On My Mind……..

This is a Friday photo feature that anyone with a blog can join.   Your photo should show something at home that you’re thinking about TODAY.

   To take part, all you have to do is post a photo on your own blog, write a short caption explaining it and post a link back to down--to—earth.  Please write a new post, don’t use an older one.  When your photo is published, go back to down--to—earth add a comment with a link to your blog photo so others can come visit you.  Please visit other blogs and leave comments, get to know your fellow bloggers!                              

On my mind is our sweet teeny, tiny egg our sweet Strawberry Shortcake gave us.   We have been anxiously awaiting it’s arrival! 

What Holistic Beekeeping Looks Like.......

On Tuesday night, Chris, Maggie, our friend Darla and myself went to a holistic beekeeping meeting.  What an eye-opening evening!  We have two beehives and we want to take care of our bees in a more natural way.  We scour the internet, and we find things, but when you can find actual people to learn from, especially so close to you, you jump at the opportunity! 

The above picture is actually of a swarm the woman holding the meeting went and rescued.  It was inside this log, so she transported the log home and there they have stayed!

This picture is of some of the bee-friendly flowers she has planted.  At the left you can see a pretty glass bowl filled with water (they need fresh water!) and lava rocks.  The bees love the little holes on the lava rocks.

A wine barrel hive

    

           And another.  This one has sugar snap peas starting to grow over it

Since I am so new to beekeeping  I am going to refrain from talking about holistic beekeeping and refer you to a couple of sites I was given last night.  The Melissa Garden and Gaia Bees.  I think you will find both of these sites very informative.  Hopefully  my pictures have inspired you to take a look and see the difference!

California Raw Milk Petition......

Today the CDFA California Department of Food And Agriculture is using broadly written regulations to put your local goat and cow share farms out of business. CDFA code 35011 and 35283 says that

"Dealing in, receiving, manufacturing, freezing, or processing milk, or any product of milk." 

is illegal without a California Dairy License.

If you are opposed to making herd shares illegal and want to help CA residents continue to enjoy the health benefits of raw milk, even if you don't live in CA, please sign!  Help us keep our rights to drink raw milk!

Keep Herd Shares Legal!

Is it me or is this crazy that we are having to fight for the rights to have gardens in our front yard and to drink whatever milk we want?  

Have to brag about what I won!

I know, I know, I know.....nobody likes a braggart.  But this brag isn't a "neener, neener, neener, look what I won" kind of a brag.  It's a "hey, check this out!  I won something really sweet and want to share with you" kind of brag!  

I love aprons.  There is something about them that just makes my heart happy when I see one, when I wear one.  I am loving that I see so many on movies and TV shows now too!  It's an apron revolution!    So when I got the opportunity to join in on a contest on Fresh Eggs Daily on Facebook I jumped in.  Hardcore.  I was in it to win it!  I didn't think I would though because I am on dial up.  It can take forever for a page to refresh.  I already knew I wasn't going to win because, well, I have joined in to win things millions of times and haven't.  Well, that's not exactly true.  Once I went to a breakfast put on by a local radio station that I used to listen to.  Somehow I ended up winning the book So That's What They're For, which at the time I had no use for, what-so-ever.  But I did win, so I technically can't really say I never win anything.  Anyway.......so like a pitbull in a cage fight I went in, fingers tapping the keyboard wildly, a couple answers I didn't know so I was trying to google them, luckily Chris and Maggie weren't here to witness the crazed look in my eyes.  They would have thought I lost my mind.  I have to admit, the thought did cross my mind.

Well, guess what!  I won!  I really won!  I was so excited I couldn't contain myself.  I know, it was an apron not a million dollars.  But it sure felt like a million dollars.  This apron is so darned cute!  Lisa has put her sewing skills to good use.  I love the little pockets (5 of them), perfect for egg gathering!  I was able to get 2 large eggs in each pocket.  Can't wait til my girls start laying!  My picture doesn't do it justice.  Make sure you click on her Etsy Shop link at the bottom of this post for a better picture!

When I opened the package Maggie was excited, we had a little discussion about who it belonged to.  It seems whenever I get something cool she ends up with it.  But not this!

I would encourage those who are reading to check out Lisa's Etsy Shop, Fresh Eggs Daily, there are some really cute aprons and other things on there!  I love her chicken coop plans.  You wont be disappointed!!  So go check her out!  

Just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to Lisa for doing the contest and having such a wonderful prize!  It went to a very grateful home and will get a lot of use!  :)

Anticipation.......

I found these two little gems in the garden today....can't wait to enjoy them!

Maggie's cherry tomato plant

First Blackberry that has color!

Can.not.wait!