Category: SA Times

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Der Christian set up another beehive.  The first one survived the winter, though many individual bees did not, and seems to be prospering.  Chris even made a little raid on the first hive, collecting a small jar full of honey and comb.  I sampled it and, while it tasted stronger than store-bought honey, it was quite good.  I can see where, if one didn’t have the ready access to candy, ice cream and all manner of other sweet things we are tempted by daily, a taste of honey would be a real treat.  Continue reading “More bees” →

One evening this week as I was about to brush my teeth, Joyce came in from tending her flock and told me to come outside to hear a strange noise.  She said it was coming from the pond area so we strolled through the crepuscular gloom in that direction.  We didn’t have to get very close before we could hear the sound.  I told her it sounded like a frog and later revised that to toad, thinking that the more likely explanation.  Darkness was descending rapidly so we got a flashlight and were able to identify the source of the noise.  It was indeed a toad, sitting in the water at the edge of the pond and sending forth its plaintive call into the night hoping for a response.  I like to think eventually it found company if not love.  A love-sick toad is a terrible thing to waste. Continue reading “Lonesome toad” →

 

Last Friday evening I think it was, I heard a Western Kingbird (aka bee martin).  I didn’t see it so I wondered if it was a mockingbird I was hearing.  Sunday afternoon as Jill and the girls were about to hit the road and we were saying our goodbyes I heard and this time saw the kingbird.  If they are here, can warm weather be far behind?

The guinea hen is sitting.  Joyce fixed up a nesting box in guinea tower after she found a couple of eggs in there and the hen took to it.  Joyce estimates there are at least 20 eggs.  I don’t know what the future holds once the keats hatch.  Kari is adamant about no more fowl play in their garage.  Just too danged smelly and messy.  I guess I won’t worry about it.  The mortality rate for keats may take care of the problem.

Continue reading “Winter to summer” →

We got our blast of cold for the week, right on schedule. Joyce decided she wanted to try to salvage the apple tree blossoms so she, Chris and I were out in the cold wind and drizzle wrapping it with some material she bought to cover garden beds. We were worried that our efforts wouldn’t stand up to the wind but they did. Time will tell whether it was enough to save the apple crop. I think some apple pie in a few months would be a just reward for braving the elements like we did but we all know life isn’t fair.

Continue reading “Wild onions and granddaughters” →

This post is late because there was a general Denial-of-Service (DOS) attack on WordPress admin pages and the hosts had to shut them down. I manage this site and one other on two different hosts and both were out of commission from last Friday until yesterday.

Austin was wierd. No it wasn’t. It was about the same as the many other towns I’ve visited in a seemingly never ending quest for my next dollar. I didn’t sample the night life Austin is famous for, never made it to 6th Street. Continue reading “DOS attack” →