Honeybees, the Amish, and a Goldfinch

We have a new swarm - another captured swarm. We think the newbies may be Carniolans (aka Carnies). Pictures to come soon of the NewBees :p
Here’s a pictorial update of Hive #1 – frame-checking, adding a Super to Hive #1.


Adding the Super to Hive #1~

Mr. W and I now have our own protective Bee Suits. They are awesome. We’ll have to do a self-portrait soon :) I must say.. in this heat – suiting up for the bees is a very good way to lose weight!
Speaking of heat, we made a quick trip to Amish Country last week. The heat index was about 110 degrees. I no longer feel like complaining about the heat after seeing this---

Making Wheat Shocks

And finally, a male Goldfinch giving me the Stink Eye at the window feeder.

If you’re among the many suffering with this extended heat…
Stay hydrated and well!!

General Stores: Hays Ten Mile Store

I have a soft spot in my heart for general stores. Anyone else with me on this? Last weekend we visited the cutest li’l general store.. lovingly preserved in its near-original state. Hays Ten Mile Store is near Ten Mile, MO (tiny spot in the road) in Macon County.

The store was built in 1902.

Mr. Hays, shown in the photo below, owned the store for fifty years – from 1946 until the late 90’s.

Back in the day when Mr. Hays owned the store, you could buy dry goods and porta-huts (for livestock). Today, the store has a good selection of antiques and a few odds and ends such as dog food for sale…

And about a million bucks (or more) worth of pure vintage charm. You just can’t put a price tag on something like that.

The pink stove followed me home (I’m not quite sure how these things happen).

The present owner, Wade King, talking business with a customer.

Here is a nice video put together by our rural electric cooperative’s magazine, Rural Missouri, which interviews some of the regular card players at this history-rich store.

If you’re ever in Macon County, Missouri (northeast portion of the state), take a trip just a little off the beaten path to visit this charming piece of history.. frozen in time. From Macon, travel north on highway 63 (3-4 miles), take blacktop DD east about 4.5 miles and you are there! The store is on the northeast side of the crossroads, and is open Saturdays only from 10-5.

A Tribute to Grady

Sadly, Grady the angel-winged gander is no longer with us. During the wee hours of Independence Day, raccoons attacked in the goose pen. The one casualty was Grady. Greta Goose is A-okay. 

I won’t even tell you the guilt I’m feeling now as I knew the raccoons had been raiding their food lately – but I wasn’t convinced they could harm my geese.

Rest in Peace, dear sweet Grady. There wasn’t any hint of mean spirit in you. You were a wonderful companion for my dear Greta Goose. You were a trooper.. apparently protecting your Greta girl up to the end.

Here is the last picture I took of Grady – last week during our early morning walkabout. In spite of his Angel Wing Issues, he truly was a beautiful-handsome boy.

Until I have the goose area more secure, Greta has been inhabiting a large pet taxi in the house at night. I pack her in the house at dark, and back out in the morning. She’s been a polite houseguest, with only an occasional honk-honk.

Raccoons are smart, and some of our more cute wild creatures. I won’t argue that one bit. However, this time of year, please make sure your coops and pens are secure and raccoon-proof ~ as it’s their time to be more aggressive to find extra food for their babies. We know they kill chickens and other small feathered creatures. And yes, they do kill geese also :(

early morning walkabout

All from this morning, except for bees (that photo is courtesy of the Blacksmith).

hydrangeas, hummingbird, coneflowers, daisies, grady the gander, yard deer, shotgun the roo in new daytime man-cave.