Seven A.M. Text, You're Home!, About Time

1. I got to work a full day today! Notice I write that with an exclamation point. My voice does not sound like Eyore's, but more like Tigger's because I really like my job.
2. Henri was so happy to see me that he was all wiggly, floppy, and running around. Dog greetings are the best.
3. Tess and I watched an absolutely beautiful movie called, About Time. It enters my top five, all-time favorite movies. Warning: If you're anything like me you will bawl your eyes out.

A Teacher of One Sort or Another, Must Be Bedtime

1. He looked a bit like Santa Claus with his white beard and belly. And just like Santa, he came bearing a gift. Only his gift was the gift of knowledge which will potentially save  Hive #2 from going down. I asked him how long he had been beekeeping and he said, "Since 1964." Trust is such a good feeling.
1a. He only wore a T-shirt while handling the bees. He paused for a moment to brush one from going up his sleeve.
2. The restaurant's patio was filled with elementary school teachers who were celebrating the end of the year. Just inside, at a table near the window, a little girl was having dinner with her family. She watched with an expression of amused awe as she began to recognize all the teachers from her very own school. 
3. The birds are quiet this evening. Or maybe I'm just tired and this is how they always sound, like a slow song lulling me to sleep.

Hollywood's, Breath In, Summer Evening

1. Once in a while some lady friends meet up for dinner. Because it's once in a while, we anticipate it as a highly special event.
2. Sara is first to notice the wonderful scent of honeysuckle in the air. It grows tumbling down one side of the parking lot. The warm evening breeze is laden with the aroma. It brushes across my skin.
3. From the driveway I can see that the patio lights are on around the porch. Steve must be out there tonight.

Three Days, One Post

We had a most excellent weekend! We took a little getaway without leaving home. It was spontaneous and it was exactly the refreshment we needed.

I found two of these old, rusty enameled pots in the woods. They're fun to use in the garden.

1. We spent Saturday in the garden. I enjoy co-laboring with my husband (when I can get him outside) and he was amazingly helpful this weekend. I said, please dig here and he did. I asked, please move this over there and he did. We paced ourselves to enjoy the work and it was all good. The reward of relaxation at the end of the day was worth every minute spent in labor.
2. On Sunday, we sat in the shade of the tree on the hill and watched the mockingbirds chase the bluebirds. We read on the porch, I baked a little, and we went to check on B.'s bees. Our goal was to find the queen in Hive #2 and we did!
 

B. is allowing her bees to lay a natural foundation which is very pretty.

                                                                                   

This photo shows pre-laid foundation on one of the nuc frames.

3. Monday brought us to the Appalachian Trail where we were looking forward to providing Trail Magic for thru-hikers. We wanted to celebrate Chelsea's continued success by passing it along to others, so we went big- time and brought the grill. Our menu: Hamburgers, hot dogs, watermelon, chips, tubs of soda on ice, pudding, and carrot cake. Audrey and Bella-the-Dog joined us along with Tess. We enjoyed hanging out on the Parkway, sitting in the shade and chatting with passing visitors.
3a. One man, who was recovering from a knee replacement, sat with us a while. We chatted a long time before he introduced himself as David Horton. If you click his name it will link you to some of his amazing feats of endurance as an ultra runner. He was humble and I had no idea of his extensive accomplishments until I came home and Googled him. You never know who you might meet on the trail. We met several other thru-hikers who all partook and were extremely grateful for the food. One young man had been worried because he was running low on supplies before his next re-stock. This meal bought him some time until he came to the next convenient town.
3b. A college grad and his petite mom stopped for a soda. They were hiking from one college in Virginia to his next college in Georgia. They were S. Korean and his mom did not speak English. However, Steve listed all the Korean sagas he's been watching and the mom knew every one of them. I will have now have to stop teasing Steve about watching his Korean chick flicks. After all, they provided common ground for him to connect ever so briefly with these total strangers.

"AT Trail Magic brought to you by the family of Sunrise"

This is the trail, looking south.

Winding Down, In Honor, Natural Light

1. Our school calendar will change next year with school ending on May 22nd. I'm in favor for finishing early to be free to play during this beautiful time of year. All day I think, "Next year this will be the first day of vacation!".
2. For as long as I can remember, veterans have handed out poppies over Memorial Day. I appreciate  this simple reminder of those whose service and sacrifice we are honoring.
3. Reading in a comfortable chair near the window for light. The bonus of an open window and Friend Mockingbird's serenade.

Pleasant Chore, All in One Day, Coming Home

The valley just before sunset

The vineyard

Greg mowed down the waves

1. This evening I had time for one of my favorite pastimes, mowing the lawn. While Greg went around and around on his tractor, cutting his hay field, I went around and around my yard on my mower : ). We waved to one another. The view from the back hill was so beautiful, I rode the mower down to the house to get the camera.
2. The girls all called me today. #1, "How do you defrost a freezer?", #2 "I'm ready to be done with Pennsylvania." #3, "We are thinking of coming to visit tonight."
2a. Poor #4  is home sick with a cold. She already had chicken soup for lunch, so it was a banana milkshake for dinner and the movie, "Frozen".
3. One last call before I headed off to bed. This one I made to Steve who was traveling home and not due in until 1:00AM. "I'll leave the light on for you."

A Different Kind of Busy, Taking My Chances, For Love

1. I have a daily appointment to feed B.'s bees and it has been my counterweight for an exceptionally busy week. I walk into her quiet garden and I hear the humming of the hives. All of the business swirling in my mind stops while I watch the bees come and go, come and go. I take a seat and just keep watching for a while.
2. I could turn the sprinkler off in order to adjust it but, no. I'd rather dart into the spray, turn the knob and dart back out again.
3. My non-cooking daughter calls me for a chocolate cake recipe to bake from scratch for her husband's birthday. I picture her hands holding the electric mixer.