First Bee Sting!

 August 19th, a bee flew up my pants and I sensed it so I carefully walked away from the hive without bending that leg and tried to figure out if there was one in there. I didn't see or feel one so I started to walk back to the hive, and as I bent my knee a bee pressed between the fabric and knee took aim. I dropped trou so fast and scrapped that stinger out like a pro! Sophie kept an eye on me but no dangerous reaction. My maternal grandfather, an entomologist, was allergic. I remember him quickly coming in from the back porch of his cabin and filling a syringe and giving himself a shot. When I asked mom about it she told me that he was deathly allergic to bee stings. My welt lasted a week.

One week later, I felt a bee up my pant leg AGAIN! I did my stiff legged walk away from the hive and prayed I wouldn't be stung on top of the other sting. I untied my pants at the waistband and took a searching look down my drawers and leg. I could see it and thankfully it simply found it's way up the pants and out the waist as I held it open for it. Whew! I tuck my pants into my boots now.

Here is Jolene, our queen bee, marked with blue and named for my sister who is an amazing human being. She is one of the strongest women I know and that because life has not been easy but she has continued to do her best and hold tight to her relationship with her Savior to get through it. Also, she is funny. Humor is always a big plus. So, Queen Jolene!

Barn Quilt Tour

 What do you do when you're social distancing from others and the Texas heat is 104 degrees? You take your family barn quilt hunting in your air conditioned car.  We headed up to Honey Grove, TX to see if we could find them all. We nearly did!

There are two horses in that barn. You may be able to see the miniature one.

Back to School

 It's back to school COVID19 style! Neal provided them with a father's blessing to help communicate Heavenly Father's love and will for them this year. With the kids help, I prepared The Kissing Hand cupcakes since the traditional hand print cutout cookie didn't excite any of us anymore. After reading the book, we ate our cholocate peanut butter cupcakes.

Instead of the usual photo at the door, we kept it real and although I didn't get to have my mother's rejoicing party, I did meet up for a porch visit with friends to vent about the frustrations we, our children, and, I have no doubt, teachers had today.

Don't Buy Yourself A Mattress

 Whatever you do, don't buy yourself a mattress. If you do, you will have a plumbing problem, your daughter will need minor surgery on her toe, your cat will need to visit the vet, your vacuum will break, your car will need work done, your freezer will stop working and all the food will spoil, and your son will need you to get him a trombone for 6th grade band. All true for us this past month. Despite that we are sleeping surprisingly well because through all of it we've recognized our blessings, and oh, yeah, a new mattress.

Jammin'

 Thanks to a failing freezer, Neal felt very motivated to get his jam on and canned 24 pints total which included the old standbys of strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, and raspberry. He experimented and also made watermelon lemon and blueberry lemon thyme. The blueberry lemon thyme is my favorite. We will use it on toast, PB&J, and in plain yogurt!