Some Days...

...we just have a tough time. The other day April did not want to eat but was displaying all the signs of low blood sugar. So we got creative. I'm sure most of you have seen or heard of this idea but it is so fun. We just filled a muffin tin with a bunch of goodies, sat down on the floor and had a snack. This day we had strawberries, watermelon, blueberries, grapes, apple, banana, Daiya cheese, tofu, raisins, graham crackers, cheddar bunnies and some Chex cereal. Even I enjoyed it. Some days you just have to do something out of the ordinary.

Zooey

Zooey is the latest addition to our little farm. We adopted her about a month ago. She is adjusting well and just the sweetest cat. I was really hesitant to get a cat since I'm very allergic but we felt it would be the best solution to our rat and mouse problem. We found Zooey, who was described as an outdoor cat, and she seems very comfortable here. She doesn't wander far, I can almost always see her wherever she is hiding and she seems to have made the rats and mice very unwelcome. I'm not sure she is killing them but taking a nap by their nests seems to have scared the off. Although I am allergic I really enjoy spending time with her. She loves to be pet and have her tummy rubbed but seems to hate being held. She is also not a fan of April. She will often jump the fence to get away from her. I'm also really please with her indifference towards the chickens, they haven't clashed at all. We are very happy to have Zooey.

This Moment

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by SouleMama

On Gabriola

For our last summer trip we went to Gabriola Island for the weekend. I've been going to the island almost every summer since I was a child. However, it had been 4 years since I had been back. I love it there. We all were relaxed and happy. April slept better on this trip than on any other trip we have ever taken with her.
The first day was hot and sunny. We visited the local farmers market, played at Sandwell Park, took a swim in the pool at our resort, ate gluten-free pizza on the lawn looking out at the ocean and watched the sun go down from the beach.
The next day was not very sunny but we still managed to visit two more beaches. We collected a lot of shells, interesting rocks and watched the many birds that call these shores home. April is so content just playing by the water and collecting treasures in her little bucket. We also visited some local farms and artisans (tie dye was a hit!). My husband has family on Gabriola Island so we were lucky to have a nice dinner in their beautiful home and catch up with relatives.
Our last day was sunny again. We took a quick drive around the island, walked along a path I have never visited before, collected leaves and gazed at the starfish and jellyfish living at the pier. After a nice, short ferry ride home, we stopped at a couple more shops and attractions on the drive home.
We all came home calm and smiling. What a wonderful way to end the summer. Gabriola will definitely be a place we visit again and again.

Color from the Garden

I really feel that eating a wide variety of color is the best way to get those most nutrients in your diet. I will admit that I tend to spend a lot of time in the green area but I'm loving getting some more color. Fall is the perfect time to get colorful. My garden is definitely proof of that. The Easter Egg blend of radishes is beautiful, it's almost like collecting a bouquet of flowers when I'm harvesting them. Our oh-so-sweet fall strawberries are ready. And the first tomatoes of the season are the delicious Sun Sugar. A beautiful color and a beautiful flavor. We are still bringing several pints of those dark, juicy blackberries. But of course there is tons of green. We have kale, jalapenos, celery, zucchini, beans. cucumber and in a few more weeks pac choi. Don't you just feel healthier thinking about all the colors in the garden? Whenever I feel like I am forgetting a component of my diet, my garden reminds me with a bountiful (and colorful) harvest.

Beach Day

It feels like beach days are getting fewer and fewer these days. Days when it's warm enough to walk in the wake and calm enough to sit on the beach and read without the wind flipping pages. April really is a beach girl. She has no fear of the cold or waves or creepy crawlies that roam the beach. She contently seeks out little treasures on the beach. Such a west coast girl.
This particular day, as I was lying in the sun, a native plants tour passed us. I couldn't help but listen in. They were hunting for yarrow and cow-parsnip. I love listening to the historic uses for these "weedy" plants.
It really was a gorgeous day. All the beautiful blue, green, yellow and beige made me think that I need to make a beach quilt to keep these sunny days in our home in those long winter months. So perhaps a quilt is in my future. Until then we will be soaking up every drop of sunshine and spending time at the beach.

In the Hive

Things in the hive are going very well. I'm so pleased that these bees have adjusted as well as they have. Because we got them in July and not early in the year, we were concerned about their ability to put aside enough food for the winter but by faithfully feeding them they seem to be succeeding in their efforts to survive the winter.
They are slowing down with brood production and many of the drones have already been kicked out of the hive. The few drone cells that were still present in the hive, I uncapped to help with the verroa mites. The mites are a bit of a problem in our hive. Even with the mite treatments, their numbers are not as low as we would like. I hope that by removing drone cells that I can help the mite problem.
Since my last hive inspection the amount of brood frames has decreased, which is to be expected as summer comes to an end, and the amount of honey frames has increased. They seem to have even been able to find some pollen in this late season. I was excited to see some bees crawling around with pollen on their legs.
I also did some "housecleaning" while I was in there. I cleaned the excess comb from the sides and bottom of the frames, cleaned some of the propolis from the frames to make them easier to remove and added the entrance reducer to keep the wasps out.
All-in-all it was a very pleasant inspection. The bees are healthy and I am happy. I may only do one more inspection before I close them up for the winter. Let's hope they stay healthy and well through the winter.