As soon as Sherry got off work today we went down to the apiary to check on our bees!
Other than your bee suit, veil and gloves - the most important thing to have with you as you open up the hives is a smoker!
You must get it started before you go and it should smoke the entire time you are in the apiary.
And TWO smokers are better than ONE so Sherry and I take both of ours.
I was proud of myself for being suited up and having my smoker ready when Dean and Sherry drove up! We use crumpled newspaper - even better if it's from my art table and has oils and turp on it from cleaning my brushes - corrugated cardboard rolled up in a cylinder shape, and denim scraps in our smokers. You can also use dry grass, twigs, and burlap...whatever works and will burn slowly and SMOKE!
Here we are ready to go!
Son Dean calls us 'Bee Chicks!'
I like that!!
Our first hive inspection was the smallest one and one we thought we may have lost.
We were so surprised to see a healthy hive that was ready for a super for the bees to store honey in!
The second hive we opened look good, too!
We scraped the propolis off the top of the frames and added a sheet of Bounty paper towels on top before replacing the lid. This is a method of controlling mites in the hive.
I absolutely LOVE the hum of the bees in the hives!!
All four of our hives are looking GOOD!!
This one is the cream of the crop with two brood boxes (the bottom two) and two supers (the top two) which will hold the frames of honey!
I had prepared myself to another year of no honey -
but that's not happening and I am so happy about that!
We will be going home early next week but we will inspect the hives again as soon as I get back.
What has Louis Dean been doing today??
Remember the chest of drawers he found on the curb?
Made in the USA but so flimsy that fixing one thing make another thing so much worse.
He cried UNCLE tonight and took the whole thing apart and burned it!
I have been painting and finished this canvas from 2022 plus writing in my book.
Just finished Chapter 28 and moved on to Chapter 29.
I'm excited at making some real progress!
.
We ate a late supper - at 9:00!
Good thing it was a salad!!
I have this plaque hanging here at the ranch!
I love, love, love that painting of Santa in that red truck. Oh to have that kind of talent. Lucky you. Sorry Louis Dean had to junk those chest of drawers. He can't say he didn't try to salvage them, but sometimes things can't be saved. I've had to do the same thing a couple of times. So nice that you and Sherry share a love of bee keeping.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the finished painting of LD.. good job on burning the junking dresser. some things deserve to be burned. so happy to hear the bees are alive, but the humming gives me the heebie jeebies. I have to say you look like and adorable astornaut in the first photo and worthy of stepping out of the space ship and walking on the moon.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad your bees are thriving....Marvin really wanted to be a bee man but it just did not work out for us. I think had he had the support of a group like yours, it would have made a big difference. Love the painting and I cant wait for the book!!
ReplyDeleteLove your painting and seeing the bee activities! We kept bees years ago and my sons took care of them. Take care!
ReplyDeleteHurray for happy Bees!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you'll have honey again this year.
Glad to hear the bees are doing good and love the painting.
ReplyDeleteI can hear the freedom from stress in your writing. However, you still read tired. I call it a sadness, because this is how I feel after just one year after we lost Sheri, our daughter. I am fine, just tired, just sad. I am ok, just tired, just sad. The holidays are especially quiet, on purpose as the noise gives me anxiety. Grief, it goes at it's own pace, one step at a time. I hope you are feeling more joy and excitement. The bee inspections were amazing to watch and to hear! Tell Louis Dean hello, he reminds me so much of my J. R. now 74 years old. Well, life here is good just slower. Have a wonderful day, week, month, year and enjoy each moment! ~jackie collins~
ReplyDeleteI am so thrilled that your bees are doing well. the promise of honey this year is wonderful. Bee Chicks..love it.
ReplyDeleteBoy, for Louis Dean to cry UNCLE is a big deal, since he always seems to be able to rescue everything.
I'm sure there will be another project for him very soon.
Love your Christmas painting from last year. Glad you could complete it and are making progress on your book.
Have a terrific day Linda.
Sue
Love the Christmas painting. Sorry about the cutest of drawers debacle, but Louis Dean tried and it kept him busy, at least. 🤗
ReplyDeleteSo glad the bees are in such good shape! You and Sherry are doing more than your part to keep our bee population healthy and working. I just want to thank you two "Bee Chicks" for all you do to help keep Nature in balance down in Texas! ❤❤❤Love, Trudy
That was "chest of drawers" of course. I just love "spellcheck" for trying to help out! NOT!!
ReplyDeleteI love the Bee Chicks name!! And also the bright colors the hives are painted. Did you choose the colors? Too bad about the dresser. But getting something for free is not worth it once it becomes too much work.
ReplyDeleteLinda, Thank you and Sherry for loving the bees. I am always happy to see bees. Not wasps or hornets mind you. But I leave them alone too. I do not swat at bees but I have slapped bore bees out of the air, if they get too close. You girls are smart to be ready with the smokers. Bee Chicks making honey. Blessings, xoxo,love you guys, Susie
ReplyDeleteLove the Bees!
ReplyDeleteI can imagine LD getting frustrated with the chest of drawers! Flimsy materials...
The salad looks good!
hugs
Donna
Wow, you two look like a couple of astronauts. Great shots.
ReplyDeleteWhat are the smokers for? Extra precaution?
Glad you had a nice surprise and there will be honey this year.
Love your "honey-bee" posts. You look so cute all suited up for your bee chores. Yeah, honey this year. My daughter and granddaughter took a trip to So. Carolina and brought me back a jar of honey. Haven't tasted it yet, but it looks really rich.
ReplyDeleteLouis Dean, what that man can't do. He is a fixer like my Dad was. My mom used to complain that she never got any new appliances because if one broke, Dad could fix it!!
The painting is great! So bright and colorful and full of Christmas Joy. Funny, today I posted a picture I took at our grandson's wedding this weekend in front of an old pickup. I can see putting it on canvas.
Trusting you and LD are both healthy and doing well. Love and Hugs, Wanda
That is really quite the protective gear you need to be suited up in, Linda, and it's good to read that the hives are doing well. As for the "free" chest that Louis Dean burned, sometimes things are best abandoned rather than wasting too much more effort and time to correct. The Christmas painting with the red truck and Santa is great!
ReplyDelete