Feed My Starving Children

Fun at Feed My Starving Children with friends. We had to schedule months in advance to be able to help out as they have fewer sessions and people per session due to the Covid restrictions. We were able to serve 2 sessions this summer.

Honey Harvest

 We were happy to see that our bees had not thrown us any curves while we were gone for our trip. We made our own food grade honey bucket by installing the spout or honey gate. We brushed off the bees from the capped honey and headed for the Talberts at Sabine Creek Honey in Josephine (our past instructors). As part of the beekeeping scholarship Sophie participated in, harvesting the honey was one of the requirements that could not be met due to Covid and the students having low amounts of honey last year. The Talberts generously extended their facilities to harvest the next year. That's what we were doing. 

Though it was a hard year for beekeepers because of Snowmageddon in February and a poor nectar production, our bees did produce enough for us to harvest some. Given our two hives, we were able to harvest 21 pounds of honey. When polled this year, local North Texas beekeepers shared that 75% got 0-20 pounds off their hive this year, with 50% harvesting 10 or less pounds. 60-80 pounds per hive is normal. 

 

Getting every drop from the cappings

Giving back to the bees. They lick it completely dry.

We put it out on Facebook that we were selling our local 100% pure, unfiltered honey for $12 a pound and sold all we had.

Thank you, little worker bees!

Perched on my knee

Next up, we needed to test and treat for mites to make sure our hives had a fighting chance to survive the winter. This year we used sticky boards which are not quite as accurate as an alcohol test but it doesn't kill the bees and it is a whole lot easier. Here Sophie is counting the mites as our eyes are too old.

Chickens Arrive

 We took a trip down to Terrell to Chickenville, USA and picked up our girls! Two true blue whitings (Ruby and Vera), one blue laced golden wyndotte (Imagene), and an olive egger (Willadean). They were hatched on the 2nd of June and have their feathers. No need to use a heat lamp as the temperatures are high enough for them.

Switch-a-roo!

 A couple days after returning home from Yellowstone this happened.

Yep! Sophie got her braces off!!! And Rhys got his phase 2 braces on!

Wrapping Things Up in Yellowstone

 After Sophie's Birthday, we decided to visit Norris Geyser Basin and Porcelain Basin. 

Apparently so many days together was taking it's toll

Two scientists, who clean the geysers and pools of trash/debris from humans were on  one of the boardwalks with us. We talked to them a bit. Later, as we passed them again, they had just pulled a quarter out of Pearl Geyser and asked if Neal wanted it. It was pretty corroded but it was his favorite souvenir from the trip.

The ice cream place was closed when we got back to Canyon on Sophie's birthday, so we made up for it the next day.

We let Sophie roll the car for 10 feet.

The other thing Sophie wanted to do was ride in T.E.D.D.Y., The Electric Driverless Demonstration in Yellowstone or Automated Shuttle. It was new to Yellowstone this summer. We rode from the visitor center to the lodge and back. It was slow but informative.

The next day we visited teh Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone for an up close look at wolves, grizzlies, and otters.

We spent our last full day back at Lamar Valley, early in the morning in hopes to see more wildlife. We did see some but it was nothing like on Sophie's birthday. Still had a great time though! In all our time in Yellowstone and Grand Tetons, we saw cliff swallows, harlequin ducks, American white pelicans, red hawks, osprey, geese, sandhill cranes, black bear, grizzly bear, bison, elk, pronghorn, deer, marmot, chipmunk, squirrel, prairie dog, bat, coyote, and badgers. We never did see a moose. 

The important thing here is that we finally got our last state for our license plate game! We had eagle eyes especially at the parking lots during the trip and even spotted AK and HI, Ontario, British Columbia, and Washington DC, but was there a Connecticut to be found? No! When we had cell coverage in West Yellowstone, we checked images of what the plate looked like but knew we hadn't seen it. On the last full day in the park, just to make us squirm, I'm sure, in Lamar Valley we saw it! I made Neal jump off his driver's seat with my declaration of excitement at spotting it. When back at camp, we hit the gift shops and packed up what we could for an easy trip home the next day.

The ride out of Yellowstone was beautiful. We made a quick stop in some tiny town when we say kids selling lemonade and muffins for a good cause and continued on.

In Cheyenne, we visited the Big Boy Steam Engine 4014 on display at Holliday Park. Not only because it's cool but because it was significant to Neal and Rhys, as this was the locomotive they tracked together in Texas during 2019 when it made it's tour before it's final stop here.

When getting to a restaurant we saw the capital building (Rhys loves spotting these) and several murals which we stopped at on the way back to the hotel.

Then something GLORIOUS happened!!! Showers! Hot showers! With soap and fluffy towels!

And REAL BEDS with mattresses, not filled with air, but with foam or springs! It had been 14 days with out a real shower and 13 nights in a tent. It was a very special time that night in the hotel but we were so happy to have been blessed to have this amazing trip to Yellowstone after having to cancel the year before due to Covid and finally seeing all that Yellowstone had to offer!

Sophie's 14th Birthday

 Sophie hates that we are always on a trip during her birthday (poor baby). The afternoon before her birthday we gave her a few different options and asked how she'd like to spend her day. She surprised us when she said she was up for and early get away. This girl likes to sleep in. But the draw of seeing wildlife in Lamar Valley was too much for her.

We made preparations the night before, went to bed early, and were on the road at 3:20 am. We left so early because of road construction that had caused known road closures and we would have to take the long way (about a 2 hour drive). We arrived about 5 am and were glad we did as there were opportunities to see grizzly bears, black bears, and wolves from a distance with our spotting scope. We were not alone and gleaned from the experienced spotters.

A little later in the morning we spotted black bears foraging, one or two with cubs. These were much more close up but we kept a safe distance. Except for when we had pulled into a picnic area to see a bear that was seemed to be heading that way. Well he sure was, and as we pulled into reverse to angle ourselves better we ran into a large rock. We didn't get out to see the damage until the bear was out of the area but I have to say so one was overly bummed about the bummer and whenever I see it, I think about what a great experience we were having.

In total on her birthday we saw 8 black bears, 4 of which were cubs, 5 grizzly bears, 2 of which were cubs, a pack of 8 wolves, osprey, and 2 badgers. Also numerous bison, elk, and squirrels.

Setting up the scope to see osprey

Two badgers outside their den

There were a plethora of wildflowers in bloom. It was an incredible morning! The kids had a great time! We had prayed that we would be able to enjoy seeing many of God's creations and He did not disappoint. I'm glad Sophie had such a showing on her special day. 

After a long morning we stopped at Gardiner, MT to celebrate Sophie's birthday with not peanut butter and jelly sandwiches but a stop at a restaurant. She got to talk with her Aunt Kira and Uncle David while we had cell service in town and she feasted on a burger and fries. Following that we visited the Roosevelt Arch and the Mammoth Hot Springs.

 

Petrified Tree