What I Learned from the Bees This Year

It's a lovely-ish Sunday morning here in Indiana.

The fields are ablaze - showing off before a frost kills them dead for good.

The trees are glowing with the glory of impending death.

It reminds me that even in the face of sure death - there is goodness and beauty.

It's the kind of cold morning where you are happy to be in the warm house looking out.

I'm not nearly as pensive as I sound!

In fact - I've been dancing to Dean Martin in my pajamas whilst I'm extracting honey.

And it just got me to thinking.

The bees have taught me a few good lessons this year.

And they are - in no particular order -

Your hive is worth losing your life over.

You should sting the heck out of anyone threatening your loved ones and the life you are creating.

There's always a Queen Bee.

Chances are - you ain't it.

Even if you happen to be it - don't act like it.

Sometimes - Benadryl fixes everything.

Busyness is good - when it's focused.

My girls have a purpose.

They leave the hive each morning with a purpose.

And perhaps the greatest lesson I've learned from my bees this year - is that the fruits of your labor are sweet.  That sometimes the most monumental task - the one with the most work involved - the daily exhausting at times work - where you feel that you are making little progress on - if you keep earnestly after it - gathering each pollen grain - one at a time - flower to flower - harvesting - storing - working -

yields a great, sweet to your soul harvest.

Live well my friends.

Again with the Turkey Sausage....

After getting up at 4 and making sure that Glen was set for the day, I went back to bed.

I slept in til 6:30.

It was delicious.

Absolutely.

Delicious.

A few of you commented that I needed the extra rest during the weight loss phase, and I think you are right.

I think I still do.

Trust me, sleep is one of my top three priorities in life - and I'm getting plenty of R & R inbetween.

I lead quite a balanced life.

In lieu of getting five emails this week about my turkey sausage recipe, I decided to do a video as soon as I woke up this morning showing you exactly how to make it.

Me in my pj's with bedhead.

I don't get no better.

Look Fabulous Turkey Sausage

1 lb of ground turkey BREAST

2 egg whites, or one whole egg and one white

1/4 chopped onion

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

6 T oatmeal

pinch of red pepper

1 T fresh sage or 1 t rubbed sage

Mix it all up real good like.

Spray a bit of Pam in a skillet and cook on both sides til done.

Eat it.

Weep.

Get healthy.

Look fabulous.

Amen.

More Signs...

It's 5:30am.

My chores are done - well, as soon as it's light enough to feed the chickens - they will be.

I may leave and get groceries now - seems weird to go grocery shopping when it's still dark out.

This is quite a promising sign that I've returned.

I'm embarrassed to say that I've been lounging in bed til 7 for the last six months, getting a solid nine hours of sleep a night.

I'm sorry.

I know this news disappoints many of you.

Can we just talk about that for a minute?

Why in the Sam hill do I (do you?) feel guilty for sleeping?

Sleep is surely a priority to me - I do make sure I get at least 7 hours a night - those of you with little ones are green with envy aren't you?

I'll be 50 in three months.

What I've learned is that sleep must be a priority - long gone are the days of staying up way late in the night - and I do mean past 10pm.

Things that make old people like me happy are a good night's sleep, regular bowels, dry weather, and good blood pressure and blood sugar readings.

I'm afraid it's come to that.

Another sign that I've returned is that I'm having hankerings.

I've really had no hankerings for quite some time.

No hankerings to create, no hankerings to cook, no hankerings to garden, or do much of anything.

Not good.

I'm keenly aware that this is not the time to start anything for me - but it's the time to finish.

I'm not a good finisher, it's never been my forte.

Unless we are talking about finishing the pie off, the carton of ice cream or box of cookies.

I rock at finishing those.

I'm glad that winter's on it's way.
I'm welcoming it with open arms and an open mind.

What better time to finish things than when the northerly winds are howling and life isn't pulling you in forty-two directions?

I'm feeling really great about life right now.

I've really grown on the inside as I've shrunk on the outside.

You just watch and see.

Now, tell me this -

What one thing do you really need to finish this winter?

What's stoppin' ya?



Back in the Saddle

Hey it's good to be back home again -

This old farm feels like a long lost friend..

hey, it's good - to be back home again.

John Denver

Did you know I was a John Denver freak when I was 13?

I do mean freak.

I remember my sister and her boyfriend at the time bought me tickets to see John Denver in concert.

She came in the bathroom whilst I was bathing to tell me.

I can still see me in that tub bawling like a baby.

This post will be a bit random - like the photographs.

I'll add captions where necessary - but most of these photos are from my Missouri trip.

It was such a good trip!

I feel like I've come back to the land of the living.

I've felt so 'quiet' for the last several months - I'm sure it had/has something to do with the weight loss.

71 lbs down since February - 111 down total.

Isn't that ridiculous?

This photo was taken for the sole reason that I thought my thighs looked thinnish.

Do you know I dream of eating cake almost every night?

'Tis true, 'tis true.

Sometimes when it's in my mouth, I'm upset - and surprised - like 'how did this get in my mouth!? I don't want this!' - and other nights it's like 'oh ya, I'm eating cake'.

Last night I also dreamt that I peed in a garbage can at Pier One Imports.

What is that all about?

My best buddy - Jimmy.

I start working at Pier One Imports next week!

I'm sure it had something to do with that.

I'll just be there a couple of days a month for the holidays.

I used to work there before, as an Asst. Manager.

a blurry photo of our Oktoberfest

 I also dreamt that I was looking for murder victims remains in a filing cabinet.

The other night I dreamt I was at a children's death camp in India preparing children for burial.

Is there even such a thing?

The children were very happy as I wrapped them in brightly colored linen robes.

Law.

I like my cake dreams so much better.

Me and the G Force

 The following are a few of my cousin Jim's paintings.

My photos truly don't do justice to them.

What's that you say?

Yes!  I know!

Good looks and talent run in the family.

I was beginning to worry that I no longer had anything to say, and needed to stop blogging.

I thank each and everyone of you for sticking around during my 'dry phase'.

This is just a warning that it might not be completely over.

I hope to be funny again soon.

In a weird way, I feel like getting thinner was losing a part of me.

I wasn't sure 'who I was' anymore.

If I'm not the chubby gal baking muffins daily - who am I?

I realized yesterday - I'm the slim gal who bakes muffins occasionally.

And that's OK.

I do believe I'm the new and improved Jayme.

Yesterday the AT & T repair man stopped by cause we've had a horrible buzzing noise on our line.

I answered the door in my apron with a mop in my hand, the smell of fresh apple muffins in the air.

I offered him a warm muffin, as I went out to hang sheets on the line.

That's who I am baby.

And I like it.

And now - for something weird.

Who wants some size 12 pants?

I have a couple of pair of Tommy Hilfiger size 12 jeans that are too big.

They seem too good to cut up for rugs.

And I hate to just donate them to strangers...I'd much rather give them to one of you's guys!

Is that weird?

If you'd like my pants - I ask you do the following....

Follow me.

Tweet about it.

Facebook about it.

Blog about it.

If you don't have a blog, you'll need to start one, so you can blog about it.

Take an ad out in your local paper talking about me giving away my pants.

Rent a local billboard, preferably on a busy Interstate, advertising my pants giveaway.

Call ten friends and tell them about this.

Please let me know when you do the above....

OR

Just send me an email.  : -)

First come, first served!

(As of 8:30am the jeans are gone - don't despair - there'll be plenty more!)

Homeward Bound

It's Saturday night, and I'll be homeward bound in the a of the m.

I'm in a very bittersweet frame of mind.

I'm not entirely sure why I'm so drawn to empty homes.

But I am.

The older the better, the more dilapidated, the better.

I swear at times, I can smell dinner and hear the snap of the sheets blowing in the wind on the line.

Lives were started here, perhaps lives finished.

Dreams were born, stories were shared, storms - weathered.

Since the death of both my parents within months of each other,

nearly 10 years ago now - I've felt a bit like an empty home.

When we all left Chicago in 1988 - I realized I could never 'go home' again.

Quickly, my parents home in the suburbs of Illinois became ' going home' from my Indiana home.

After my parents' death - I quickly latched on to my mom's sister - my beloved Aunt Jean -

and her home in Missouri became 'home'.

I could still 'go home'.

I could still smell those familiar smells, and see those familiar faces, and cover up with that familiar quilt.

After her death in 2007 - her son's home - my cousin - became 'going home'.

I've been 'home' for the last six days, drinking in all the sights, smells, sounds and tastes that make me feel that I've 'gone home'.

This time tomorrow I'll be home home.

Home with my familiar smells, sights, tastes, sounds and my own quilts.

It makes me happy.

And sad.

In bittersweet times like these, I'm tempted to take off my rose colored glasses and

view the glass half empty.

I miss my parents.

I miss my aunt's and uncles.

I question my choice to be childless.

Maybe that's why I do love old abandoned buildings and homes so much.

I don't see the missing windows and doors falling off.

I don't see the roof falling in.

I see the joy that was, and could be again with some elbow grease.

I hear the laughter that rang through the halls, and the joy of Christmas mornings past.

I see joy.

I see hope.

And as I pull away from this home tomorrow to go to my other home - I will be filled with immense gratitude for the gift of rose colored glasses.

Good Things

You'd better believe it, baby.

: -)

Squirrel, Foxes, and Hens

Finally.

Finally I have rested me olde bones long enough to sit and do a blog post.

I'm in Missouri now, and getting ready to go to the apple orchard and on a very rugged hiking trail.

My cousin, a body builder - worked me out so hard yesterday, I fear I may need to be carried everywhere today.

Why did he think I could bench press 60lbs?

Why??

Where to begin?

My solo Flying Squirrel mission went off without a hitch - well, thankfully it WAS hitched, and remained hitched the entire way there and back.  I did have visions of pulling into Turkey Run State Park and realizing the Squirrel wasn't with me.

I was able to set the Squirrel up single-handed, and sister - I gotta tell you - it makes me feel empowered and free!

Imagine the places I can go now!

It was SO good to see Janie again.

I feel a bit disappointed to tell you that we didn't do too much tomfoolery, and there wasn't an abundance of shenanigans.

Although, we did end up in the slammer temporarily -

The charges?

Being boring!

We were so dadgumed relaxed and laid back the entire time.

One meal bled into another -

the food I packed for camping - nary a smore in sight

We slept late, ate late, did dishes in slow motion -

I even showered once, which is unheard of when I camp.

I don't mind being cold -

or naked -

or wet -

I can even tolerate two at the same time - but I refuse to experience all three simultaneously!

Janie found out first hand how 'active' I am at night.

I have no recollection of patting her head and kissing her on the forehead.

I suppose she should consider herself lucky that's all I did!

Two nights ago Glen said I stood up out of the bed, grabbed the cat and started shaking it, asking in desperation 'What is this??' -

We thought we'd take 'Senior Pictures' since we are almost seniors.

I find Janie absolutely adorable.
She's also generous and one of the most sincere people I've met.

She's also a little inexperienced in camping - she showered everyday and wore too much bling...

We talked and walked and walked and talked.

Turkey Run State Park is a sight to behold.

I need to recant my 'I hate camping' statement, made in July of 2010.

I heart camping.

I do.

In October.

And you know what else I love?

My blog readers.

Seriously, you are some of the greatest people - eva!

Meet Kim (to the left of me), and Lisa (to the right).

Kim just came to protect Lisa, and knew nothing of me -

Lisa - knew all about me.

Uh oh.



These gals were SO much fun.

Do you know they both left their day jobs early to take me and Ms. Fox out to lunch and gave us a tour of the area?

I mean - who does that?

I felt like a celebrity!

Strangers, that you meet on the Internet.

Genuine sweethearts, these too.

Thank you so much Lisa and Kim!

So great meeting the both of you!

All in all, that few days away meant so much to me.

I was relaxed so much it was ridiculous.

I was empowered by pulling and setting up the Squirrel solo.

My friendship with Janie deepened, and I met two new friends.

I ate clean and came home 2lbs lighter.

Seriously - my list of blessings is getting so long, I've lost count.