It's the Bees!

Our neighbor brothers stopped by the house and told us there was a swarm of bees by their house so the grandkid's Poppy and a little more cautious photographer headed that direction to check it out. Not sure if this is stupidity or bravery but Poppy climbed up on a ladder to take a close up picture. He could even touch them and they didn't notice. So he decided the was going to try to put them in a box.

This is what a swarm of bees look like. One large mass of bees. He did shake the bees off into a box but alas they escaped. But not before one of them stung him. Well, that was an experience I'm not sure I want to photograph again.

New chicks on the homestead...

Grandson Mark brought a couple baby chicks home from his school and Kaden finds them fascinating. So back out comes the heat light and the little box. One of the little chicks sounds just like a song bird and just sings and sings...

Kaden thinks they are wonderful..

you can touch them very gently...

Not sure if we will keep these two even though I do have a couple hens wanting to set on some eggs. I was hoping to get some guinea eggs for them though. Don't you just love being able to live in the country so the little ones can watch the baby animals and chicks?

Celebrating Easter Down on the Homestead...

Family and friends from the Hicks side gathered once again down on the homestead to celebrate Easter. Food was wonderful, laughter was abundant and good times rolled. There is nothing better than knowing you are part of a group of people who truly care about one another. We laugh together and we cry together. Today we celebrated being a family together. Kids and adults both enjoyed getting outside for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. We missed those that couldn't be with us this year including our mom who was probably smiling at us from heaven. Hope you too spent this day with your family and friends. I am so thankful that today is the day we celebrate the resurrection! God is good to us! Hope you enjoy our family pictures!
Angie made these adorable cupcakes...

Rachel made a bunny cake...

Brenda also made a bunny cake. The kids loved them!

Chocolate covered strawberries! Adding a little class to our menu!

We played games and listened to John play the guitar while we waited for everyone to arrive.

I knew this little table would come in handy.

This was little Maddy's first Easter and she loved all the attention.

Aunt Jennifer and cousin Katrina with Maddy who everyone thinks looks like her Uncle Kevin

Gracie stopped for a moment to show off her pretty dress.

Everyone enjoyed coloring the Easter eggs.

Charity helping the little ones....

Charity helping Noah ....

Ty giving Trooper a bird's eye view of the playing field.....

Someone got kinda creative when they were hiding the eggs didn't they?

Some of us watched the activities from the porch.

The adults hid the eggs for the little ones.

Gracie took a break from hunting for eggs to check out the big trucks...

Nothing is sweeter than seeing the smiles on our kids faces...

Wasn't that fun? We'll get together again soon. Don't take your families for granted. Spend as much time with them as you can. Support them, encourage them and love them!

The Blizzard of 2011

 When word came in that the snow storm was predicted to be 12 to 20 inches deep we at our local Red Cross office began to make plans in case we would have to set up a shelter. Our local Fire Dept. pulled our Mass Care trailer to our local designated shelter location. Being prepared is part of what we do!

I decided to stay in town at my little townhouse since our Red Cross volunteers were turning in their availability. I knew snow drifts much worse at my house in the country and there was the possibility I would not be able to get back into town if I was needed.

Thankfully, my neighbor let me park my truck in his drive so I could get it off the street. Nothing is worse than having the snow plow come by and bury your vehicle in piles of snow. I was so thankful I did before the night was over! I heard that snow plow coming by in the middle of the night!

I kept going outside and sweeping off my porch cause my storm door opens outward and I didn't want to get snowed in either! At about midnight I decided I better go outside and shovel my walk so you could see the steps and not fall.... starting to get deep out there!

The next morning I was so thankful to look out my door and see my neighbor had cleared not only the drive so I could get my truck out but had also cleared the sidewalk from my house to his so I could get to my truck. What a blessing that was!

So thankful for our city workers and those snow plows!

I spent the morning watching my industrious neighbor across the street shovel out his driveway. He is about to finally meet the plowed street and be able to be mobile once again!

There was lots of shoveling snow all over town. Everyone was trying to find snow shovels as well as other snow supplies. I heard one store in town told them that they did not have snow shovels cause it was out of season. Ha. Ha. Ha. But you can buy a bikini ......

Think my neighbor decided he has had enough? Heading to a warmer place to live that doesn't snow? Or selling his snow?

I hope everyone remembers how hard this weather is on our little friends that live outside. My little bird friends were excited to see me throwing out that bird seed!

This little fella was more hungry than scared and let me take his pic in exchange for some sunflower seeds. Isn't he/she beautiful?

I had chickadees, and wrens and redbirds and blue jays and even a couple doves all excited about my sunflower seeds.

We never got the call from the American Red Cross to set up the shelter but we  were prepared and that was what counted! So I went back out to the homestead to enjoy the snow with the grandkids. 

The kids wanted to come down to my house to have biscuits and gravy so their  Poppy went next door to pick them up on the 4-wheeler. Living next door does have its benefits!

Even though Poppy took the tractor and scraped the snow away from our patio door the kids still had plenty of snow to play in.

Don't they look like they are having a good time??

And even momma Rachel pulled on the overalls and took the kids out to play.... And she loves this snow much more than I do!