Bees and Keepers, Oh My!

 

Most of today's photos were taken while I mowed the lawn yesterday. 

I loved watching about a dozen bumble bees move from blossom to blossom on the blueberry bushes working their magic. 

When I was little, I didn't like bumble bees because they were big, and they scared me.  I thought they were the mean bees.  

Eventually I learned that they're far from it, and nowadays they don't scare me. 

I think they are beautiful and cute. 

So, I welcome them and appreciate what they do for our flowering plants. 

While mowing yesterday, I was also amazed with the amount of new growth on the fir trees. 

That extra growth might just explain why our satellite reception has suddenly gone afoul. 

It's been happening on a regular basis for the past couple of weeks.  The picture gets fragmented, the sound goes and then the whole combination disappears when an announcement appears on the screen telling us how to use our DVR. 

The announcement blames the weather, but we haven't had that many thunderstorms, and the continual glitches happen on bright sunny days. 

We have a technician coming today, and we're hoping that the problem is technical and that it can be fixed.

Seems like we're into fix-it mode almost every day.  One day this week, a plastic keeper holding the shelf in the cupboard where I keep the plates gave way while I was reaching for a plate.  

The shelf tipped to the side, and I was able to save about a dozen plates from falling out of the cupboard into my face. 

Do you think I could find a plastic keeper anywhere in the house to replace the broken one?  

Heck no. 

So, Bill went to the hardware store the next day and brought home a package of metal keepers. (Thanks, Terri)

  Shortly the fix-it job was finished, I spotted some idle metal keepers just plugged into the wall of my garden window, doing absolutely nothing. 

Go figure!  

We now have an ample supply of keepers in this house.  Let's hope we don't put them somewhere safe where we can't find them when the need arises. 

Well, I've certainly have gotten off focus from yesterday's lawnmowing adventures.  

Bottom line is that each mowing session usually turns out to be a pleasant outdoor adventure.  Yesterday's observation of the bumblebee project topped them all. 

That's enough for this Thursday.  

Hope everyone has a nice day, that you find whatever you are looking for and that we don't have to chop down trees to watch TV.

Happy Thursday.  

Speaking of "Glitch and Fix-it Time."

Seems like glitches are as common as allergens these days.  

Let's hope people come out in force and sign this petition and get this "oversight" corrected. 

Very easy to sign. 

Just click and add your name. 

Public educators will thank you. 

Dear Idahoans,   I write with some very bad news and an important call to action.    Earlier this week, educators and school leaders across the state learned that $115 million in funds that were promised to public schools are being held back.    Why? It appears that Governor Little—perhaps under pressure from members of the Idaho Legislature—did not take action last month to fix a glitch in the school-funding formula. The result is that public schools will receive an increase of just $215 million, not the $330 million that was promised.    If this issue goes unaddressed, school districts across the state will feel the impact. Some districts will see layoffs of teachers and support staff. Others will be forced to increase class sizes, eliminate positions for counselors and librarians, or hold back promised salary increases.    All of this will hurt students.   Here’s the good news: Our Governor has the power to fix this.  Governor Little has stood up for public education in the past, and he has a chance to do so once again by calling on the State Board of Education to issue a temporary rule and address the funding shortfall.    Will you sign the petition and call on Governor Little to take action?

SIGN THE PETITION

Please, if you can, forward this petition to everyone you know who supports public schools and ask them to sign. Our goal is to collect at least 2,000 signatures within the next 24 hours.    Thank you!   Luke Mayville Executive Director, Reclaim Idaho Fund, Inc.