A view around the old farm

I thought I took a picture of the wild blackberries, which are ripening now; but all I got was a picture of all the lovely poison ivy which is growing happily now, too.

The Natchez thornless blackberries have not ripened yet. One bush looks like we should get a few though. Can't wait!

Never seen a caterpillar like this one. Spotted this fat little spud while picking wild blackberries.

I tried to get a picture of the stinging black caterpillars, but it didn't turn out. Their hairs are all little barbs. If one lands on you, you know it!

Not sure what was up with this bee. It sat here for the longest time.

We may have a few pears this year.

That's all for now. God bless. ♥

Has it really been two years?

Since we retired I mean. It really doesn't feel like it. But I just realized today that it has been.

This is not what you want to see when you look out the kitchen window while making breakfast.



When I first looked out the window, there were just a couple. I thought they were fighting over territory. When I looked out the window again, this is what I saw. I thought it was the smell of the bacon drawing them; but I made the video and showed hubby. He immediately got up to look and said they were swarming.

I immediately asked him if they were killer bees. :-|

But he said no, they were swarming, as in they thought they had found a new nesting place! We went through two cans of wasp spray real quick. It made a bit of a dent. After breakfast we went in town and got three more cans of spray. (We found another can of wasp spray buried under several cans of Stuff It.) The first two cans, I think, helped to break the... pheromone trail? that was telling the bees where the new hive would be.

Anyway, I can definitely recommend Black Flag Wasp spray, however it is named. When hubby took that out to spray the bees, he said it killed them immediately. (Yes, I know bees are necessary, but not when they have decided your house is to be their new hive!)

There is was a circular hole on the outside wall of the kitchen. Now this hole, I am pretty sure, has been there for decades. I'm sure it was there when we were here in 1994. I know it has been there since we started coming down in 2008. Anyway, it has now been sealed off with Stuff It. Spray in foam insulation.

I should mention that the noise you hear is actually the exhaust fan, not really the bees...

Hubby said the few bees remaining did not bother him when he was mowing. It will still be a few days before I am brave enough to use the utility room door to go out and hang laundry.

I think there was going to be more, but I've forgotten what it was, so. Oh! I know. Hubby gets his first back procedure next Thursday. They will shoot cortisone into his spine. It should, hopefully, keep him pain free for about three months and then he will have to have the procedure again.
There. I think that is all. Ha.

Take care all and God bless. ♥

P.S. I am having a terrible time trying to post the video. If you don't see it here, maybe I can get it to google +.