Hotter today so will set a new record before the day is done.  I got out at 6:15 to do some work on the raspberries but at 76 degrees at that hour I didn’t work very long before I had to quit.  Everything needs water now.  We have no running water here, such as brooks and streams so every thing looks for water.  The yellow jackets follow me around when I work looking to see if I am putting some out.  They are very curious and get in the way often but they are not aggressive and don’t sting except when I  step on one bare foot.  So if I remember to wear shoes I am safe from them.  They stay mostly in the grass or plants to wait for the watering to get the water but some follow me around and try to see what my hands are doing.  They really are fun to watch.  The humming birds have to fight off the bold faced hornets for the food now.  The hornets need the water also and have found the liquid in the bird feeders so now I put out saucers with the bird food in them for the bees.  I have to put only a little or the hornets fight over the liquid and push each other into the liquid and if it is deep they drown, so I have several saucer there for them as they go through it so fast I have to keep filling it all day.  This morning when I went out their dish was empty and when they saw me coming they flocked around like kids when they see Santa.  It made me nervous at first but they were not aggressive toward me and let me fill their dish, then left me alone.  They are not stupid just scary.   I don’t know how many cans of garden produce I can get this year for Christmas presents so have been looking into other things the family uses that I can make for presents and thought of Vanilla.  We used to get a case when we went to Mexico on our cruises but we haven’t been for a couple years now and don’t plan to go back to looked into making my own.  It is simple but take 6 months to age properly so have sent for the vanilla beans and will make some for everyone this year.  It is fun when I find something else I can do myself.  Oh, the ice cream came out great but is very rich.  Much too rich for our diet so today will try another one that doesn’t use as much cream, I guess today’s will be using half and half and see if it works.  I have enough half and half here left over from a recipe I made last week.  If it works I will try the same thing with fat free half and half and see how that works.  Then I will try a sherbert after I have gone shopping to get what I need for that.  We will be all ready for the kids when they get here in July.  Have a great day.