Tomorrow is the day! My eggs should be hatching into chickens. I have been really reading a lot about the hatching statistics and I am a little concerned. First; there is a 50-50 chance they will hatch from the get go. Second; the heat and humidity have to be right. Third; there is all kinds of contrary information. So, we will see. I have nine eggs in the incubator. If I get three I will be happy.

Moving on to my rooster. Benjamin seems to be starting to peck feathers off the females back and the tops of their heads. He is also eating them. Come to find out, he is lacking protein. So I fried up some bacon, and cut it in small pieces and what happens, he lets all the hens eat it. This layer blend that I am feeding the hens isn't doing it for Benjamin. I have got to stop this chicken cannibalism. This is a tough problem.

Bees Are Collecting Pollen & Spring Is Coming!

Daffodils,tulips and hyacinths, the big, colorful blossoms that we associate with spring may not have made their annual appearance yet, but spring is gradually moving north. Beekeepers know it because their beees are carrying more and more pollen back to the hives. This activity has been going on for some time further south, and is now reaching Tennessee and Kentucky. But wait, even more remarkable things happen after the pollen is on the honey bee's body. You guessed it, Honey. We are all waiting for that! 

 To Bee Or Not To Bee

As everyone knows I lost one of my hives in June. Swarming was the culprate. I am content with the two I have, and am overloaded with chickens, gardens etc. etc.  Let's talk about bees and flowers. Flower colors that contrast with their background are more important to foraging bees than patterns of colored veins on pale flowers. Very few flowers are a simple block of a single color. Patterns of pigmentation include color patterns within a petal or different colors on different petals. These patterns are thought to be important for pollination. Bees can identify, and are sometimes attracted to , patterned flowers over plain flowers. These patterns can increase the speed with which bees locate the nectar reward in a flower. More on bees later.

'Yes, I Voted...Twice'

According to local reports in Ohio, the Hamilton County Board of Elections has investigated 19 possible cases of alleged voter fraud that occured when Ohio was a focal point of the 2012 presidential election.One of the alleged perpetrators was none other than Melowese Richardson, a Democrat and poll worker who admitted she voted twice in November. "Yes, I voted twice," she admitted to a local television news team."I, after registering thousands of people, certainly wanted my vote to count, so I voted. I voted at the polls."
This is how WCPO reported and summarized the case:According to county documents, Richardson's absentee ballot was accepted on Nov. 1, 2012 along with her signature.On Nov.11 she told an offficial she also voted at a precinct because she was afraid the absentee ballot would not be counted in time. Can you believe it? This lady should be prosecuted for voter fraud. 

Try this simple yogic breathing exercise

To begin put your right hand on your belly button and your left hand on your breast, or you can look in the mirror to watch your breath increase and decrease. To begin, inhale through your nose to the count of four. Exhale through your nose for four counts. Strong smooth breathing does it. When I first began, I couldn't count to four, maybe three if I was lucky. Or say you are really going to lose it. Use this as a calming tool. It really works! Are you willing to take a few minutes every day to invest in your physical and emotional well being?

The Intelligence Of Laughter

One of the best ways I have found to address stress is by laughter. Excuse me? Yes, with laughter. Stress is part of daily life and in excess, becomes harmful, toxic and life threatening. All too often, we allow the smallest things to appear to us as monumental, and when we change view of it by even just a degree it can become somewhat comical. Like today, I went to the store to buy grocerys. It's not my favorite job and a lot of money goes out in the meantime. I sort of get upset about that. Then with the gasoline situation. I just go off. Then, when we see how we have often built a mountain out of a molehill, even in what appears to be serious we can reintroduce laughter therapy again to release the stress and just let it go. We are not getting out of here alive anyway, so why get your panties in a wad.

Whether you've been letting your home improvement to-do list get the best of you, or are finding yourself comparing your real world home to professionally styled and photographed ones, it's natural to get a little down on your home from time to time. Luckily, feeling content at home is something available to everyone, no matter the size or condition of your space. By working your way through these suggestions, you can gain a deeper appreciation of your house just as it is today. No matter where you live, there was likely something that attracted you to your house when you first saw it. Was it the sunny yard, charming porch, original wood floors? Once you are living in a place, it's natural to focus more on home improvements, but taking a moment to recall your favorite things about your home can put things in perspective. Think beyond the visible. Is your rent or mortgage affordable, allowing you to live within your means? Is your home near your best friend's house, a lovely park or your country homestead. Is it quiet? Are your neighbors nice? There are many factors that you may not see when you look around, but that are just as (or more) important than the space itself.   

Thanks to Adam and Eve much of life is about work. It is about tilling the fields. It is about putting food on the table, a roof over our heads, and clothes on our back. Sometimes that is all we have time for. Don't you just wish you could have time to pray. I mean really pray! How about helping others. It seems we are too busy for that. Which I am sure pleases the devil. I don't think those that were tilling the fields to provide for their families, or working other difficult tasks for survival were necessarily thinking, well this is not fulfilling, so what kind of career should I consider instead. Nope they were surviving. But they still had a purpose, they still had gifts and talents and God had a plan for them and their lives that through the work and the living of day to day life He would be glorified.

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope everyone has a wonderful day! What is this you say? An incubator of course. An icubator is designed to bring normal room temperture to the desired temperature. It has 9 eggs in it, and I am waiting for baby chicks in 15 days. A friend of mine gave me her incubator for using; so I thought I would try it. The eggs have to incubate for 21 days and have to be turned twice daily. The incubator has to maintain a temp. of 100 to 104 degrees while the eggs are in there. Also there is a trough which I fill twice a week with water. Now, hopefully, all eggs are fertilized by Benjamin and baby chicks are on their way.

Valentine's Day

A budding romance often involves coffee dates or brunch over lattes, and, if she's lucky, a bouquet or two as well. Coffee's heavy, aromatic fragrance is perfect for the cold winter months, and roses remain a universal token of love, so it's no wonder we chose coffee and rose as our two signature scents this February. More than 100 million roses are given each Valentine's Day. While beautiful, roses themselves don't last long, instead consider a cup of joe and a wonderful dinner. This gesture of affection will release the sweet scent for much longer than the plant itself.

Pilates Is....

While a relatively common term in the world of exercise, Pilates remains somewhat mystical to many. Is it yoga? Is it ballet? Is it only for women and dancers? Does it require special equipment? The list goes on. There are dozens of questions, misconceptions floating around about Pilates. As you know, I started a class in Pilates. We meet every Monday at 9:45. This past Monday was my 4th session. The truth is, there are similarites between Pilates and yoga. But there are many distinctions that seperate the two. Most notable is the fact that Pilates, at the core, is a strength based practice while yoga, is more of a shape your body. Pilates is about precision, concentration and form. I am enjoying both my classes in yoga and Pilates. You should give it a try! 

Front Bedroom Makeover

My husband and I have been talking about putting hardwood floors in the front bedroom, and the computer room. I love the wide plank floors. I wish we could have used those in our kitchen and hall. It was a dirty, and labor intensive job, but I think it was well worth it. Now we are taking a break and will start on the computer room in a couple of weeks. By the way, the new headboard idea came from Pinterest. I love the look. Oh so easy, and yet looks professional.

STONE ware SOUP

Did you have a favorite story when you were growing up? One of my favorites was the folk tale "Stone Soup". Perhaps you remember it. It's a story of a young traveler who comes to a small town. He goes from house to house to see if someone would provide him with a meal, but he finds that the people in the town are all hungry themselves. Each person tells him that they cannot help him because they only have a few carrots, or a couple of potatoes. Soon the traveler realizes that it is up to him to find the next meal, so he announces to the villagers that he has a magical stone that will make enough soup to feed them all, but he will need a fire to cook it, a pot to cook it in, and some water. When asked if it is ready yet, he replies, soon, and it will be good, but it would be even better with a few carrots, a villager pipes up I have a few carrots, and quickly adds them. This continues until they eventually have a fine stew of carrots, onions, potatoes, beans, meat and more. And everyone in the village who was starving has a fine meal. At the end, the traveler takes his stone with him to use again on another day. We face a similar situation today. Each of us has something to give, but feels it is insignifigant. If we would pull all of our resources we could accomplish the task. Are you up for it? I think it is our duty to do so. 

A Healthy Weight

There are many reasons why people put on extra body weight, including under active thyroid, sugar addictions, trace minerals depletion, and vitamin D deficiencies. If you are going to set some weight management goals, I suggest you take care of the basics. Without vitamin D, weight loss almost never works. Stop drinking liquid sugars. Are you consuming enough fresh fruit and vegetables? Juicing is important too. How about exercising? This can be a brisk walk, weight training, a yoga class, running etc. Commit to the TIME it takes. Know that hunger does not mean you are dying. You are going to be fine. Don't let your body trick you into thinking you desperately need to intake more calories. Become familiar with a bit of hunger and learn to live with it during your weight loss journey. It's okay to feel hungry! Cowgirl up and move on.  

Make Small Changes To Increase The Joy In Your Kitchen

Daydreaming about how you would design your ideal kitchen can be fun, but actually doing it is a pretty big splurge meaning many of us will have to stick with daydreaming for the time being. But even if you can't remodel, spending your energy , and a smaller amount of money making doable changes that positively impact your quality of life is a worthwhile goal. By focusing on the feelings you want to enhance, and the activities you want to enjoy in this space rather than fancy appliances
and finishes, you can create a space you love on any budget. To see your kitchen in its best light, begin by giving it a thorough cleaning. Make sure to keep counters cleared of everthing but the few items you use daily. There is no room I can think of that cannot be improved by the addition of freshly cut flowers and living plants. Instead of letting an empty corner go to waste, fill it with low seating and soft cushions to create an inviting nook for reading.Use attractive baskets to store and organize. Appreciate what you have. We can all daydream about our ideal kitchens. Mine would include a fireplace, but there is something to be said for accepting and enjoying things as they are. A tip I got the other day from my son. If you find yourself thinking negatively about your own kitchen, make a point of stopping and naming three things about it you love.

Unusual Personal Information 

While few people can deny that the modern flush toilet pioneeered in 1591, but refined numerous times thereafter is a marvel of engineering. Simply put, sitting to defacate places enormous strain on the lower rectum since the downward pushing of the diaphragm causes the veins to stretch and swell leading to an inefficient evacuation at best, hemorrhoids, IBS, and a host of other bowel related conditons at worse. Squatting, on the other hand, decreases abdominal pressure since it straightens the rectum and relaxes the muscles. Fortunately, you don't need to repace your lavish modern toilet with a decidedly less attractive Third World squat toilet to reap the benefits of squatting. Instead, you can simply squat while balancing on the toilet seat. Now that we have covered this subject tomorrow we will move on.

Organic Gardening

When we grow and harvest crops from our garden soil, we remove some of the fertility that is there. If we do not find ways to repace what we have taken, we are in effect strip mining the soil, robbing it year after year of its native fertility.There is one power tiller which based on long years of its use, I can recommend, your chicken flock. The lazy gardening tiller. Their tillage is only inches deep, so they have no effect on the soil profile. Plus you save on feed cost. The only problem I have is keeping them in the garden area. They tend to go all over the yard, but they are great weed eaters. In our own backyards, however, we can reserve that trend, taking care to replace what we have removed. Chickens fertilize the garden too. The true gardener is the one who finds as much joy in the deepening, dardening, and mellowing of her garden's soil, as in the crops she harvests from it.