Saturday Slight

Annie calls this photo, taken this morning,  "Bumble Bee."  So, it seems this family has bees on the mind, even in Freiburg, Germany. 

Almost September, and the livin' is still easy, 'cept for the bees, that is.  Those mean, hungry, nasty creatures are still on the war path, in the trees, around the water troughs, all over the garden, and even in some unsuspected places.

Bill had to jump the car battery the other day, so he went to the old pickup box in the far shed where he stores stuff like that.

It was early morning, which was good for him, because when he opened the top and stuck his hand in to get the cables, he saw two large bees nests.  

In most early-morning situations, bees are still sleeping and groggy.

That was the case with these nests.  So, he was able to lift the jumper cables out of the enclosure without an all-out stinger offensive.

Early morning, late at night----nothing seems to calm the vengeance of the bees hanging out in my loaded-down plum tree. 

Yesterday morning, donned in protective long-sleeve shirt, rubber gloves, hat, sun glasses and jeans, I climbed the ladder where I'd left the half full bucket of plums the night before. 

Within less than a minute, I could hear the buzzing and see the little monsters dive-bombing in the air around my head.  My fear is that I'll react too abruptly and fall off the ladder, so give in to the monsters and leave the area pretty quickly. 

So, yesterday, one more time, down the ladder I went.  That tree is still loaded with plums in clumps, much like grapes, but I don't know if I'm ever gonna get them all.  

It has taken me two days to fill half the bucket, so I'd say plum picking has been far from time efficient lately.  

Nonetheless, I'm on my third batch of jelly, and it will taste delicious when the snow is flying this winter and when every last bee has left the country or frozen to death. 

With September coming tomorrow, the horses will go to a different pasture.  Bill will pound in a metal post.  

We'll get the gates set up, and they can eat to their heart's content in the hay field.  Even with a relatively dry August, there's a good growth of green grass in the big field. 

A garden announcement for any zucchini bread lovers.  I have several large zucchini, removed from the main plants and ready to roll.  Folks tell me large zucchinis are great for bread and for relish.

So, if any local readers are interested, those squash are there for the taking. 

Another true sign of September has come in the past couple of days with the "teacher talk."  We all gathered for dinner last night at the Blue Heron.  Class numbers, daily schedules and planning for the first weeks of school dominated the conversation. 

With three teachers among us, the next few weeks of conversation will definitely include a lot of school topics.  I love it, especially knowing I don't have to endure the headache of a hundred things coming at once and never enough time.

I will volunteer this year in my sister's elementary class, and I learned my assignment will involve having students read out loud and helping guide them through the words and sentences and comprehension of what they've read. 

And, of course, we know September is upon us with this weekend's huge schedule of college football games.  As I said to Bill this morning, by late this evening we'll know how our favorite local teams are going to do this year. 

We follow Idaho, Boise State and the Cougs, and they all play today.  We have a gut feeling that the onus may be off from Boise State this year cuz news reports are hinting that this year's team may not measure up with those of the past.

They play Washington this evening, so we'll find out.  Still, Go, Vandals; Go, Cougs; Go, Broncos.  

And, "Go Marianne" on to your Saturday morning projects----including that plum jelly. 

OK 

Happy Saturday.