Queen Bee

On April 21, 2018April 22, 2018 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Bee Keeping, Down in the Garden2 Comments

We have learned what to expect when you buy a pack of bees. Inside the package of bees will be a can of nectar and a small ventilated cage with a queen bee in side. The queen bee is trapped inside the cage by some hardened sugar substance.

When placing the bees in the hive the queen bee is still in her cage when she is placed among the frames in the brood box. Once she is placed, the rest of the bees can be released in the hive.

I went back to the hive today to ensure the queen bee was out of her cage. The sugar blocking the escape hole was gone leaving the hole open. I did not spend time looking through the bees to spot the queen. All the bees seemed busy and happy so I assume the queen bee is alive among them.

I removed the cage and I put a protein patty on top of the frames and made sure they had plenty of nectar.

Next warm sunny day I will get in the hive and check the bees’ progress and try to spot the queen bee in action.

Ben’s Happy Trails

On September 21, 2017October 21, 2018 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Life's a Romance, Traveling OhioLeave a comment

Made some New friends – Willow, Holiday, Doc, and Ladybug (aka Old Diablo) at Ben’s Happy Trails Riding Stable and Campground in Otway, Ohio.

We had perfect weather to take a ride through the forest on horseback.

Enjoyed some porch sittin’ with Flash before we went out riding on the trails.

It’s been a long time since I’ve ridden a horse… I forgot how much fun it is! 😊

This place is definitely off the beaten track, but if you are passing through you might want to check out Ben’s Happy Trails .

10 Gift Ideas For Happy Glampers

On September 20, 2017May 6, 2018 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Gift Ideas, Happy Glampers, Life's a Romance, Traveling Ohio, Wrap It Up WednesdayLeave a comment

Fall is here at last!

Summer has been fun, fun, fun, but we are ready for fall. Among other activities, the cooler weather is a great time here in Ohio to do a little glamping.

We used to be campers, but now we have learned the fine art of glamping 🙂 .

Roughing It In Style!

Let me show you what our little roadtrip to Brookville, Indiana glamping at Whitewater Memorial Park Campground looked like while I give you 10 Gift Ideas For Happy Glampers.

The first three things every glamper should have are a cast iron skillet, warm pajamas, and a pocket knife.

The need for the cast iron skillet is obvious. It goes on the handy dandy grate so glampers can cook themselves up some chow. One of the secrets to a Happy Glamper is a full stomach. A cast iron skillet is made for the job – fry up some bacon, sausage, coffee cake – whatever their little hearts desire (except Pop-Tarts, you can just eat those right out of the box). – Realizing all that is chock full of fat, salt, and sugar. What can I say? Sometimes I fall off the wagon.

Wait! Did someone just say coffee? Thought so.

Every true American Glamper likes a swig of coffee to wake them up in the morning, right? A coffee cup is another super gift idea for a Happy Glamper.

Anyways, back to the picture.

A pocket knife is handy for obvious reasons – like whittling the tip of a stick to put a hot dog or marshmallow on. It also comes it handy to open things or maybe even … cut things :D?

Soft, Warm pajamas provide comfort on cool nights snuggled by the campfire or in the tent. Cold toes make sad glampers – And nobody wants that!

Another idea for a Happy Glamper is a folding camp chair. No matter how great a camp chair is, eventually they wear out. I think any Happy Glamper would appreciate receiving a camp chair.

So far we’ve covered cast iron skillet, coffee cup, pocket knife, warm pajamas, and a camp chair. We are halfway through our 10 Gift Ideas for Happy Glampers. If any of those sound like a good fit – what are you waiting for? Go get that shopping done!

If you still need more, think about these.

What are you going to put the soft, warm pajamas in?

A duffel bag! Personalization is always nice touch. Happy Glampers like to keep their things neat (pretty) and organized. Enough said.

One thing about being out in the wilderness. It gets dark at night.

That means sitting around the fire telling – Ghost Stories! A book of short ghost stories is sure to be a hit gift for the Happy Glamper on your list.

I wish I had a picture of us roasting marshmallows on roaster sticks and reading ghost stories, but I didn’t have a flashlight, camping string lights, or a camp light with a nice sturdy shepherd’s hook to hang it on.

You’ll just have to use your imagination – or Google 😀 !

That’s 10 Gift Ideas for Happy Glampers (plus a few bonus ideas if you were paying attention):

10. Nice, Sturdy Shepherd’s Hook

9. Camp Light

8. Campfire Roasting Sticks

7. Book of Short Ghost Stories

6. Duffel Bag

5. Folding Camp Chair

4. Pocket Knife

3. Soft, Warm, Pajamas

2. Coffee Cup

1.Cast Iron Skillet

Are you a glamper? We’d love to hear from you.

What item makes you a Happy Glamper?

What do County Fairs, Outdoor Movies, & Road Trips All Have in Common?

What do county fairs, outdoor movies, and road trips all have in common?

Summer!

Picture_20170713_073422684 — A pig named Charlotte

We took a trip to the county fair yesterday and had a great time watching all the aggies show their animals. We saw a pig named Charlotte and learned that some pigs like marshmallows.

Horse Grooming - No Soap! — Horse Grooming – No Soap!

We watched part of a horse grooming contest where the participants had 30 minutes to groom their horse without using soap. It looked like the horse was getting an all over mud mask.

Of course we had to ride the ferris wheel – it’s a fair classic. We saw a walking horse show, the pee-wee showmanship show, and a turkey show.

It was fun to watch tikes as young as two years old try to stay focused on keeping their pig in front of the judge.

Have you ever seen a girl turn a turkey half her size upside down?

There is always something going on at the fair. A naturalist was showing a snake.

The Green Mobile was busy educating on ways to recycle.

Down the hill the tractors and trucks were showing off their power.

For the weekend we’ll be setting up the outdoor movie screen again for a double feature. We might have to draw straws to see which movies we will watch for our double feature.

Picture_20170710_111031548 — Choices for our double feature

Today we are getting ready to take a road trip to Columbus, Ohio for a baseball tournament. I love taking the time on short little road trips to visit new places along the way. Our next road trip will be a little longer to Cable, Wisconsin by way of the little Swiss village of New Glarus.

Road trips, outdoor movies, and the county fair – which one do you like best?

Any road trips in your summer plans?

On July 13, 2017July 16, 2017 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Entertainment, Life's a Romance, OhioLeave a comment

Early Stop on the Underground Railroad

On June 11, 2017 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Entertainment, Ohio, Traveling OhioLeave a comment

If you are traveling southwest Ohio I recommend embarking on a little trip to Ripley, Ohio. Ripley sits on the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It is a town rich in history. One of the most popular spots to visit in Ripley is the John Rankin House. It is a national historic landmark. John Rankin was a Presbyterian minister and abolitionist who is estimated to have helped over 2000 slaves escape to freedom.

The little house is estimated to have been built in 1826, making it over 200 years old. The grounds are natural & beautiful providing a fantastic view of the Ohio River.

Parking is free, but hours are limited, so check the museum schedule before heading out. Cost is around $5 per person to tour the house.

After overlooking the Ohio River from the John Rankin House, we couldn’t help but get a closer look on the River Walk along Front Street in Ripley, Ohio. We recommend a stop Rockin’ Robin’s Soda Shoppe to get ice cream and watch the boats on the river.

The Parker House is also on Front Street, Ripley, Ohio. Parker was a former slave, inventor, and abolitionist. Another house on Front Street is known as the Signal House. It was owned by Vic and Betsy Billingsley and is where the attic lantern signaled Reverend Rankin that it was safe to cross the river leading slaves to freedom.

If you want something a little more filling Cohearts Riverhouse is also on Front Street, Ripley, Ohio. My daughter and I have eaten here and enjoyed it. The food and service were good.

20170602_225800 — Moyer Vineyard Winery & Restaurant

Another dining option a little further east up the river is Moyer Vineyard Winery and Restaurant . My daughter and I ate here a few weeks ago. What we really enjoyed here was the restaurant’s setting on the river. I bought a bottle of River Valley Red, but haven’t tried it yet because I’m waiting to have someone to share it with 🙂 . It is described as a soft, mellow, moderating dry red wine and is made from grapes on the property. I’ll update you after I’ve tried it.

Needing a place to stay? Brown’s Motel in Aberdeen, Ohio is modest & inexpensive. It’s right across the river from Maysville, Kentucky which is also a historic little town (and home of Rosemary Clooney) worth exploring. I’ll tell you more about it another time.

Have you ever been to Ripley,Ohio? Tell us about your favorite place to visit when there.

Where Are the Monarchs?

On March 8, 2017March 10, 2017 By Cat_littlegiftohIn Down in the Garden, Life's a Romance, OhioLeave a comment

Simon Kenton Memorial Bridge Maysville to Aberdeen

Last night I took a little venture to Maysville, Kentucky to attend the 8th Annual Farm & Family Night at Maysville Community and Technical College. While I was there, I attended the session Saving the Monarch Butterfly.

According to what I learned, the monarchs that live east of the Rocky Mountains are now in Texas. They are on their yearly journey north from Mexico. Those that live west of the Rocky Mountains winter in California and spend their summers in the Northwest states.

Part of what makes monarch migration so wondrous is the fact that monarchs are the only insect to migrate a distance of 2,500 miles. During migration monarch butterflies can fly up to 300-500 miles a day. During their migration north monarchs will go through about 4 generations. Those monarchs that fly south in the fall, however, can journey the whole distance living up to 9 months.

The purpose of the session was to discuss why monarchs are at risk and what can be done to help them.

Currently the monarch population is 4% of what it was in the 1970’s. The biggest factor leading to their decline is loss of milkweed. Other contributing factors to the decline of monarch populations are weather, use of insecticides & herbicides, and habitat loss.

Some things we can do in Ohio to help the butterflies as we await their arrival this year is to learn about their habitat. We can plant milkweed and other pollinator plants that monarchs need. In addition we can learn about plants that are native to our yard that butterflies enjoy and keep them in place when possible, rather than removing them.

Being that it is almost spring (12 more days, but who’s counting?), now is a great time to think about monarch butterflies that are migrating our way. When planning your garden try to include some nectar plants. These can be annuals, biennials, and/or perennials. Here are just a few examples: Shasta Daisy, Cosmos, French Marigolds, Lantana, Verbena, Zinnia, Black Eyed Susan, Hollyhock, Phlox, New England Aster, and Purple Coneflower. Milkweed, Goldenrod, and Ironweed are often plants that we might consider undesirable, but butterflies like them.

If possible, know your plant source. When purchasing plants ask what type of greenhouse they came from. Ideally, buy plants raised in a chemical free greenhouse. Often times you can find someone who has perennials who is willing to split off part of their plant that you could start in your yard.

Choose a sunny location for your plants and consider including windbreaks such as a fence or shrub. If you have limited space many of these plants do well in pots or containers. Bird baths or water containers should be shallow with some object which will allow for butterflies to perch. Items such as floating corks can be placed in deeper water to provide a perch.

Do you plant flowers in your gardens for butterflies? What are your favorites?

Learn more about Protecting Monarchs and Monach Watch .

Feature photo by Chris Bending