An Adventure We Never Planned: In Our Own Front Yard...Honey!

Mystery revealed...what in the world IS this stuff? 

If you follow me on Instagram (wait, you don't?  click here!), then you saw that I posted another version the above picture.  I didn't tell you what it was...until this post.

It was HONEYCOMB!

Wait a minute...that isn't exactly accurate...

It was roasted honeycomb...freshly cut from the tree in our front yard...with...

BEE LARVAE!

Seriously?  Let me describe it...it was surprisingly salty (though, my friend did sprinkle it with salt on both sides...but not that much).  It was chewy.  It was crunchy.  It was...sticking to my teeth.  Instead of the honeycomb stuck to my teeth, I was pretty sure it was larvae membranes sticking to my teeth.  How's that for earthy-granola-cuisine?  I feel so green right now.

How in the world did we get fresh honeycomb?  This guy...

Our courageous new friend, honeycomb in hand.

One of our friends invited her husband to come over a few days ago to help us out with yard work.  He pruned trees and picked weeds and such.  While watering the grass, he happened to look up and notice our large beehive up in one of the front trees (not in the one Run normally climbs, praise the Maker)!  He assured me that he could cut it down for me and get the honey. Who am I to argue?  So, I let him!  He grabbed the ladder, hiked up his shirt collar, and found some gloves and a motorcycle helmet for extra protection.  After soaking the bees with water from the hose (whaaaaa?), he said the bees' wings would be too wet to fly much and they wouldn't bother with him during the harvesting.  He was so right.  Not one sting.

Cutting the honeycomb to reveal the goodness inside...

 

How beautiful is that?  I can't believe that honey was just hanging in our front yard! 

Half of the comb was filled with this gorgeous honey!  How's that for organic, un-filtered, raw honey?  Over toast or a bagel...aaah...I am drooling.

Muscle-power to squeeze the honey out of the comb.

All he did to retrieve the honey was to squeeze the comb in his hands and catch it in a big bowl of ours.  The kids all ditched school to watch the whole process with me.  Seriously, who has time for addition facts when this is going on?!
 

Our new friend was so full of joy that the kids fell in love with him instantly...and...he gave them fresh honey, so I am sure that doesn't count against him, either!

 
The squeezing wasn't too meticulous of a job, so the honey comb, leftover bees and stick parts had to be filtered out...

Separating the honey.  I just happened to have a honey jar lying around, actually.  Though, maybe I should re-label it to "100% Pure Thai Honey."

When this was over, my friend (the wife) said that the honeycomb would be delicious if I roasted it.  Of course!  Why didn't I think of that?  I had fresh honeycomb before and loved it...roasted would be even better.  Boy, was I surprised of what was hiding inside this other part of the honeycomb...

The honeycomb before baking.  I saw a few larvae poking out, but had no idea that when it roasted (a truly heavenly smell, by the way)...that the comb would turn into this...(check it out below)...

It is like the larvae swelled up and were just popping out of the comb.  My friend was thrilled.  I was scared.  Honesty, people.

After just ten minutes of roasting, we had this honeycomb to share.  My friend tasted it, I had some, and the boys each tasted it as well.  They didn't like it, per se, but I am impressed with their desire to be adventurous eaters.  They challenge me, most of the time, to eat things that I would never dream of liking.  Asia is changing our views of what is "normal."  That is one of the huge benefits of being here...we realize that our worldview and opinions on most things are heavily influenced by the culture we're around.  It makes me wonder what kind of men (and woman) they will be.  I am excited!



After we roasted the comb, our new friend took the remaining comb he had squeezed honey from, reattached it to the original branch, rigged it back up into the tree, and didn't get bit.  Even once.  Astounding! 


Our friend's husband reattached the old comb back to the same main branch because he said that if the queen bee hadn't left yet, that the whole swarm would be attracted to the honey there and start another home.  I had no idea!  This time, instead of wishing the bees would just go away, I am sort of hoping they'll stay so we can recreate this adventure again and get more delicious, free honey. 

The hoard of bees waiting to reclaim their place.  I actually hope they stay!

That was the end of the adventure that we never planned...right in our own front yard!  I wonder what the next one will be like...

A Beautiful Pest: The Hawk Moth Caterpillar

Today, Mrs. P noticed a pest eating the living daylights out of my brand. new. flowers. that hang on my front porch.  I had noticed odd little droppings under my new hanging plant, but thought it was some special fertilizer that was falling (anyone can tell you that I'm no gardening specialist).  Well, I was right that it was fertilizer, but wrong to the sort that it was; it was the evidence that my friend, Mrs. P, noticed to realize there was something amiss.  This beautiful, and fat, caterpillar was taking up residence in my pot and ate about half of it in just a few days.  Talk about The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle coming to life!:

Behold our beautiful new pest - the Oleander Hawk Moth Caterpillar

It almost looks like a happy little puppy playing with a chew toy.  Only, the chew toy happens to be my flowers!

Yes, he really was that fat!

These fake "eyes" scare off predators who are wanting a tasty caterpillar meal.  It makes him look like an alien, don't ya think?

The unaffected plant that mirrors my other hanging basket.  Note how it looks full and healthy.

The basket where we discovered the culprit.  Argh.  I have only had this one for five days.  Seems like it will pull through, though!

After I got over my irritation over how much of my plants he had eaten, we got to observe him and thank God for just how beautiful he is.  I told Jeshurun to let him go in one of my Jasmine bushes (where he would do less obvious damage), but he insisted on keeping him to show to the S-clan when we head over there later tonight.  Why not? 

Seriously?

As long as he doesn't actually try to eat him, we might just keep him around to see if turns into a beautiful Hawk Moth.  Here's a link to see what would be his final transformation: Click here.

Finding this caterpillar has made my son a happy boy.  He won't stop talking about it.  Good thing Thailand will never run out of bugs!

Run and his newest bug pet.  Smiles all around.

10 Things I Like Today

Our view today on our way out to get dinner.  We saw God's promises splashed all over the sky!

1. Promises written in the sky...over my neighborhood...over my adopted country...over my life!

2. Brand spankin' new crayons.

How I love thee, Crayola, let me count the ways...

3. We broke out #2 because the kids and I have returned back to home school.  These past few weeks have been awesome.  I am finally feeling like I am in a groove with three.  Now if I can just get Kyla to keep still...

4. Potty-training Kyla.  It has actually been a joy.  Seeing her wear Hello Kitty undies, wash her hands by herself, and eat Starbursts (her treat for a dry diaper at nap time) has been fun.  It is Day Three.  Ask me on Day Ten if it is still a joy.  ;)

Bird of Paradise plant in the front yard.  I love these!

5. My garden blooming even after not being around to tend to it for four months.  Bird of paradise flowers, purple, white and yellow orchids, and twenty plus papayas.  Wow.  God is awesome.  Oh yeah, and my Christmas grass didn't die.  Treavor bought me grass last Christmas and and it made it through the hot season without me.  Oh, the joy!

6. Breaking out the bread machine for the first time since being back.  If being addicted to carbs is wrong, I don't wanna be right. 

7. Movie Night tonight; Finding Nemo for the billionth time (it's still good!).  To-go Thai dinner.  Freshly baked cinnamon raisin bread (see #6) for dessert.  

8. Earlier today I finally talked with my neighbor and gave him the souvenir from the States that I bought for him and his wife.  How lame is it that we've been here three weeks and I'm just now doing this?  Lame.  But, now I have finally broken the ice (again) with them (the first time was a year ago when we moved in!).  Maybe they'll finally talk to us now that we brought them sweets!  :)

9. Treavor's at a meeting tonight.  I don't like being away from him in the evening, but the reason he's gone is why I'm loving it; there is a group of new leaders that have come to know Jesus and are wanting to know how to disciple others in His love.  What a great reason for me to fly solo tonight!  We have the best job in the world.

If we were still in the States, would we get family photo ops like this?  Maybe if we were snake handlers...or in the circus?  

10.  When I am lonely, bored, confused, at a loss of what to do next, or when the silence in the house feels stifling rather than refreshing...I am so thankful to have the comfort of the Holy Spirit near to me.  In fact, He never leaves me.  My needs can be met and I am more content when He's the one that fills them, rather than a Facebook fix or even a phone call with a close friend.  It is in the silence that I can quiet my heart to hear Him better and better.

What's on your "like" list today?  I'd love to hear it!  Share in the comments below:

To Everything, Turn, Turn, Turn...

my Stargazer lily shoot

To my amusement, something is coming up late in my garden...Treavor's Christmas present!


For a present last December, I planted five Stargazer lily bulbs in my garden. These lilies are Treavor's favorite.  Last year, while walking at a big market with Steph and her kids, we happened upon a merchant selling these bulbs, ripe with promise.  It was actually Steph's idea, to plant them for Christmas.  But, I stole her idea and promptly bought them.  :)  The merchant said that they would bloom in three month's time, so I planted them in early December and figured there would be plenty of time for us to enjoy them before we left for America.  


I researched how and where to plant them, settled them in the dirt just right, positioned them in perfect afternoon sun, watered them faithfully and keep them properly drained (I read that if they stay too moist, they will die, for sure).  For months now, I checked the soil for signs of life and even dug them up twice to see if they were even taking root!  I felt like a gardening failure, and a bad present-buyer, for even trying to grow something I had no experience doing.  But, a few days ago, I saw a blade of green hope popping up from the ground.  Today, three of the five bulbs have sprouted.  Joy and sorrow took me by surprise!


I feel joy; because something I planted and cared for is actually succeeding.  I feel sorrow; because we are leaving for America in 4 days, and we will probably not be able to even enjoy their beauty.  Someone else, probably my flower-loving neighbor I will entrust them to, will get to behold those awe-inspiring purple, pink and white splashes on its petals.  I have sowed, and someone else gets to reap the benefits.


The picture of words that I am painting above about my lily plants really spoke to me this morning as I thought about our work here.  I even started humming that famous 60's song "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is A Season)"...you know, the one that was basically copied out of Ecclesiastes 3:

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

 ¹To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

 ²A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;

 ³A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;

 ⁴A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

 ⁵A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

 ⁶A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

 ⁷A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

 ⁸A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.

One of my five orchids that are sprouting new branches for future blooms

my orange tree's mini-fruits, not quite ready to eat

my jasmine flowers, on the verge of blooming and spreading an unforgettable scent!

When we left from America over three years ago, there were so many thing that we left that were in the middle, or right about to come to be; marriages, births of babies, changes in families, deaths of loved ones, divorces, people moving cities, leaders coming in and out of influence, political changes, etc.  We came here and "missed" these things coming to fruition. Some good, some bad...but it was change, all the same.


And now, as we have sowed into the nation and people of Thailand, into the lives of others, and endured changes in our own family, we are leaving for a season to enter back into another land that looks different than how we left it.  


I am leaving my Stargazer lilies, my orange tree, my orchids and my jasmine plants, all on the verge of blooming and bearing fruit...to partake of the fruit of a season that we have been located far away from for years now.  Although we are leaving friends and work that is on the brink of intense change, there certainly is a season for everything.  Can we just have a season for breaking down and never for building up?  Or, seasons of laughing and never for weeping?  I am trying to prepare myself to be ready for whatever season is ahead.  Wherever we are going and whatever we are going to meet, God is already there.  

Mysterious Plant Shoot

What could it be?

Several weeks ago, something spontaneously started growing.  And growing.  And growing.


I did not plant this mysterious shoot, or water it, or fertilize it.  And yet, it keeps growing.


You would think that with my black thumb, that it would die and wither away; like, almost all the herbs that I tried to start from seed last year.  Or, like the orange tree in the back yard that I have tenderly cared for...that will simply not bear fruit and grow one.  stinking.  inch.


But, oh no...this baby is determined!


What is it?


And, where does it come from?


And, where is it growing?

my potato/onion/garlic basket

Right here.  In my kitchen.  On top of my food cupboard.  Is...a sweet potato.  


A few weeks ago, I finally noticed it growing quite determinedly towards the ceiling.  I laughed and ignored it...obviously...

my sweet potato in all its growing glory

Since I have been quite lazy in the kitchen lately...opting to get take-out (a dollar a plate!) or resort to eating loads of PB&J sandwiches, scrambled eggs and toast...I have yet to turn on the oven to put this determined sweet potato out of its misery.

So, there it sits.  Hoping.  Reaching.  Expectant.  Verdant.  Simply hilarious.

Beautiful Bloom

Backyard Centerpiece

Today I am preparing for possible house guests.  I was thinking about buying some flowers to adorn our dining room table, but came up with something better, ie: free. As I was doing dishes the other day, I noticed this outside in the back yard.  Our yard isn't that big, mind you, but in the back by the washing machine, was something pink shooting up from the ground.  Where did that come from?

You see, my beloved washing machine sits on the back porch.  And, here in Thailand, sometimes things aren't the most environmentally-friendly.  The way our machine deposits the waste water, soap and all, is right into the ground in the back yard.  A sudsy pool of water takes double-duty, wetting the ground that now houses the above flower and about 4 yards of bird-of-paradise flowers, too.  What I thought was an inconvenient mess has turned into something quite beautiful.

I am so thankful to God today for our home, and the beautiful, tropical land that we live in.  The Creator is so so good.

Mom, I Think I Just Caught A Snake!

"Mom, I think I just caught a snake!"


Not the words you want to hear from your front lawn...


...and said by your (almost) six year-old son...


...in Thailand!


Unless it is this kind of snake...

Jeshurun with a worm?  No...that would be a snake!

the blind snake of Thailand...courtesy of...my front yard.

This is the blind snake of Thailand.  They are harmless to humans and resemble earthworms.  Jeshurun thought he had, in fact, caught an earthworm to deposit in my basil planters...until he looked a little closer.  This guy clearly had scales, a teeny-tiny, flickering tongue, and the movement of a snake.  Oh yeah...and it "bit" him and "stung" him with it's mouth and hind part (they call it a spur).  He said it wasn't as strong of a sting as the red weaver ant (which is my nemesis...).  He flung him down after a few pricks and we decided to observe him in our bug aquarium.

We think he's about 12-13 centimeters.  And, yes, we love Tigger and Pooh!  :)

By the way, if you have boys and don't have a bug aquarium, you should stop reading this and go pick one up pronto!  It is a must have!  I'll never forget the time that we caught a praying mantis the size of my son's forearm and watched it eat katydids (that we caught for it) all morning...


Ah...memories of our home in the south...


At least the snake we caught today wasn't like this one that Treavor massacred at our home in the south...

Treavor vs. monocled cobra.  Treavor won.  My hero!

Ah...horrible memories...


But we got some cool photos out of it!  Check out this one!  Eew.  I digress...

Moving on...back to today and the *reminding the grandparents* harmless snake Run caught today...


My son is so brave.  He would stick his hand in the aquarium to try and catch that wriggly little thing.  It is hard for me to hold a worm, let alone a snake!  Even Kyla sat mesmerized as we observed the snake.  She is acquainted with all things "boy."  

Anything that interests the boys interests her.  For now!

Hopefully she won't grow up to be as squeamish as I am around creepy crawlies.  We will see.


So, after a quick search on the Internet, we found this video and this article on Wikipedia.  Our snake fit all these descriptions.  We learn something new every day! 


Though, the next time Run finds one, he said he'll let it go.  Apparently, the blind snake eats termite and ant eggs.  We could do with a little natural pest prevention around here. 

Basil!

Today, happiness comes in the form of a handful of fresh basil, just cut from my sweet basil plants. 


Even with my black thumb, my basil plants have withstood floods, hot tropical sunny weather, a move across country, and an invasion of snails, termites and ants.  Maybe God let them survive solely so I wouldn't feel like a gardening loser.  Let me remind you of this post where I planted cilantro, chives, parsley, thyme, rosemary, oregano, lavender, sweet basil, Genovese basil and dill.  Only the two types of basil have survived.  It is painful and quite humbling to admit that.  


But, today, as I minced up the basil and added it to my spaghetti sauce simmering on the stove, I feel satisfaction, happiness, and...hunger!

Are you a green thumb or a black thumb?  Please let me know that I'm not alone...comment below!  

Goodbye Bananas, Hello Uncertainty

Some of our banana trees fell over two days ago.  Gale-force winds were blowing furiously the night before and we woke up to quite a mess in the front yard.  The rain had water-logged our lawn and everything looked crazy and prophesied of hours of work cutting, raking and burning to clean it up.  I was sad for about two seconds until I realized - hey, we're moving in two weeks!  I wouldn't even be around to miss them!

And, then, I realized that I didn't even know WHAT my next yard would look like.  Or, if my new dwelling would even have a yard.  I wouldn't miss *attempting* to help keep up with yard work, but then again, living in a concrete jungle again would almost certainly drive me bonkers.

Having space.  Green grass.  Fruit trees (10 plus!).  Endless species of wildlife (welcome and unwelcome).  A small garden.  These are things I have gotten used to over the past year.

We're knee-deep in the (online) house hunting process, and hope to decide next week.  Until then, it is a good distraction trying pack up our things, say goodbye to friends and disciples, while still trying my best to manage a household.

But, as we plan a move to the north of Thailand - and look ahead to the next few years, I have no idea what's in store.  Then again, who ever really does?

I was blown away with the space of my first house, filled with peace and rest upon settling into the second house, and I am sure that there are great surprises in store for the third.  

So, goodbye bananas and, hello...something better!

Orchid in Bloom

Like you and me, this orchid plant looks quite ordinary in it's "pre-blooming" state.  No frills.  Even a little unsightly and ragged-looking.  But, this seemingly ordinary part of creation soon unveils it's quite extra-ordinary purpose with help from the sun, air and water.  In similar ways, we must have the Son to live.  Without Him, we cannot bear fruit in our lives, or display the beautiful destiny we were created for.

"Whoever has the Son has life..." 1 John 5:12 

Go reach for the SON today!