Spring-alicious

Is it just me...or is this the most gorgeous Spring we've seen in years?

Walking the streets of my little spot in the world...the smell is nothing short of intoxicating. 

Even my little granddaughter seems mesmerized by the beauty within her grasp. 

 Reaching down to breathe in the sweetness of a tulip...

 but deciding instead that this scarlet red tulip is truly good enough to eat!

Perhaps this Spring is more vibrant...or perhaps I am merely waking up to see the enchantment of this season for the first time in over four years. 

Welcome Spring...it's so nice to see you!

Adorable May

A game of "Mother May I" to share some moments I found Adorable during the month of May?

Mother May I...Remember every day how serendipitous life is, to be Nana and Papa to this one?

Mother May I...Giggle as I watch my daughter and my grand daughter play dance-dance-party together!

 Mother May I...Pray I'm not seeing double...Izzy and I love dog-sitting Stella.

Mother May I...Please have more of the Almond Florentine with white chocolate mousse.

Mother May I...Ever finish this chicken coop?

Mother May I...Have a quilt just like this one...do you think Sue Spargo would gift me hers?

Photo taken by Michelle

Mother May I...Pinch myself when I see all the joy in the faces of this little family.

Mother May I...Ever finish the chicken coop? Oh wait...I already said that one didn't I.

Mother May I...Always be surrounded with fervent, nurturing friends...who text, call, check on me, and send exquisite flowers during arduous days.

Mother May I...Appreciate cavorting, dancing 8th grade boys at the Middle School Talent Show. They were marvelous!

Mother May I...Ever be able to express how incredulous all the flowers are at the cemetery on Memorial Day...as far as your eyes can see!

Mother May I...Figure out just where Henry got those long, curly eyelashes from.

Mother May I...Reach inside The Teenager's soul and comprehend what he's meditating about.

 Mother May I...Say how much I LOVE summer flowers blooming on my back patio.

Mother May I...Wait patiently for fresh herbs to mature and find a place in Summertime meals.

Mother May I...Drink in the aroma of Springtime in this little valley that is bright with green this year.. 

Introducing Her Royal Highness...

I'm bringing home a baby honeybee
won't my Mommy be so proud of me!

Extremely cold and long...winters in our Northern town can be hard on everyone, including girls trying to keep warm in their hives. Sadly, we lost Queen Caroline and her entire hive to an early cold snap. Lady Gaga's hive was knocked over by uninvited house guests...don't get me started about those pesky elk. And yet...somehow Lady Gaga and the rest of the hive survived!

Dean, anxious to bring his bee population up in numbers brought home a new queen plus 10,000 of her closest bee girlfriends to move into Caroline's hive.

Once moved into the new hive, the girls need time to settle in. Then cross your fingers to make sure they stay.

This is the queen's royal coach that Dean is removing from the hive. The queen lives in this tiny box for the first few days in the hive so she begins to smell like the hive. The girlfriends efficiently eat away the small sugar plug in one end of the royal coach and free her!

Slowly, Dean pulls frame after frame out of the hive to check on the progress of the girls. And things are looking good...the hive appears to be healthy and growing.

But to be sure...he will need to find the queen. It is quite literally like looking for a needle in a haystack. One queen among 10,000 girlfriends.

Wait what's this...could it be? Look just below the yellow stick. She's longer and bigger than the other girls.

Introducing... Queen Kate Middleton...The Duchess of Honeybridge.

And there are many buzzy days ahead for Queen Kate!

Fortunately the bee master had a scientific assistant for the day.