WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Do you hear that buzzing sound?

We had a neighborhood movie night last Saturday evening.....actually, a birthday bash for Ann and Andy, so that meant we were all out in the driveways....lots of us having a grand old time. In all that traffic and chaos, none of us seemed to notice that a bee colony was forming right in my front yard. I do recall someone asking if anyone heard a buzzing sound, but none of us really heard anything, so we blew off the notion.

It wasn't until Sunday evening that the vast swarm of bees was noticed. While Doug and Andy moved the chairs back on to our deck, Andy happened to glance at our tree and see this:

This is a real photo of what was in the tree that night....I was not amused. I immediately told Doug he needed to call the Bug Dude and get him to take care of this pronto. I had flashes of making the nightly news after getting swarmed by honeybees as I carried my dry cleaning from the car to the house. Not many bee keepers are available on a Sunday evening....heck, no bug or insect people were available, so we left frantic messages and waited for someone to contact us. Even the kind folks at 3-1-1 were not helpful....they did tell us to call back if someone or something living was attacked.....thanks.

By the next morning, I had calmed a bit, and I decided to make a few more calls for help before Kaelan and I set out for our daily agenda. I did a quick peep out the window to see if the bees were still there and this is what I saw:

**Okay, so this is NOT an actual photo of what was out there.....the truth is, I was NOT about to go out there and make this a photo op.** This is, however, an approximate view of what I witnessed....I think there was even more bees, but this is sort of what the swarm looked like.

Well, yes.....I freaked. Just as I was reaching to call 9-1-1......I noticed the machine flashing, and I checked the messages and heard the voice of my bee saviour.

So....the bee specialist came out and set up a secondary hive, and later came and picked up the bees. By the time we got back from our day out....the bees were gone. I never actually saw my "hero", as he came in and took care of everything while we were away from the house. He called and checked on us later.....and made sure all the bees were gone. This is how I picture him:

My hero!

I'm going to be a mother-in-law....sort of.

Kaelan and Darian were arguing about something recently (shocking, I know)....when Kaelan addressed Darian by his full name.....you know, the way parents do when they are serious about something.

The conversation went something like this:

Kaelan: Darian William Boyd....you need to bring that toy back to me right now!

Darian: No, have the toy now. That's not my name....my name is Darian William McBrayer (he's just trying to annoy Kaelan).

K: It is not....you are Darian William Boyd and I am Kaelan Brynn McBrayer and that is what our mommy calls us because that is what they called us when we were little born babies.

D: (with a sly little grin) Nooo..... I am Darian William McBrayer. That is what my mom calls me.

K: NO DARIAN! That is not your name! You are DARIAN WILLIAM BOYD!

D: Here is your toy.....

K: Thanks! (feeling a little bad for yelling at him) Do you want to be Darian William McBrayer?

D: Naw....do you want to be Kaelan Brynn Boyd???

K: Okay!

I think he just proposed my daughter....how sweet!

You know it is Sunday morning when......

You know it is Sunday morning (Mom's day to sleep in) around our house when:

You come downstairs to find some cartoon on the t.v., toys spread throughout the house, cereal all over the kitchen floor, counter, sink and table, dad's almost asleep in the recliner, and Kaelan is busy pulling more toys out of the box.

Oh.....and Kaelan is wearing a pink ballerina shirt (size 18-24 months) with green sweat pants and mysteriously....no panties........and all you want to do is go back to bed....after you find Kaelan's underwear.

I FRIGGIN' HATE FRIGGIN FIRE ANTS!

I would like to set the record straight....perhaps the fire ants in your area have received the recent APB sent out by the ants in my area about a little girl who lives here and tastes like chicken...or whatever flavor fire ants desire. It seems ALL the fire ants in North American have congregated in my backyard to feast on my daughter. This is not cool with me...or her, and especially not with her dad. So, I would like you to talk with the ants in your vicinity and inform them they should cancel any travel plans, because my daughther is no longer available for their buffet!

Kaelan stepped in an ant hill a couple of weeks ago and really had no strong reaction, just a, "Oh, man...MOM!" came out of her mouth as she approached me. I was shocked to look down and see a literal "ant boot" covering her leg and foot. Long story short....she sustained somewhere between 75-100 stings on that one leg and foot. She ended up taking huge amounts of Benadryl, steroids and antibiotics to get the whole thing under control....here comes the yucky pictures...be thankful...these are after a few days of healing!



Well....just as we got over the hump with this battle....she fought another ant war yesterday when she once again was attacked by fire ants....mostly on the same foot, but only about 20 this time. We have no idea where the ants came from....could not find the source...all we know is they are definitely after her. Hopefully, the three visits from the Bug Guy and my stern warning will keep them away for the time being while she heals. Did I mention I FRIGGIN HATE FRIGGIN FIRE ANTS????

Wordless Wednesday

It's Raining, It's Pouring!

I am so happy to hear that it has been raining all week in my hometown! This is news that warms my heart, but also helps me sleep a little better at night. Things have been miserably dry there....desperately dry. When we were in Cloudcroft a few weeks ago, I was astonished at how dead and yellow everything looked. I have seen dry...the last few years, the forest service has been forced to shut down the forest due to fire concerns. However, the rainy season usually kicks in and things get better...that usually happens early on in the spring or summer....not June. No snow this winter, and virtually no rain this spring made for a dire situation. There was talk they would close off all traffic and allow only residents to come up the mountain...hello, Cloudcroft is a tourist town....how are people supposed to survive?

This sign was posted near our cabin....it made me laugh when I first saw it...do we really need the visual of a dial hitting its peak to show us how dangerous things are?




Then I saw a stupid Texan (sorry, I keep forgetting what my license plate says) lighting up a cigarette outside! Duh! Not only was this highly illegal and posing of a huge fine, but he could have blown the whole mountain up. One spark, and POOF my family's legacy is gone!

I noticed a huge box in the back of my sister's car and jokingly questioned whether she was planning a move. I was saddened when she told me it contained her emergency list of "grab ems". "Grab ems", you see, are those precious goods you grab when you have to make a quick evacuation. Beyond your kids and pets, your grab ems are the things you want to save in an emergency...pictures, heirlooms, teddy bears.

I was so happy to see a good down pour the last day we were there....even the trees were smiling when the hail covered the forest floor!


I am happy to report that the rains came....and for the last week it has rained on a daily basis! The forest is open and that box.....has been removed from my sister's car and is back in the house.