My son Keith doing his "bee thing"

In the summertime, my youngest son Keith works part time for a medical laboratory that develops anti-venom serum against allergic reactions to bee stings. We've had two pretty large nests in our bushes, which unfortunately were discovered by the fellas who were trimming them. Sorry, Adam and Danny.

This is SO COOL to watch my son in action! He is completely sealed with his "bee suit" with a jacket, baseball hat, gloves, rubber bands, duct tape and safety glasses as extra safeguards. The bald-face hornets spray venom as they attack, and it's impossible not to breath it in through the netting of the head gear. Keith says it's disgusting and tastes like insect repellent. Without the safety glasses, the venom burns his eyes. When the hornets spray, it marks the "target" for the rest of the hive to attack.

This is our second summer to watch this process at our house. First thing that happens before Keith begins is Rod and I take our respective guard posts. We live on a corner lot and have many walkers and bicyclists out and about. Rod takes the upper side, and I take the lower side. I'm zooming the camera in to get the photo shots since I can't get too close.

Keith begins to cut around Nest #1. The goal is to get the entire nest undamaged into a heavy cardboard bag, which will then be placed into a cooler of dry ice. For now, he cuts it away and leaves it lying safely on the bushes so he can come back after dark and bag it. By then, the hornets will all be back into the hive.

The hornets are pretty stirred up. Rod said after Keith went to the second nest, he could actually see the bushes moving from all the swarming.

Nest #2 turns out to be much bigger than we thought. You can't see in the pictures, but the hornets are totally swarming Keith. We don't let anyone walk or bicycle past during this time, even making sure vehicles have their windows closed.

The hard part is over. Now all he has to do is come back after dark and bag them. They go into dry ice and the males are separated and sent to the lab. (Don't ask me how he figures that out!) He knows his bees.

The volleyball sized Nest #1 is detached and ready to bag. I took this picture through my screen door because they were still pretty angry and Keith was looking after his mama. DON'T GET CLOSE TO THEM, MOM! Nest #2 was bigger, but I couldn't get close enough to take a picture. Another successful bee removal. Thanks, Keefers! Now Adam and Danny can finish trimming the bushes.

The morning after update: Keith came at 5:30am this morning, stuffed cotton balls in the entrance to the nests and bagged them. He doesn't think he lost a single bee. Yeah!

Primitive Eye Candy

One of my customers, Linda from Primp Your Pad, has some great photos on her blog from one of her favorite eBayers. It was just enough "tease" to check out circa1892*homesteadprimitives' listings on eBay. These photos are all taken from previous auction listings, and I've saved them as favorite "Primitive Eye Candy." What a gift of decorating and displaying and her photography is amazing! Hope you enjoy these photos as much as I do.

First canning of the year

Dad called these beauties "West Virginia Beans" and IMO they are the absolute best green beans on the planet! They are grown from an heirloom seed that Dad got from a lady in Tallmadge, OH back in the early or mid-70's. I got 10 quarts on the first pickin' yesterday.

Dad's been gone for 12 years this October, but we're keeping the crop going each year. We didn't have a lot of seed left from last year, so it will be crucial this year to set aside enough. It's hard to leave those big juicy full beans on the vine and let them dry out for seed! I'd rather see them in the jars!

More Spotlight Photos from one of our Canadian customers!

Thanks to Paul and Cheryl from Nova Scotia for sending in photos of their project!

They first ordered fishtail swags in the Navy/tea dye ticking for a bedroom. Don't they look nice hanging on their wrought iron swag holders?

Next on their list was a custom duvet cover and pillow sham to match. We used the same H27 ticking fabric and accented it with a solid navy and wooden buttons. This was my first attempt at making a duvet cover. Hmmmn. . . maybe a new bedding category? We have some great brushed homespuns that would make wonderful bedding pieces!

Thanks again, Paul and Cheryl! Your entries have been added to the jar!

A Few New Fabrics Now Available

She who has the most fabric wins!

So they say. . .

Some of the new fabrics I ordered at the Holmes County Fabric Show have already arrived! These are prints from Indo-US Sales, Inc. You can see three new prints under

New Colors Fall 2008

Summer Clearance Items

I added some products to our CLEARANCE category at Home Sweet Homespuns. Check it out for some brand new custom items at SUPER SUMMER SAVINGS prices!


(Above)
(3) Pairs Lined Rod Pocket Panels w/tiebacks, 84W x 63L, H48, Green/tdye tri-color
This was the first and only custom order I have EVER accepted as a return. The customer prematurely ordered furniture and had her room painted based on a sample fabric swatch showing the pattern. (Hence the disclaimer that dye lots can vary slightly). These curtains are packaged and ready for a nice home.
Regular Price $67.95 per pair
Sale Price $47.95 per pair

(Above)
Overstock: One point Valances with rusty stars
(10) Navy Blue
(8) Hunter Green
(4) Barn Red
Regular Price $19.95 each
Sale Price $12.00 each

(Above)
(1) Pair Lined Tiers, H46 Hunter green/tea dye ticking, 84W x 30L
This was an OOPS job made in the wrong length.
Regular Price $44.95 Pr.
Sale Price $24.95 Pr.

(1) Pair Lined Rod Pocket Panels, 84W x 63L, H3310 Olive/Red Plaid
Regular Price $67.95 Pr.
Sale Price $47.95 Pr.
(3) Valance inserts, 43W x 12L, H3310 Olive/Red Plaid

Regular Price $20.00 each
Sale Price $12.00 each

This was a special order that was never picked up after a fire.

FREE SHIPPING IN AUGUST & SUMMER PROMOTION UPDATE!

An addition to the summer promotion will be FREE SHIPPING on any order over $75.00 through the rest of August! To have shipping charges removed, enter FREESHIP in the voucher code box when you check out, and the shopping cart will update itself.

Only a little over three weeks before we draw the winner of the Rag Ball & Berry Basket! My old 1/2 Gallon Mason jar is about half full of entries, so let's close out the contest with a bang! If you've put off ordering, take advantage of the free shipping and earn a chance(s) to win the basket. If you have our curtains in your home, email photos to info (at) homesweethomespuns.com. It will help if you put "Promotion Pictures" or something to that effect in the subject line.

A Quick Trip to Amish Country

It was a quick trip -- Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon -- but Rod and I took the chance to combine business with pleasure in Amish Country. The business side was attending the Holmes Co. Fabric Show, which was held at The Carlisle Inn in Walnut Creek, Ohio. I had a scheduled meeting with my sales rep, Mark Pytel, with Moda Fabrics. I also got to meet Iris Cohen, my area rep with Indo US Sales, Inc. I found some great brown and black prints and some new fall solid colors that I hope to incorporate into our curtain line. I'm pretty excited about the Natural Solid, which gives another softer choice in addition to our present Lin 'n Spun fabric. Below are a few samples of the new colors:

Now, for the best-kept secret in Berlin, Ohio! We were fortunate to find this gorgeous log cabin called Simple Blessings Cabin, owned by Mark and Brenda Zimmerman.

Simple Blessings Cabin

There are two private rooms on the lower level, and the "big cabin" on top. We stayed in the Faith Room, aka the "big cabin." Waiting on the kitchen table were the most scrumptious Peanut Butter cookies I've ever eaten! (courtesy of Fannie Troyer, who shares the caretaking duties with husband, Nelson). All the comforts of home were at our fingertips with nothing left undone. There were even fresh eggs in the frig! The view inside and out was breathtaking, and we enjoying sitting on the porch swing and looking down onto a small lake and sheep grazing in the pasture.

The view from the front porch

The cabin was equipped with Dish TV, but it was also stocked with CD's, DVD's, and board games. The only thing we didn't have was internet connection, so both Rod and I were grounded from checking anything "business".

The kitchen.

Looking up to the Loft

The loft bedroom/sitting room is decorated in a Retro Theme.

I love this old wagon that was sitting at the top of the stairs.

Looking from the Loft to the Living Room. The fireplace will be nice if we go back in the Fall.

The lower level has two smaller rooms with private entrances. Stairways lead to the upper level, so our entire family could stay here and still have privacy.

Our visit was much too short, and we plan to visit Simple Blessings Cabin again. After staying there, I can't imagine staying anywhere else when we go to Amish country.

. . . until next time.