How To Charm a Beekeeper's Heart by Candice Sue Patterson

Weddings are the last thing beekeeper Huck Anderson wants to be associated with, considering his past. So when he inherits a building occupied by a bridal boutique, he aims to evict the failing business and open a sporting goods store. Until his tenant ends up being Arianne Winters, a woman he’s indebted to from a mistake made years ago. 

When a life-threatening injury derails Huck entirely, Arianne offers a compromise to keep her boutique, and her life, out of bankruptcy—she’ll aid in his lengthy recovery if he’ll allow her to remain in his building. But nursing her adversary proves challenging when her adolescent crush resurfaces. 

Amidst a battle-of-wills, their lives intertwine in unexpected ways, providing opportunity to overcome their pasts and start anew. Will this confirmed bachelor consider holy-matrimony, or will Huck’s choices sting them a second time?

Publisher: White Rose Publishing 2016

My Review: I was privileged to read this book prior to it being published. As I am working to be a beekeeper, I loved the honeybee facts at the beginning of each chapter.

I was drawn into the story quickly, and thoroughly enjoyed it. Candice is able to "paint a scene" with her words, so the reader is able to create a movie in their mind. The hero and heroine are realistic; and you will easily be able to identify with their lives. In addition, you will fall in love with Arianne's little girl - Emma, who chips away at the wall in front of Huck's heart.

Find a comfortable reading spot, settle down, and enjoy this book. You will not be disappointed. I give it Five Paws Up.  
(I use "Paws Up" instead of stars or thumbs up for my rating scale. Five Paws Up is the best rating.)

Organic Peanut Butter Helps With Dog's Nail Trimming

Organic Peanut Butter
on a Spoon.
Paws 4 Hearts Photo 2016

I wouldn't think that a 7.6 pound dog would be able to keep humans fifteen times or more bigger than her from trimming her nails, but Spritzen Nala O'Chi is able to do it. For me, I know how stress can be detrimental on an animal's health. Stress can cause an animal to have a stroke, and this was always on my mind as Spritzen Nala struggled and fought against having her nails trimmed.

Spritzer Nala has white nails, which makes trimming easier, because I can see the pink quick, and avoid it. When a dog is struggling, kicking, crying, and flipping her head this way and that, about the time I'd see the nail, get the clipper over it, ready to trim, that foot has moved, and I've lost the chance to trim that nail.

I found one way that worked - give Spritzen Nala natural dental chews, but it took two per foot. That was a lot going into her belly, so I had to find another way.

A Stress-free Spritzen Nala O'Chi
snuggled in her favorite blanket.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons
October 2016

An "Ah-haa Moment" came when I remembered how dogs love peanut butter. I buy organic peanut butter, which I refrigerate. Cold peanut butter is firmer - you have to let it sit at room temperature  for a litte bit to get it to spread on bread. This means it will take longer to lick it off a spoon.

At last, a healthy, stress free solution for dog nail trimming - they lick peanut butter off a spoon, while you trim quickly. The only thing is you can't just lay the spoon on the floor - it will scoot away as they try to lick. If you don't have another human to help, you will have to hold the end of the spoon in your mouth. As the dog licks the peanut butter, you can trim. This may seem like a goofy thing to do, but it does work. You and your dog will have a much lower stress level.

Note: as the peanut butter warms, you and the dog maybe wearing some of it, but that's just a small problem compared to a dog whose nails are too long. Happy trimming!

Honeybee Deaths Point Toward Glyphosate Product Spraying

Thousands Of DEAD Honeybees.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons September 2016

On my last post, I wrote that I'd had thousands of my honeybees die in just a couple of days time. I spoke with an experience beekeeper about the situation. Nectar Dearth would not have caused that many deaths in just a two day span. All indicators point towards the resident across the road who illegally sprayed herbicides on my land a second time, because a three inch tall weed grew under his mailbox, which is on my land.

I spoke to the wife after the first incident. She refused to let me talk with her husband, but had admitted to the spraying. I asked her to stop the spraying as it was not their land, and I grow organically.

Why would he do such a thing? Many Americans have become extremely selfish, believe the world revolves around them, and nobody else matters.

The previous residence who were neighbors to me, allowed me to pull into the beginning of their driveway when a vehicle was behind me. This allowed the vehicle to pass by, and allowed me to safely back into my driveway. When the property was sold, a little over a year ago, the new residence (I cannot call them neighbors), did not see the safety aspect of this situation. They didn't want me to do this, so I stopped, but this man thinks it's okay to spray Round-Up a second on my land, killing my honeybees as it drifted in the air.

Another view of dead honeybees,
many hundreds more are not shown.
Photo by Tracey R. Simmons
September 2016

A great eye-opening article was published in the magazine - Mother Earth News. It was the June/July 2016 issue. The title of the article is - Are GMOs Toxic? An Interview with Genetic Engineer Thierry Vrain.

In this article, it states despite repeat application of glyphosates, weeds continue to adapted and grow. American soil that has been been sprayed with these chemicals is damaged - the microorganism in the soil that gives life is damaged.

Did you know - "Glyphosate was invented as a descaling agent because it binds to all sorts of minerals and makes them unreactive, stripping them from pipes." - (from the article mentioned above)? It was to descale or strip mineral deposites off industrial pipes and boilers. Now it is used on your food, to include being used as a "drying agent" for grains and seed, so after it is repeatly sprayed on the crops in the field, it is then used to dry it. It is on the cereal, beans, sunflowers, etc. that are not organic you, your children, and grandchildren are eating.

Americans need to wake up to the poisonous affects pesticides and herbicides, in particular Glyphosate, contain and the effects of GMO crops on their health, and the affects on the honeybee. Europeans are so much smarter by not allowing GMO crops to be grown.