is the time of year when I spend time trying to educate  folks (children, mainly) about bees and their benefits.  But I also find myself defending them and trying to remove the bad rap bees have gotten due to the general public calling ANYTHING that stings a bee.
    So, here is a round up of several stinging and biting insects, how to identify them, and what to do if you end up on their bad side!
   Bees:  there are several types of bees - honey bees are my favorite, but also Mason bees, bumble bees, wood bees (some call them carpenter bees, but I have never seen them heft a hammer), sweat bees, ground bees, etc.
Honey bees:  they have hairy body - adapted to help collect pollen, their protein source.  They have a stinger with a small hook at the end, causing it to become embedded in the victim.  This also means the entire stinger and venom sac is pulled from the bee's body, so it is able to sting only once, and will die soon after. They live in  hives tended by humans, but also can be found in the classic "bee tree" of Winnie The Pooh fame.

Honey bees on comb

Bumble bee: hairier body than the honey bee.  They also use pollen as their protein source. Is capable of stinging many times.

Bumble bee

Carpenter/Wood bees:  These look like and are often mistaken for bumble bees.  Carpenter bees are somewhat solitary, nesting near others of their sort, but not making a hive.  They will eat tunnels into wood - often they can be seen in garage soffits, or porch railings.

                  

carpenter bee

Paper wasp nest

Wasps:          They have a smooth body and a straight stinger able to inflict several stings in rapid succession. Most easily recognized for their  very thin "waist" separating the body into two very distinct sections. Wasps are often feared more than necessary.  Yes, they will defend their homes if disturbed, but most of the time they just want to  live, mate, and eat other insect pests.

Yellow Jacket nesting in a hole near the ground

Yellow Jackets:   These are the nasty ones who end up in that can of soda you were drinking, and can sting your mouth when you take a swig. (Yes, experience talking here!) They are in the same order as wasps and hornets.  They are easily recognized by their bright yellow and black striping.  They are, however, a bit thicker than wasps with a shorter body.  Like wasps, they can, and will, sting multiple times. Avoid leaving food, particularly sweet food, uncovered at picnics to avoid their presence in your food.

Hornets: Again, these guys will sting many times in a quick period of time.  The last time I accidentally disturbed a nest I was stung five times on my fingers before I could even yell. Smooth bodies help identify these, as do their nests which are often found hanging in trees - generally they are quite magnificent to behold.  These nest are made from wood pulp. 

A hornet nest in a tree. 

   
      In all cases, if you are stung, try very hard not to panic.  Flailing your arms and screaming will only continue to agitate the insects and will possibly result in more stings than if you stand still or walk away.  (Hard to remember when you feel under attack, but try.)  Scrape out the stinger (if from a honey bee), do not grab as this will squeeze more venom into the area, resulting in pain and swelling.  Use a fingernail or a jack knife or the edge of a credit card to scrape across the skin and lift the stinger out.  Wash the area and apply ice for any swelling.  Antihistamines (like Benedryl) can help with itching and swelling.
 IF YOU EXPERIENCE DIZZINESS, SWELLING OF THE TONGUE OR THROAT, HIVES(no pun here, really), OR A WEAK  AND RAPID HEARTBEAT, SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION IMMEDIATELY.  These are all signs of an allergic reaction and should not be ignored.


Ticks: They live in fields, bushes, woods, even your yard, so you will probably encounter them periodically.  If you find a tick attached to you, carefully pull it out using a pair of tweezers. Wash the area and keep an eye on it.  It is not only the deer tick which is now carrying the Lyme disease.  Look for the red bull's eye rash and pay attention if you start feeling "off" - aching in the joints can  be a symptom on Lyme Disease, and should be mentioned to your doctor.

Mosquitoes:  They breed in standing water, so be aware of water in pool covers, birdbaths, and buckets, dumping and replacing it.  they are most prevalent in the early morning and evening hours, so to avoid bites, stay inside during those hours.  (Okay, reality check - no one wants to spend all summer indoors during the evenings!)  There are various  mosquito repellents on the market, choose the one you prefer, and wear it.  Many folks swear by citronella candles and torches, others by planting lemon grass near patios.  I do not know how efficacious any of these methods, are, but feel free to try them.
   If you are bitten (a misnomer as they are actually stabbing you with their needle-like mouths to draw out blood),  hydrocortison creams can lessen the itching, as can calamine lotions.  Above all, do not scratch , as this can break the skin, introduce bacteria, and lead to infection.
    Have a fabulous summer!

The Hopeful Farmer #5

   Okay, it looks like the farm will have to become its own blog - this does not seem very designer-ish to be talking of fields and trucks and tractors.
    But...speaking of tractors - after many nights trolling craigslist, the hubby went out and bought a tractor today.  It is a Ford 801 - which were built between 1957 and 1962.  It is big enough to do everything we need it for, and a few things we haven't even thought of yet.  It has a live pto and comes with chains, a 2 bottom plow and a back blade! To top it off, the gentleman who is selling it is going to deliver it - meaning we do not have to rent a trailer to transport it.  Here is what it looks like.

This is not actually her, I cannot get her photo to transfer.

When it arrives home, we will have to name her, but I have to drive her to get a better idea of what her name is.

The Hopeful Farmer #4

     We bought a farm!  Yesterday we FINALLY went to closing on the farm.  Now we do not have to ask permission to run up the hill.  I can pull cattails at will.  I can plant the largest garden I want to.  Or not.  Now that we KNOW the sale has gone through, we can really plan - before it was about being, well, hopeful.  Now it gets real.
     Today, after volunteering at the elementary school, my husband and I took a test drive in the tallest truck I have ever driven. If it did not have a handle built into the front of the door area, I would never be able to get into it.  If we buy it, I may have to stash a small step stool behind the seat! It is big, and has a utility cap with the little side cabinets on the outside, V-8 engine and some rust - a perfect farm truck because I would never worry about it if it got a ding or a scratch.
    When the gate is down, I am tall enough to throw feed bags in the back.  However, I do have to climb the back to close the door on the cap.  Ah, the disadvantages of being short!
    Now to coop building and chicken purchases!

The Hopeful Farmer #3

    It has been forever - or at least it feels that way - since we made the offer on the farm.  Okay, so it was a month and a half ago, but in the Spring, for me, losing half of April and all of May for planting trees and bushes is very difficult, and thus seems eternal.
    We have been jumping through every hoop Wells Fargo  put before us, as well as the realtor, the insurance companies - heck, the Universe in general.  Today we did the walk through, and would have closed if one of the attorneys had not been needed in court.  So, (as my Dad used to say) "God willing and the creek don't rise" we will be closing tomorrow afternoon.
    There are so many possibilities; it is very exciting - and scary - and daunting, but all possible.  We walked through the barn today with an eye for chicken coop placement.  Looked with a critical eye at the two ponds which have been silted in for some time and which we will try to reclaim - somehow!

 They are filled with cattails, so we have our own supply of free starch and protein (and you thought I did not really read all my Euell Gibbons books!) as well as some fabulous fiber possibilities from the fluff (is it possible to spin it?) and from retting the stalks.   Lately evenings have been spent on Craig's List looking at second hand pick up trucks, and tractors with bush hog attachments.
   We asked to visit the farm on Mother's Day, and the owner graciously allowed it, and we got some shots of the place in Spring.

one of the stone walls marking the border

    Hiking through the forested area, the kids were already planning  camping trips with their friends. There are lots of different types of wildlife  - deer, bears, turkeys, porcupines, and salamanders! The owner said there have been mountain lion sightings, but he himself has not seen any.

So much better than a computer screen!

We have a lot of very interesting trees on the property.

Apples or crabapples? I still do not know. 

The view from the area I have dubbed "Bald Mountain."

Looking down at the house and barn from the high pasture.

So, keep your fingers crossed that all goes well tomorrow! I'll keep you posted as well!