The bees have arrived and I'm scrambling!

Do you remember me saying I had a beehive to assemble?  Because bees were coming?  Yup.  That was a project I put off.  That is until yesterday when I listened to my messages and realized my bees were on their way.  As in THAT DAY.

Ack!  That little bit of news got me off my duff rather quickly -- hammer, glue and nails in hand.  I needed at least one deep super, a couple more frames and a top.  I already had two frames from my other hive, the nuc comes with five so I needed (need) to build three more.  Fortunately my hive came with two tops so my plan is to use the less fancy top until I am able to finish painting the fancy one.

Yesterday was productive.  Before I found out about the bees I'd borrowed Mr. Peculiar's truck with the intent of cleaning up the backyard (part of my scheme but shhhh! don't tell -- my first plan of action is to get and keep the yard clean thereby making Mr. Peculiar and the neighbors happy.  Then when I spring goats on them they'll all jump for joy -- or something like that).  Anyway I had already hauled one load of pine needles to the recycling center and was just beginning on the second when I found out the bees were arriving toute suite.

I only had the truck for a day (today my car goes to the shop and Mr. Peculiar needs his truck for work).  Therefore I decided to go ahead and finish my yard project before building the bee box. After filling the truck a second time I took a break and built the first box (this sounds more difficult than it is -- all I had to do was fit the pieces together and then attach with glue and nails).

After the box was built I had just enough time to take one more dump run before picking up Little.   Then I came home, swapped out cars with the mister, dropped off Little and conned the Boy into going for a ride.

The bees came from the valley and a member of our local beekeeping club was kind enough to pick them up for me.  All I had to do was meet him at his house for the exchange.  We pulled up to his property and were dazzled by the number of hives he had (it had to have been at least 30).  Everywhere you looked there were bees a buzzing.  The Boy was a bit hesitant to get out of the car.  But no worries -- the bees didn't care one ioda about us. They had more important things to do.

We loaded our buzzing box into the car and headed home.  I didn't let the Boy drive as I was afraid how he'd react should one of the bees get loose.  Fortunately nary a bee escaped.

We got home just in time for him to go to Lacrosse.  As he changed I unloaded the bees leaving them in their nuc overnight. The I began painting my boxes.  I left them out in the driveway to dry.  Of course it rained.  So now they are sitting on my porch waiting to be finished.  I need to transfer the bees this afternoon rain or shine, box complete or not.

As I said I have two tops for this hive -- one fancy and one not so much.  The fancy one has a copper roof and it simply makes me happy.  My first hive has a stenciled lotus flower.  I'd like to stencil something on the second hive as well.  I'm leaning towards a dragonfly but wonder if it's weird to stencil one insect on the hive of another.   I need something relatively simple as I'll be cutting out the stencil myself.  I also considered a crown or, oh so original, a bee.  I'd best decide soon.

Now it's time to get Little up, take her to school and take my car to the shop.  Then back to work around the homestead.  It might sound busy but these are the days that make me happy -- it feels so good to have purpose and drive.  I'll love it if and when I get that farm!  But for now back to today.

xo.

Everything's a buzz

Well the ringing in my ear is back.  I knew it would be though I thoroughly enjoyed my two month respite.  We've had some odd weather, quite a bit of rain, and I can't help but wonder if it's related.  I just might be a walking weather gauge.  Who needs weathermen when you have Meniere's.

The ringing (which correlates with concurrent deafness) often precedes a bout of vertigo.  My left ear has been ringing for a solid week now and I've been walking around on pins and needles.  Vertigo is rather incapacitating and I have no idea when or where it might happen.  Thankfully I worked the weekend without incident.

I'm much happier at home because, if needed,  I can stop what I'm doing and lay down.  This is more challenging when a I have a sick animal in need of care.  But, even at home,  there are things to be done.

As such I've been running around like a crazy person trying to accomplish all I need to before the vertigo hits.  Today that meant yard work.

This morning the weather was truly gorgeous.  I tackled some weeding then decided I'd better check on my bee hive.  I'd not gotten into the hive since a put a candy board down last November.  They've been out flying on all good weather days so I wasn't too worried about them.  But last November I decreased their hive to one hive body and I wanted to make sure they had enough room and enough food.

My bees are definitely finding pollen -- all the workers are coming home with their legs laden with yellow.   Can you see the yellow tufts in the photo?  Pretty cool 'eh?

All appears to be well in the hive.  I did not see the queen but saw some larvae (which is just as good).  

They still had some sugar left on the top insulation board so I decided to leave it for them to munch on.  Plus I figure they might appreciate the additional insulation.  Despite today's 60 degree weather it will only be 18 degrees F tonight.  

I did add an additional 10 frame hive body (giving them two total) so that they have plenty of room and *hopefully* won't think about swarming.  

I'm so pleased these bees over-wintered well and hope to get some honey from them this year.  I've also gone and ordered a second set of bees which should arrive sometime this month.  My second hive is sitting ever so patiently in my living room waiting to be assembled and painted.  I think I'll tackle that project tomorrow; assuming I'm standing.   

So yes -- everything is a buzz; the bees and my ear alike.  It might truly be spring.  

xo.  

Today

Today:

     * I fluffed the chicken coop and gave them new pine shavings.  My hands still smell like pine and I 

        like it. 

     * The chickens layed five eggs (not bad for seven biddies).

     * I got three new books from the library; fuel for the fire. 

     * I really want to get a goat or two and am completely bummed they are not allowed in the city.  Oh

        sweet little five (or ten) acres where are you?

     * I started reading this book and am ready to take over the empty lot next to us. 

     * I'm also heavily fantasizing about these practical and relatively inexpensive hoop houses.  I've

        wanted one for more than a year now.  That ought to tell me something.  

     * I also spent some time on practical matters.  I did a load of laundry and a load of dishes.  I love 

        my homemade laundry soap in its vintage glass jar.  Just looking at it makes me happy.  

     * And I finally got the gist of this baby blanket pattern.  Not sure why it took me so long as its not

        terribly difficult.  I guess I was previously too distracted.  Happy to have my knitting mojo back. 

Now I need to put down my book and make dinner.  I'm excited to cook but not ready to stop reading.   I suppose I should be grateful for such a dilemma.  

xo. 

A Bee Story and Other Tales

I may have mentioned I am easily distracted.  Today was no exception. My day started at 1:00 pm; I'd worked the night shift and took a necessary nap. My hope was to get up while there was still daylight so I could snap some photos for the shop (I have many typewriters and cameras that need a new home).

Around 2:00 pm, after coffee and some puttering,  I got around to said photos.  Of course, in the middle, I was interrupted by my daughter who wanted me to walk her to a friend's house.  While taking the my break I noticed it was quite warm outside (quite warm meaning above freezing i.e. mid forties).  It occurred to me this might be my one and only opportunity to open up the bee hive and give the girls their new insulated top/candy board.

As this was a last minute decision and I was still groggy from the night shift I didn't think the whole thing through.  I simply threw on my bee suit and my cowboy boots and marched outside to change tops.  My plan was to have the project done snippity snap and get back to my photos.  What I hadn't factored in was the propolis -- that lovely bee glue that sticks everything together.

Plus I hadn't been into the hive for a while and once the top was open I realized they'd built their lives in the middle of two ten frame boxes (rather than fill the bottom box and then the top).  I decided to remove the top box and place the full frames into the bottom box.  This way there would be less hive for the bees to keep warm and they'd be closer to the candy source.

Given this I also decided I'd better get my smoker and do things properly.  So I ran to the garage grabbing the smoker and fuel.  Then I booked it to the kitchen to get a lighter.  Now, of course, the lighter was not in the drawer where it belonged.  So I went to the cupboard and stood precariously on my tip toes shuffling through the liquor bottles on the top shelf.  For some reason this is where we keep our spare matches.  Just as I found the matches a bottle of kahlua leapt off the shelf.  The cap wasn't screwed on which resulted in complete drenching; alcohol on my suit, in my hair and soaked through my clothes.

As I'd left the top cover off the bees and didn't want them to freeze I ignored this alcoholic transgression and continued on my merry way.  I smoked the bees, replaced the frames and tucked the girls in for the winter.

At this point my left ear was ringing and I was feeling moderately stressed.  Subsequently I was swaying a touch, as I have been all week, oh Menieres you lovely gal you.

What my neighbors likely saw was a woman in an alien suit, accessorized with cowboy boots, smelling of liquor and swerving as she walked.  I'm expecting the men with the nice white jacket to arrive at my doorstep any moment now.

I did have one frame with some capped honey that would not fit into the bee box.  I brought it inside and harvested the honey -- wax and all.  It's surprisingly sweet with a slight floral hint.  The reward for a job well done.

Then I discovered I'd also brought a bee in with me.  She was less than pleased and trying desperately to escape out the window.  I trapped her in a mason jar and returned her to her brood.

Now I have photos to develop and items to list.  I've not yet come up with a plan for dinner. As I type I am freshly showered and no longer smell like alcohol.  This may have to be remedied with a margarita and some mexican food.  It just seems like that kind of day.

xo.

Heaven

“No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home
and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow.”
– Lin Yutang

I love to travel. In fact, when I grow up, I intend to travel often. This world has so much to see and so much to do. I want to take it all in; to squeeze the earth into my head, wrap my cranium around it and never let it go.

Chicago was awe-inspiring. It was amazing to see the bright lights of the big city. To watch a crowd cheer on their home team. To sit on the steps of a museum and listen to a concert. To eat and eat and eat. And to walk and walk and walk and walk.

And yet it was also marvelous to come home. The first thing I did (even before greeting the kids) was to inspect the fruit trees and garden. The plums and peaches were ready for picking. My tomatoes had finally turned red. The chickens were laying on a regular basis. Then kids came streaming out the door, neighborhood friends in tow, and the crisp autumn air filled with laughter.

+++++++++

The next day I found myself in the kitchen. School was out. Pizza dough was rising. The boys were fishing. The girls were playing quietly. Pandora was serenading me from the computer. My hands were buried in a bowl of oats, butter, cinnamon and brown sugar when this song came on:

Indeed I was in heaven.

+++++++++

Someday soon I hope to venture out again. But for now I'm quite content to rest my weary head in this house where pet fur abounds, the laundry multiplies like rabbits and the dishes follow suit. Today there is no place I'd rather be.

Chicken Update

Our chicken girls are growing up.  We still haven't finished their coop; it remains half built in the driveway.  I think I'll let the grass grow wild and park a jalopy on the lawn to complete our urban chic visage.  It's all the rage you know.  (Actually I would love to buy an old camping trailer to refurbish ... it'd fit in well with our other front yard decor).

In the meantime the girls remain in the garage.  I've been letting them out for jaunts in our dirt patch future orchard.   They seem to stay in a cluster and don't travel far.  I was hoping they'd earn their keep by picking weeds but they seem more interested in taking dust baths. 

I am starting to notice their differences and can now identify them by name ... Harriet, Gertrude, Gracie and Rose Scooby-Doo (guess who named that one).  So far they all appear female; my fingers are crossed.  

I'm very hopeful we'll complete the coop this weekend and finally transition them to their permanent home. If anyone wants to lend a hand with our coop raising come on over.  I'll make lemonade and sandwiches ... just for putting on a roof.  

Happy Wednesday.