Rose petals in the oven to dry. We use plastic screen from craft stores over old refrigerator racks for drying racks.

Susan gathering rose petals.

The viewing window on one of Rod's established hives showing the hinel combs and bees working. He doesn't leave the "windows" open long because the bees think its a "breach" in the hive and get a little edgy.

The bottom corner details of a new hive Rod built. The small rectangular "door in the bottom center is where the bees enter/exit. This one is not occupied yet.

This is the same hive with the lid removed showing the internal construction. The bees will build combs under the wooden bars going across the top. We're hoping to get into beekeeping and really appreciate his tips and advice.

Thursday, June 23, 2010

Anyone else feel that after DIRTTIME normal life is a let-down?

We went to Kalispell this afternoon. We had some books to drop off with one of the kids. We bought chicken feed at Murdocks (farm store). We stopped at one daughter’s house and picked up some duck eggs they’ve been saving. They are fertile eggs and our setting hens (we now have two that are broody) still seem to be serious about it so we decided to see if they could hatch out some duck eggs. They look different than the chicken eggs so we’ll be able to tell which are for eating and which are for hatching when we gather eggs. It takes about a month before they hatch so we’ll see what happens!

We stopped at Costco and Wal Mart on the way back home to pick up some cocoa mix and beans and rice for long-term-storage.

In the way back we stopped at Rod and Vonda’s to look over their set-up for bees and to see where Rod makes his knives. Those who were at DT 10 met Rod. He makes the Skookum Bush Tool. He and Vonda are wonderful people. It’s nice to have them in the area. We talked until late in the evening,, sharing tea and cookies and trading wolf, bear and mountain lion stories (among other things). Susan and I both hoped we didn’t overstay our welcome. It was late when we got home.

Friday, June 24, 2010

Susan washed clothes today. She uses baking soda with a little vanilla (for scent) in the wash water and vinegar in the rinse water instead of commercial laundry detergent. She gathered some rose petals today to try to add rose scent to the clothes when she washes them. We have a daughter who makes soap and dried rose petals make the soap smell very nice. We’ll post how well it works when we’re finished. I thinned out some trees and brush where the water tank is going to go. We were given a large tank by a neighbor. I’m going to set it up on stilts near the garden for water storage. By elevating it I hope to have enough water pressure to use a hose with it. I’ll post pictures when the project is completed. We got rained out in the afternoon when a thunderstorm moved through. Lots of lightning, wind and heavy rain but no damage to anything. We cut up some more rhubarb to dehydrate this evening.

Our son went for a walk this evening and bumped into a cow moose. He heard noise behind him and she was pretty agitated with his presence so she probably had a calf in the woods behind him. He carefully backed away and chose a different route home. Momma moose are not noted for their gentle disposition.