keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[keljonma]

Yesterday the bees were bringing a suede brownish pollen into the hive. I haven't found out yet what the source might be. I have not yet found one source for pollen colors in books, so I am making a list myself. I may check some of the beek forums on the web today.

Pollen colors I know from my reading so far:

Willow - greenish yellow
Maple - red to orange
Wild Blackberry - greyish black

Blossoming is controlled by degree growing days. This site is for Ohio.

www.oardc.ohio-state.edu/gdd/


Yesterday I got stung for the first time. I was sitting by the hive watching the bees, and a hummingbird started hovering near the hive. I stood up to watch the hummer for a bit when a hard downpour began. Because the rain was hitting like hail stones, I didn't realize I had a bee on my right arm. I bent my arm and got a bee trapped on my bicep. I swiped out the stinger, and put some Sting Kill on it (main ingredient is 20% benzocaine, I think). Reaction was limited to a bit of red swelling. I was really surprised. I guess the bee was sitting on my arm because the brim of my sunhat was wide enough to give her some protection from the rain.

We have been getting heavy morning fog for the past week. This morning's was the worst so far. Temps were in the low 60s. I wanted to make sure the bees had some HBH sugar syrup in the Miller Feeder. I do this every couple of days without dressing or using the smoker. I open the hive, dump the syrup, close up the hive. Today I should have waited because I knew the bees would be cranky about all this heavy rain, which limits their foraging time. But I had to get to church to clean the kitchen, and we are supposed to get more rain later, so I decided to just get it done. Everything was fine until I went to close up the hive. I was putting the top cover on when one girl showed me how really upset she was with my fooling around. Now I have a small red bump on the back of my right arm near my elbow. This was just "hurry up and get it done" stupidity on my part and could have been prevented.


TR has been working days since he went back to work on Wednesday. His next day off is Wednesday. We still have some more garden to plant and fence off, and I still have to finish planting the flowers and herbs. The gardens are just too wet with all the thunderstorms we've been getting.

 

[Farmfresh]

Could the dark pollen be from cat tails? Just a guess.

 

[keljonma]

Could the dark pollen be from cat tails? Just a guess.

I'm not sure, FF, as all the cat tails around me already passed that stage.

 

[keljonma]

I am tired of this weather and want the rain to just go away for a week! I can't open the hive with this wet weather, and I am concerned that if I wait too long, the hive will get over-crowded and the little ladies will get the "s" idea into their minds. I need to get the third brood super on the hive soon! Thankfully, Monday's forecast is calling for an entire day of sunshine!!

I saw a couple dead bees today. I think these girls got stuck outside when the rains hit yesterday - not hail, but big large rain drops, that felt like hail on my head.

I have noticed that a couple of the older bees walk themselves out to die - they fly to the edge of the carpeted area around the hive and then climb into the grass.

Pollen today was yellow, orange and brown again.

TR worked today and I stayed home and finished up the last 2 teddy bears for Liberia.

When we went visiting on Memorial Day, TR's cousin, J, gave me the pattern for knitting the chicken ornaments. So I think I will give a try at that.

We had Hunan style beef and rice yesterday for dinner and left overs were today's lunch. I have no idea what I am making today. I was going to make a Spanish tortilla, but am out of eggs! I guess TR and I will have to stop at the grocery on the way home from the library.

Did I mention that TR's sister is selling the hotel in Argentina? No news other than that.

Stay dry!

 

[keljonma]

06/06/ 10 Sunday

The high temps are in the low to mid 60s this week-end, although our forecast high is 72, I dont think we will see that. We got hard rain all night long; very hard winds. By early morning we were under tornado watch again, this time headed toward the lake community of Roaming Shores, which is about 15 minutes south of us.

TR worked, while I stayed home doing housework, reading and knitting. The rain stopped about 10 am, but sun did not make an appearance before 3 pm.

Titan spent the night and morning spazzing out due to huge storm; probably brings back too many reminders of tornadoes he has been through in the past. When he was a pup, his first owners actually left him outdoors in a kennel pen during a tornado. After we adopted him, he and TR sat in a closet for most of a day, while a tornado ripped off part of our house roof and ripped up part of the fence at the back of the property. Titan hid out in the downstairs windowless bathroom for most of the week-end.

There was lots of red and white clover in bloom Saturday, as well as the old roses on the east side of the house. With all this rain, our amaranth, buckwheat, millet and flax seeds are growing nicely. The garden (and I) could use some sun though.

After work, TR mowed part of the lawn, but most of it was too wet to cut. I wish I hadnt sold my old sickle; I could use it to trim the high grass in the general area of the bee hive. Maybe I will try the pruners first. The grass is about 5 feet tall, so would probably just choke up the weed whacker.

TR and I stopped doing yoga last autumn when we were moving, and this past week-end decided it is time to get back to it. So tomorrow after work, we are back to yoga. I am looking forward to it. I may have mentioned this before, the yoga we do is Peggy Cappys Yoga for the Rest of Us, so not too strenuous for TRs back.

I made bbq country style ribs, tossed salad and cornbread for dinner. We have enough ribs left over for a couple more meals, so I may freeze some for another time or make it into pulled pork sandwiches.

 

[keljonma]

06/07/ 10 Monday

SUNSHINE!!!

Im making bread this morning.. We got down to low 50s at nights this past week-end. Our high temps are supposed to be in the upper 60s to high 70s today and tomorrow.

I am hoping this sunshine and warm weather sticks around a bit, as I still need to check the hive and add a super.

This morning the little ladies were loaded with yellow, brown pollen and also had some white pollen. The buckeye tree in the farm yard is in bloom, and the top of the hive cover is covered with pollen. But none of the bees are on it. I think I read that buckeye pollen is not honeybee pollinated, so that could be why they arent interested. I saw a yellow jacket on top of the hive this morning and killed it. There are quite a few of them on the hawthorn tree leaves, as well as some butterflies. It appears the yellow jackets and the butterflies are gathering water from the leaves.

The sunroom roof leaked all week-end long, so when E&B (landlords) get back from their vacation, I will be letting them know. Over half the room had a stream of puddles on the wood flooring, and the rain was coming down so fast that I was having trouble keeping it cleaned up. If I had half a dozen wallpaper troughs, I might have been able to catch the rain instead. Im not sure E&B will do anything right away, as they just had the roof on their entire house replaced before they went on vacation.

I havent seen any Hummingbirds since last week, when I saw that lone female. It appears that the Orioles and black ants are drinking from the hummingbird feeders instead. The male Oriole was screaming at me this morning because his favorite feeder is empty.

I started knitting a chicken this week-end and have completed the wattles, comb and tail for one. I need some double pointed needles for part of the pattern, so have to get some from JoAnn Fabrics this week.

Since we were not able to get much done outside this week-end, TR and I finished watching the House MD Series 3 dvds we borrowed from the library. I have House MD Series 4 on hold at the library, and hopefully will be able to get it sometime this week. I still have Ballykissangel Series 5 on hold, but it is out of the county, so wont be back for a while.

I have some quilt squares to cut for Mary-Martha Circle, but probably wont get to them this week. I really need to finish planting seeds and started plantsbefore Wednesdays predicted rain arrives!

2 pm was able to check hive. Bees busy and mostly concentrated on their work, not mine. No stings to report.

First super filled except the 2 outside frames (one side just beeswax on each outside frame). Moved them over one frame to be closer to center of super.

Second super filled 5 frames completely. Beeswax made on all sides of all frames. Except for two outer frames.

Added third super and added HBH sugar syrup to Miller Feeder.

Used dead, dried branches from the hawthorn tree for punk wood this time topped with green grass, and smoker was still going strong after hive was closed up.

Watched some bees on the white clover in the yard and discovered that the pollen they are carrying is BROWN.

pics to be posted later

 

[keljonma]

NEW PICS TAKEN TODAY

2 drone cells - 2 large-ish cells on right side of frame

Working hard

First two supers

New Hive Look 6-7-10

 

[lorihadams]

WOW!!! I am so in awe of that! Too cool....

 

[keljonma]

Sunshine and blue skies today! While TR worked, I puttered (weeded) the garden, sat and watched the bees for a while, got some housework completed and almost finished the first knitted chicken. She appears to be a white Jersey Giant!

My bro-in-law in Nevada is starting an ezine and wants me to manage it. I am trying to figure out how to do that while not having access to internet very often. :/

After work, TR and I were sitting on the swing drinking coffee and he saw some birds "harvesting" some cherries ... naturally all the ripe ones are too high even with our tallest ladder!

We did get our first harvest of mulberries today, though... about 2 coffee cups worth. Might just be enough for a dozen muffins.

Tomorrow is TR's day off, so we will try to do something fun.... not sure what that will be yet, but may not make it to the library for fun ss time.

Have a great day!

 

[keljonma]

WOW!!! I am so in awe of that! Too cool....

You know it, girl! I definitely recommend it!

I wish I could just get some decent pics..... :/ I am going to keep my beeking to times when TR is available for photos.