First off in January I started a new job working as an LPN in a Catholic Monastery in Northwest Missouri. I was a little hesitant at first applying for the job not sure I was ready to go back into geriatric nursing but I'm so glad I did because this job is amazing. I take care of Monks mostly the older ones but also Monks ranging from ages 20-90's and also Seminary students. So it's never dull. It's such a positive environment and everyone is so kind. I can definitely see myself staying here forever!! Here are a couple pictures of inside and outside of the Basilica.
Since I enjoy this new job so much and plan on staying for awhile I decided to move out on my own. I knew I wanted to start looking this spring/summer but really wasn't in a hurry to move. Then one night while doing our Taxes, with our tax lady, I mentioned I was looking for a place in the area when she mentioned that she knew of a place. She called the lady and the place was still available and I called them that night, we went and looked at it 2 days later and wrote a deposit check, and I moved in on April 1st!! I really lucked out with this place. It's a house out in the country on a gravel road which I am most happy about! I was not looking forward to living in an apartment in town! It's 2 bedroom, has a big living room with a fireplace and kitchen and an attached garage. It's been so fun fixing up a house just how I like it and filling it with antiques and things that I've collected over the years.
A few weeks ago I got to go back to Kentucky to attend Quilt Week and help my cousin out with her business. Met some new people, saw some amazing quilts, and had an absolute blast. It has inspired me to keep working on some quilt projects I've started. Including a quilt made out of this bee fabric. I'm doing it out of hexagon paper pieces (which the paper pieces come from my cousins business called Paper Pieces. Check them out!)
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| My Quilt I'm working on |
Speaking of bees. This year all 3 hives that I had going into winter made it out of winter and are thriving. So I'm hoping for a good honey crop this year. I bought another hive last weekend and my dad set it up for me at my new house. But yesterday we got a huge wind/rain storm and I was watching out my back door when I saw the lid go flying off of it! So I ran out and put it back on and found a brick to put on top. It was raining so hard I could barely see and came in SOAKED!!! I checked on them today and they seemed to be doing alright. I even saw the Queen!
Then about 2 hrs ago I got a call from a beekeeping friend of mine saying he got a call about a swarm but he wasn't able to go get it so he gave me the number and I went. It was a textbook swarm catch. Nice cluster, not to high off the ground, and on a branch easy to clip off. So I just had a regular jacket and some gloves on and I snipped the branch off and into the box the whole swarm went. Tapped up the box and on my way I go! Got back to my house and my parents met me there with a hive since I don't have any extra equipment at my house. We put the swarm into the hive and were walking back to the house when BAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Right on the side of my nose I get stung. OH MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't think i've ever been in more pain! It felt like someone punched me right in the face. Almost an hour later and it still hurts. Luckily i'm not like my dad where he swells up every time he gets stung. :) The sad part about it is that I've told countless people over the years of teaching about bees to always where something over your face when working with your bees! Should have listened to my own advice!! If this hive survives that will mean I have 5 hives this summer.
