preparations
Preparations are underway for the arrival of the beehive (in case you missed it, that mysterious implement a couple posts ago was a smoker, to use on bees when you inspect the hive). I've been re-reading all the bee-related books I've collected over the past couple years and I think I'm ready. The beekeeper arrives with my hive on Saturday morning. I found him via craigslist, and sent him an email asking if I could buy a hive from him. He's re-queened a nice hive of very calm bees just for me. I might need to get this hive and make the bees move eventually. How cute would that be once it's painted white and the copper top has developed a nice patina? I am also weighing my options and trying to select a hive tool. I could go with the standard, economical, and utilitarian model, or I can get the cheery yellow, flashy Italian model for twice the price, which looks like the Ferrari of hive tools. It's a dilemma.
In other minor, daily news, chicks are being fed, watered, held and smooched morning and evening, and games of fetch are played with the adorable dogs. Lest you think it's all cute fuzzy chicks and teddy-bear like dog noses around here, this is the state of the living room as of this morning.
I have strategically not captured the carpet close up. I suppose I should be happy that the surest sign of Spring-the prolific shedding of dog hair-is apparent in clumps and handfuls everywhere I go. I really should get that vacuum out tonight-there was that whole vacuum more often goal I set at the beginning of the year. But that will cut into my chick cuddling time. Also my Buffy the Vampire Slayer watching time. Also, I still need to hem my curtains and slipcover my chair. I just thought I'd keep it real here at chez Lucy. That morning light sure is pretty though, don't you think?
On the last visit to my mother-in-law I brought home not only a mandolin, but also another quilt top. This one was made by her mother when she was expecting. My mother-in-law has always said that her mother was never very good at sewing or needlework of any kind, and I have to say, I kind of agree. I may have to take this one apart and re-assemble it, but I love the big yellow pinwheel shapes, and all the sweet fabric prints.
I'm all over the place tonight, but one more thing, because I need your opinion: You may have noticed that I switched my comments to the new Typepad system. About the same time I made that switch I finally figured out how to connect my heylucy.net email to my gmail account. I think this is all good stuff, but it's taking me awhile to adjust to this new workflow (sorry for the technical term, but I do have this job, you know, where I sometimes have to use that office-speak). Before all these changes I would get comments in my email, which was web-based. Unfortunately, the company I use has a really crappy webmail service and I would have to load the messages every time I logged in. That would often take a good 5 minutes because their spam filter was completely useless and so my inbox would be full of 90% spam and 10% actual mail. Half the time the whole thing would just lock up and I couldn't even get to my email. So that is much better, now that it just goes straight to gmail. This is kind of boring, sorry about that. I never know if anyone cares about these long explanations, but I do have a point, so please bare with me!
Previously, when I would get a comment, I could just reply to the email notification I got. I really like responding to comments as much as possible, because I think this is really a conversation, not just me talking at you. Now, however, when I reply to a comment email, the reply is posted directly under the comment for everyone to read. I mostly like this, but I would like it if the reply was also sent as an email to the person who left the comment. I will have to investigate to see if that's possible, because otherwise you have to keep coming back here to see replies to your comments and I don't think anyone has the time to do that very often. The whole point to this uninteresting and long-winded explanation is that I want to know your opinion! Do you like the comments like this, or did you prefer the old way? As a reward for sharing your thoughts I give you another cute chick photo:
WOW! either this chick is growing fast or is stretching! Cute as can be. Send me the quilt top or better yet bring it to my house in June and I’ll get my seam ripper out and help take it apart and restitch it!!
Ahh.. Buffy. One of my all-time favorite shows! Funny tidbit- I used to work at a movie store and there was a man who would visit us. He was very nice, but
he had a bit of mental illness, and when he didn’t take his medicine he got a little more unusual. Anyway, one day he came in with vampire slaying stakes
that he had handmade(it was all women working there). He was on a Buffy kick, and he made them for all of us so that we could protect ourselves against vampires. I
still have mine, simply because it makes a fantastic story when someone asks what it is. 🙂
All your pinks and yellows and bee books are very cheerful! Not to mention that cute chick!
I don’t know about the comment thing (since you ask) — it does seem very personal and warm to get an email from you in response to a comment, but on the other hand if people know you will respond in the comments, they will check back if they are interested…
Your blog is very lovely (I put you on my blogroll, by the way!).
p. s. the fabrics in that square are just to die for. Can you really face re-stitching it all? If it doesn’t iron out, I guess you will have to! Because it’s fantastic.
I didn’t realize responses had changed till just reading this post- I just thought you were busy with life (it happens) and didn’t have time to chat back with. I have to go with liking it better the other way. Does that complicate things? I don’t know it was just more fun getting an email- a bit more personal? That’s my two bits, for what it’s worth. Just to blab a minute… My husband’s work wants to rent us a place this summer in Ca, since we haven’t sold our house. Can you imagine us coming out like the Beverly Hillbillies- mom in her rocker on top of the Yukon XL, dogs hanging out all the windows, oh and the kids- I can’t imagine anyone brave enough to rent to us a couple months! If you know of such a person- quickly slip them my email, before they come to their senses. I have been on VRBO checking out what is available- man, they ask crazy money for furnished by the month. I guess it is the season though! One last bit…. Your chic does look like he has stretched out- so cute. Loving that you’re getting into bees now too- you rock!
Whatever is easier for you. I like your chickie pics!
WE just watched the Bee Movie the other night. Try not to smoke them out too much or you may be sued for bee abuse.;-) That last picture of the chick is so cute. I love how she has her neck stretched out and it looks like she’s just on the verge of entering the awkward teenager stage. Adorable.
You know what?? I did get an email when you responded to my question about the araucana chick, and I loved it! I liked it so much I have been meaning to ask you how you were able to do that in hopes I could change my typepad settings…
Love your living room, the fabrics in the quilt, and the darling little chick. I think you are one cool ‘chick’ yourself. he he