Category Archives: Rural Life in Mendota

Daily adventures in a rural farming community.

OK Bees…You’ve Got To Live Through the Winter

“What kind of Mickey Mouse operation is this anyway?”   That was Mother’s words I heard in my head as I looked over our make-shift arrangement to protect my two hives of bees from the extreme wind chill.  Mama…what are you doing out here in the cold?   You live in my heart where it’s warm–and besides, you’re being a little sassy.”

Ok..for the sake of pleasing Mother, I’ll admit it does look a little like a shanty town for bees…

Bee Tarp 2

During the last “Arctic Blast” of air through Poor Valley, I wrapped the hives in bubble wrap and worried constantly for three days.  You can read about that here.   I removed the bubble wrap because I was concerned about trapping moisture in the hive.

And then we get the forecast for this evening…5 degrees with a windchill factor of about -5 this evening.    Great.   I’m short on bubble wrap.   Mike came to the rescue with a tarp.  Brilliant!  The barn is the first defense for the chilling wind, but the tarp will give an added barrier, and tomorrow I can just pull it back.   At any rate, I’ll sleep better knowing they’ve got a bit of extra protection.  They have to work hard to keep their queen warm.   Here they are on a nice warm day when we were working with them.    I love them, but–excuse my French–these little pals are meaner than s*!t!  If you come see me in the summer, you’d better bring your Benedryl!!

Healthy Bees

The tarp had to be loose around the front of the hives because there are two openings that provide ventilation.  One is right at the top of the hive…just under the roof.  Warm, moist air inside the hive moves upward and it has to have a place to go.  If the ventilation hole is closed off or blocked, the moisture may result in icey cold drops of water falling on my bees.  No way are we going to allow that to happen!

In this last picture, you’ll see the tarp going down in the center.  I was worried about air getting underneath the tarp and pulling it up and possibly pulling my hives over.   Am I overthinking this wind?  Anyway, we used bungie cords to prevent the wind from getting under the tarp.

Wintering Bees 1

If this is all fallen over in the morning, I will be so upset. Stop by tomorrow and I’ll let you know how this worked.

Thank you for reading RiverCliff Cottage. If you’ve never commented, hunt around the bottom of this post and please leave me a comment. When you visit the blog, I can see where you come from but not who you are. For instance, someone in Washington State visits several times per month. I’d love to hear from them…you…anyone! Thank you!!

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Mendota Post Office and This Strange Cat

My day began in a surprising manner. Sam the Cat returned from being outside for about 90 minutes. He climbed into bed and began “marching” or what I call “making muffins.” He marched for about a minute and then he peed on me. Not a little bit.

Later, after everything was churning away in the washer and I’d showered,  I asked him..”what was up with this peeing in the bed thing? It’s a little creepy, Sam?”

Sam 1

“I’m getting ready to roll. Can’t answer you now.”

And…

Sam 2

“Those 600 count sheets get wet just like the 180 count nubby ones. How did you like the smell?  You are mine now, baby!  I’ve marked you!!

And…

Sam 3

“Nanny nanny boo boo…better to be pissed on than pissed off.”

Suffice it to say, Sam spent a very unhappy afternoon outside looking in. This time spent on the wrong side of the “Door of Shame”  has made him sleepy tonight. He’s inside, but he may be snoozing in the garage tonight. Still not certain.

Later, I went to the Mendota Post Office and decided to take you along. We are thankful for our post office. While the hours were cut, the location was spared.

US Post Office Mendota VA

The post office sits at the base of Clinch Mountain…just down from the Mendota Cemetery. It’s across from what was the Mendota Medical Center. Some day.

Community

I had a very small package to mail to Mike’s mother in California. I’d found some lavender goat’s milk lotion made in Jonesville, Virginia — about 45 minutes away.

Evelyn Beaule Package

Have you ever went to a post office and felt you were interrupting someone’s day?  It’s not that way in Mendota.

Kim gives me a big hello when she sees me!

KimThe Mail Lady

Here’s the hours…

Mendota Post Office Hours

Have you ever seen a healthier indoor plant (picture below)?  This is the Mendota Contingency Plan for Emergencies. We’ll be cutting this for firewood if our electricity goes out.  That’s a joke.

Large PO TreeWe’re little, but we got all the fixins…

Post Office Stuff

The post office is a hub for learning what is happening with our neighbors..

The Gathering Bowl

Lifelong friend Patsy is the postmistress. She’d turned her head away… hiding…peekaboo Patsy!   Kim…well…she’s not hiding.

Post Mistress and Mail Lady

I mailed my little package. I enjoy getting anything in the mail, so I like to mail to others. It is so nice to get something delivered. Are you that way?   I bought some stamps. They will increase in price soon, and I wanted to buy a few ahead of time. Patsy always pulls out her folder and lets me pick out something pretty.

Stamps

If you live in Mendota, please buy your stamps at the Mendota Post Office. If you can’t get down to pick them up, give Patsy a call. She and Kim will work to get those stamps delivered!!

Do you understand why the adage, “once you get that Poor Valley dirt on your feet, you can’t wipe it off” is true?  It’s just not the same anywhere else on earth.

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Fence Post Block Pals

Happy Wednesday!  It’s snowing in Mendota.  Yay!

I have a favor to ask. If you read this blog regularly, once in a while or whenever, would you mind “Liking” me on the Facebook button to the right of the page and subscribing so it will enter your email. I’ve been told that the email is not working. If you try to subscribe to the email and it doesn’t work, please let me know. You can comment or leave a message. Thank you. So much!

Do you remember my Pumpkin Blocks? Check them out here.  I really like them.  I liked them so much I started making more blocks at the same time…something to cheer me up on a winter day.  I finished them up today.   Let me introduce you to my Fence Post Block Pals.

Mr. Snowman Block. He originated from a Christmas ornament that fell and lost it’s hook.   It’s now a blockhead.  Like Charlie Brown…only not as famous!   Oh my goodness…it looks crooked in the picture!!!  It’s really not!  (I don’t think so anyway.)

Snowman Block

And because there was more fencepost to be cut…a few friends showed up. Mr. Blackbird Block.

Black Bird Block

And a taller, striped block with yet another bird appeared. Mr. Red Striped Black Bird Block.   I thought long and hard on these names.  These bird decals are leftover from my bathroom project. Read about that here. Read about it here if you want the realities of how difficult it is for me to get anything done.  My husband pouted for a week after that post. He said I was making fun of him…hmmm…why would he think that?   

At any rate, these Fence Post Block Pals are something that are more on my level of expertise.  Low…very low.   A trio of winter block people pals..

Three Blocks in a Row

Instructions! Really you could just look at them, but here ya go:

1) Fencepost cut in various sizes. My True Love (Lowe’s) made the first cuts for me. Mike ended up cutting them again. I think some of the big box stores will do this, but not all. It helps to beg and coax. Most CAN do it if they will. For free.

2) Spray paint your base. It doesn’t matter if it’s red or white or whatever color you like.  Sand like crazy on those sharp corners after paint dries.

3) Tape (plain old masking tape is what I used — no expensive Frog tape…I used the cheeepest.  After all it was birds, and they cheep!!)    Paint your stripes if you want them.

4) Spray again with alternate color.

5) I put bird decals on mine, but you could stencil something on them. Or not.

That’s it.

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Mendota Cemetery Quilt 2014

Chris, Margie and I went on a roadtrip to the Virginia Highlands Quilt Shop to see Kim (the owner). It’s time for the fabric selection of the Mendota Cemetery Quilt!! Do you like a white and red quilt? I hope so.

Crossroads Quilt

It’s hard to tell when looking at this picture, but it is going to be so beautiful.  Chris and Linda will be cutting it out next week and then the sewing will begin.  I’m going to prepare a Facebook page to follow its progress — from purchase to the time that someone owns it.  More about that in another post.

I’m glad we bought the fabric in Abingdon this year. Kim had done the quilting on the 2013 Cemetery Quilt, and we wanted to support her and to keep it local. She’s got such a nice quilt shop. I want to show you around.

Please someone find me and inject sewing talent into my head and hands. I just don’t have it, but I so want it!  I love this quilt. 

Fabric Quilt Display

Here’s some fabric shelves..how would some of these look in your stash?

Fabric Shelves 2

Some fall-themed fat quarters…honestly, I would have been all over these in September. Now, I’m drawn to spring colors.

Fall Fat Quarters

Oh my gosh…thread. Look at this!

Threads

A few things for those who like to make doll clothing. That’s not me, but my sister Nancy loves baby dolls.

Doll Items

After looking at all these wonderful fabrics and colors, we never waivered on red and white. It’s so clean. So cheerful and happy.

Fabric Red and White

There is much, much more at the Virginia Highlands Quilt Shop. If you go by and visit Kim, please tell her that her friends from Mendota sent you!

Did I tell you this year’s quilt is called “Crossroads?”   Our cemetery is about the crossroads we each will approach …when we leave this life and go to the next one.   The Mendota Cemetery ensures that our friends and neighbors making this transition can leave their earthly body behind with dignity and grace.

Mendota Cemetery Tree

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Where Is Ruth’s Quilt Today?

Today Chris, Marie and I purchased fabric for the 2014 Mendota Cemetery Quilt. It’s going to be a beauty…A Heartbreaker…A Quilt to Love….and I’ll post on that later this week. But today’s post is about another quilt. Do you remember this quilt?

Quilt 3

Of course you do! I had it on my Facebook page and on RiverCliff Cottage numerous times asking if you’d like to buy a chance on the quilt. I was begging! Every week! This was the 2013 Mendota Cemetery Quilt. So many hours went into making this quilt. Chris Schanzenbach led the process. She is one of the most gracious women I know. Her hands at work…

Quilt 6

Machines whirring along. This is Margie — if we were in high school, and obviously we’re not, Margie would be voted “Best All Around.”  Definitely.

Quilt 4

This quilt raised almost $2,000 — all of which went to the Mendota Cemetery. It will be put to good use. The drive of the cemetery was resealed this past summer. We love that cemetery on the hill.

The quilt came to life as “I’ll Fly Away” and that is what is stitched onto the label of the quilt. See my name? Yes! I helped a teeny, tiny (really teeny, tiny) bit!  Everyone has a talent…Patsy is our lead sales person…I’m the PR person…Margie does it all…Chris is the lead quilter.   Linda is right in there with Chris.  Everyone pitches in.

Quilt 2

Initially, we drew for the quilt during the Mendota Homecoming. Over 1400 tickets had been sold spanning 42 states and 8 countries. Pretty cool for a little country quilt.

Quilt Tickets

The very first ticket sold was to Mrs. Ruth Rice, and that ticket turned out to be the winning ticket. Amazing.

Ruth Rice's Winning Ticket

In a very generous decision, Ruth’s family (she has been ill and is of an age where she does not get out), decided that the quilt would be immediately donated back to the Mendota Cemetery Association to be “re-raffled”. We called it “Ruth’s Quilt.” It just seemed right. More tickets were purchased, and a little under 600 tickets were sold between August and December for Ruth’s Quilt. I bought approximately 100. I wanted that quilt. I bragged that I had about a 1 in 5 chance of going home with the quilt. During the Mendota Christmas Dinner, we had the second drawing for the quilt. Chris reached in and drew out Billy Carrier’s name. Billy is Ruth’s son-in-law. It was settled. The quilt was meant to reside with the Rice/Carrier family. We laughed, congratulated Billy and went home. I recall my sister Nancy and I saying on the way home that “we just were not meant to have that quilt.”  Drat!

Screech!  Not so fast!!

That same night, Patsy and Billy called and said they wanted to drop in for a minute. They arrived at about 10 pm. They were carrying the “I’ll Fly Away”…”Ruth’s Quilt.” Billy, who I have known all my life along with Patsy, wanted to give me the most amazing gift I’ve ever received. I told him…then them…”No!”   It was too much! Seriously! I really said that! They reached out with the quilt, and oh…you might as well know…I jumped up and down! I was so happy!!

My Quilt

So now you know. I have “I’ll Fly Away…”Ruth’s Quilt.” Here it is draped over the chair. It’s actually moving to the bedroom in the spring, and I’ll show you pictures.

And the disclaimer…The person who sold a bunch of the tickets has ended up with the quilt!!   Please understand it was all above board!   And I’m in love with it. Please don’t hate me because I have this beautiful treasure.   I walk by it and touch it. I think of Ruth…I think of Billy and Patsy…I think of Chris…and I understand that “loving your neighbor” is not just words in Mendota, Virginia. We don’t always agree…we are all different…but we do love one another.

Thank you Billy and Patsy Carrier.

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Honeybee Update

I’ve been worried. Very worried. And today I have confirmation.

They are….

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ALIVE!

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