Tribe Hive at The Eagle's Nest

12/11/2024

So we put away the hummingbird feeders beginning of November because all the hummingbirds migrated away.
Last week a pair showed up and pestered Miss Rachell for a day and a half until we put a feeder out for them.
Last year we had two pair that wintered over…

Did you know that in the summer a hummingbird’s heart rate is about 1260 beats/minute, but in the winter to conserve energy, their heart rate drops as low as 50bpm?

Remember Friends, in all things

12/05/2024

We’re having a lot of work done here on the mountain.
We secured funding to clear about 40 acres in the name of fire safety! It’s been arduous, but for the last month we’ve been in phase one of the process. We’ve had a masticator crawling around the mountain clearing brush and we’ve been cutting trees - probably 200 or more.

Because we’ve removed so many trees, Miss Rachell didn’t feel good about cutting another one for an X-Mad tree, soooooo

We did this!

We hung lights in this 25’ pine beside the driveway.

When the driveway was cut and the underground power lines were run, the owner at the time protected this tree, even though it was in the way and only 6’-8’ tall. It was sentimental to him for reasons that have not come down with the story…

Anyway, I found a sheet of 1 1/4” plywood in the barn, put it on top of my lumber rack, parked next to this tree and put my tallest ladder up on that plywood deck.
Even so, I had to tie a rock to the end of the lights and throw it up over the top!

A couple hours and 1500 lights later, Miss Rachell, Wiggly River and I had this!

Remember Friends, in all things

09/02/2024

Step 1. Cut a hole in the box.

Got gifted a chicken coop. Guess I finally canned enough jam and baked enough bread…
We’re building the infrastructure for chickens in the spring!
Next up will probably be goats or a mini cow or a zebra, knowing Miss Rachell…

Remember Friends, in all things

08/11/2024

The power went off in the wee hours of this morning.
No big deal. We’re capable adults…
First thing this morning, before the sky started to change color, as I’m outside firing up the propane burner to boil water for coffee, my neighbor appeared.
He threw a good morning at me and handed me this beautiful antique coffee grinder.
He said, “Powers out.”
I said, “Yep.”
He said, “Any idea how long?”
I said, “Went out ‘round 3:30. I woke up when the fans stopped.”
He said, “You call ‘em?”
I said, “Coffee first. Doesn’t matter. Firewood today.”
He said, “Yeah. Coffee. I know Miss Rachell likes her coffee. Brought you that in case you had to grind her some.”
I said, “Thanks, Carl. We’re good.”
He told me, “Keep it. It was just sitting in the barn. I’ve got another. Had to use it this morning… Got me thinking…”

Life is good on the mountain!

Remember Friends, in all things

08/10/2024

What a wonderful barter!
I traded a pint of tallow I rendered and a future share of the apple harvest for 20lbs of peaches!

Life is good on the mountain!

Remember Friends, in all things

07/11/2024

We’ve got an amazing crop of yellow jackets this year!
They started sprouting up out of the lawn and around the house a few weeks ago.

I was wondering how you know when they’re ripe.
Well, when I got stung twice on one trip across the yard a couple days ago, I assumed they must be ripe!

So I put out collection baskets yesterday morning. Here is my first day’s harvest!
Not sure what to do with them.
Should I powder them to add to smoothies and popcorn?
Should I salt and roast them?
Should I string them on some fishing line as an object lesson to those who would sting me?

Your thoughts?

Remember Friends, in all things

07/03/2024

Sitting here thinking…

Remember Friends, in all things

truth....❤