Bees!

Well we're officially Bee Keepers!  We installed two packages (3lbs about 10,000 bees each) into our hives.  They should multiply six fold in the next few months if all goes well. 

 

This first picture is the package before we installed.

The boys are all very interested in the bees.  Hadrian in particular.  He wants to be included in everything we do with them.  We'll see how interested he is once the novelty wears off :)  Percy is also interested, but much more wary. 

The cats were convinced we had brought them new flying play toys.  They must have learned their lessons though as the first day was the only time we've caught them playing with the bees non stop.

 

The bees were supposed to fly out of the box to join the queen in the frames, but it looks like this queen flew back into the box instead!  We had to smoke and shake to get them all out!  It was a bit intimidating.  But we did get a nice piece of comb that they had build in there. 

We're hoping the queen shook out and didn't fly away during all the ruckus.

 

 

April Fools

 

I think this may be the fourth year of a fake cake.  This one was a big sponge and I even called it a sponge cake.  And while they had lots of fun trying to cut into it, both were very disappointed and not at all pleased.  Maybe we'll have to try something else next year!

Trajan's 4th Birthday

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Hadrian Sews!

Hadrian finished his first sewing machine project last week.  He came up with the idea, drew the pattern on paper, cut it out, pinned it, did the sewing, the ironing, the whole nine yards.  If he decides to put that level of determination and focus into things as he grows - watch out world!

March Misc.

Trajan discovered a ball of yarn in the car.  He wrapped the entire thing around his hand.  What fun!

Fabulous new blankets from Lyne and Janice! 

March 14, 2015  A fabulous excuse to eat pie in the morning (at 9:26 actually)

Yes, this really is Trajan with his head stuck in the fence.  In retrospect, it probably wasn't that funny, but at the time, I found the three year old logic hilarious as it must have said, "Look a lose board, can I pull it down?  Yes I can. Can I stick my head in the gap?  Well not really, but if I push really hard with my head and pull on the board, maybe it will fit." .  Fortunately he did too.  I really have no idea how long he would have stood there, but he didn't seem to mind.  Nothing better to do I guess  :)  It was a good ten minutes to find Patrick, find the drill, make sure Hadrian wasn't playing in the street (after all, we knew where Trajan was, he wasn't going anywhere)

Pets!

Well the kittens are practically cats now - but they don't know it yet, so we're still having lots of fun.  Here are some of what our pets have been up to these past few weeks.

Hadrian made this cat stand and while it's no longer taking front stage in our living room, he is still really proud of it.

Hmm, what's this a cup of hot chocolate, do cat's like hot chocolate?

 Why yes, they do!

Hmm, am I a pillow or a dog?  Sometimes I'm not sure.

Baby chicks!  Only two this year, but they are super cute.  Hadrian got to take them to show-and-tell at school, which really thrilled him!

And we though the trampoline was for the kids . . .

The entire time the chicks were out in their tractor the first few days, the rest of the pets spent most of the time watching them.  Just watching mostly, the big chickens did attempt to get a few pecks in - gotta show those youngNs who's boss.

Our first attempt at the chicken tractor was not quite perfect.  Bella figured out how to get in, but not how to get out.  

Hike Days and General Fun!