Author: Diana Blakney

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The bees are buzzing, the flowers blooming…

They are hard to spot in this photo, but the Italian honeybees love their new home.
I’m not sure you can run the video, but it shows a lot of activity!
Sandra, with neighborly help from Doug, has made this massive Doug-fir stump a lovely focal point.
The Tory wedding gardens are in great shape, thanks to Sandra.
I think this lovely bush is a honeysuckle.

Sid has the entry looking good.

Random seedlings keep trying to take over the meadow.
The pale white flowers are Peacock larkspur.
Sigh. the fight against Scotch broom never ends.
The side trail that leads up toward the clear cut plantings and the Watershed Road (just before entering the woods to follow the Creek trail) is littered with fallen logs. Time for the chain saw brigade.

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Woodshed “engineered”

Nina and Will, having just graduated as bona fide engineers, did the final assembly on the woodshed.

They were appropriately rewarded.
The Italian honey bees await their permanent home that Sid is busy assembling.

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Italian bees enjoy the farm blooms

The purchase of Italian bees will benefit the farm blooms. Here’s the scoop on the bees from the internet:

Pros of the Italian bee (positive characteristics for beekeepers)

  • gentle to manage;
  • overwinters well and builds up quickly in spring;
  • strong foragers;
  • very hygienic;
  • good honey producers;
  • use less propolis than some of the darker bees;
At work already!

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No butterflies, low creek levels

Paul was out to count Fender’s blue butterflies last week. Neighbor Johnny had 65. Shiver River had 0. Not a misprint. Zero.

On the good news side, Sandra is going to paint/stain the front porch! What a blessing! Here is the before photo.
Sid is good at mechanical upkeep. Here he is putting a new, sharp chain on our marvelous battery chain saw.
Even a good mechanic needs an extra pair of hands sometimes and Bianca chose to nap rather than help.
I left the game camera up for a month. All I got was deer … lots of deer…
and the occasional brother with dog.
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The Scotch broom is blooming. Makes it easier to spot and kill …
Rock Creek and Griffith Creek are low.
The sharp bladed chain made clearing the forest roads much faster.

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Day After Earth Day

Battery powered chain saw in hand, Bill takes on one of the many trees blocking the forest roads.
Some are easier than others.
The woodpeckers love our snags.
Between the blackberry bushes and the Scotch broom, it is a miracle any of the little fir trees can regenerate and survive.
And yet they do.
Lower left is the Scotch broom pile for the day. It looked bigger in person.
A row of poison oak. Ick.

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Earth Day

Sandra and Sid have worked hard to get the farmhouse flower gardens looking pretty for Tory and Robert’s upcoming wedding anniversary.
Enough of the beautiful, blooming plants around the farmhouse. As Bill and I went out to find and conquer Scotch broom, we saw some newly fallen trees in Rock Creek and elsewhere on the forest roads. We will bring the chain saw tomorrow and clear some of the debris.
These guys are no match for our Puller Bear!

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