keljonma's Front Porch - Settling in and adjusting

[keljonma]

The landlords said that they have hired an Amish fella to trim out 30 acres of the woods behind us.... and he will be working with his horses. The other guy they got a quote from said he couldn't get his vehicle beyond our driveway to give a "proper quote". DUH!!! Wait till spring hits and the whole back acreage is muddy wet mess....

I woke up yesterday and my left foot is slightly swollen... it looks like I have a blister - though I am not sure how I got that. If it doesn't improve by Monday, I'm going to the doctor.

Weather has been crazy lately; we've had intermittent snow, rain, sleet, snowy/blizzard and temps from the single digits to 30.


Not much else going on. I have completed 4 triangle (knit) prayer shawls; all the same pattern, just different colors. I am just about done with a 70-inch long prayer shawl. Here is are some pics of one of the shawls I just completed. The color isn't the greatest, because I took these pics with my phone camera.


The front

The back

 

[lorihadams]

Pretty!

I went to our bee meeting Thursday and they taught us how to split hives....really cool stuff. My husband is paranoid about mowing around the hives and doesn't want to put them up on cinderblocks cause he thinks it will look ghetto.

He wants to build tables to put them on.

How are your bees doing in all this god-awful weather?

 

[keljonma]

Pretty!

I went to our bee meeting Thursday and they taught us how to split hives....really cool stuff. My husband is paranoid about mowing around the hives and doesn't want to put them up on cinderblocks cause he thinks it will look ghetto.

He wants to build tables to put them on.

How are your bees doing in all this god-awful weather?

We put old carpeting down on the grass before we set up the bee hives. The carpet extends about 1 foot around each side of the hives. So the grass doesn't really grow too close to the bees. In some cases, I take the push mower and clear out the grass behind the hives, as TR doesn't like to walk past the hives at all if he can help it.

Our hives are up on cinder blocks. Everything I read said to keep the hives at least 18 inches off the ground to help prevent skunk problems. No, they don't look terrific. I guess you could put lattice work around them and they would look better.


You can't really see the blocks in this pic - just the very top of the front blocks. The hive is sitting on a board which is sitting on the cinder blocks. The grey around the hive on the ground is the carpeting we put down. (This is an old pic.)

Our next beek meeting is Feb 19 - the bee inspector is our scheduled speaker. Our bees are hopefully still huddled in the middle eating well and staying warm. There is 2 feet of snow on top of each hive. The temps haven't been warm enough for the bees to venture out for cleansing flights yet.


You could put the hives on tables. You just want to make sure not to make it too high, because you still have to remove the top of the hive to do inspections. Of course, if you make a table to set the hives on, you could put each leg of the table into a coffee can and put some motor oil in each...that is supposed to prevent ants from climbing into the hive.

 

[lorihadams]

Wow!

I'm excited cause the feed store 2 minutes from my house has started carrying beekeeping supplies so if I am in a pinch and need something I can run down the road and get it. I only have 2 hive bodies per hive so I am thinking I may end up having to run out and get 2 queen excluders and supers with frames. I'm kicking myself for not ordering them in the first place but oh well. We also have someone a couple counties over that sells Brushy Mountain supplies so I could get stuff from him in a pinch too.

We are thinking of sectioning off an area behind our garden under the tree line but facing west/south west for the hives. It will get full sun by about 8-9am in the summer/fall and by about 10 am in the winter. Do you think that would be okay or should we move them somewhere they can get more sun earlier?

 

[keljonma]

Wow!

I'm excited cause the feed store 2 minutes from my house has started carrying beekeeping supplies so if I am in a pinch and need something I can run down the road and get it. I only have 2 hive bodies per hive so I am thinking I may end up having to run out and get 2 queen excluders and supers with frames. I'm kicking myself for not ordering them in the first place but oh well. We also have someone a couple counties over that sells Brushy Mountain supplies so I could get stuff from him in a pinch too.

We are thinking of sectioning off an area behind our garden under the tree line but facing west/south west for the hives. It will get full sun by about 8-9am in the summer/fall and by about 10 am in the winter. Do you think that would be okay or should we move them somewhere they can get more sun earlier?

CHECK to see what manufacturer's wooden ware they carry at the feed store. There is a great article in this month's BEE CULTURE discussing the differences in all the equipment ..... and how it is NOT interchangeable.

BTW - the cover of BEE CULTURE this month is exactly what our hives look like now....snow covered.


Thinking is that sun earlier is better than later. Try for a southern eastern facing site, if possible. Some shade is nice during heat of afternoon - especially in summer when you are in your full bee gear sweating to death in the hot sun!

 

[keljonma]

TR and I were hoping to attend an Art of Marriage workshop near us. Unfortunately, the ones nearest us are all on week-ends that TR is scheduled to work at the hospital. Since he is saving all his vacation for son Jon's wedding later this year, taking off is not an option. Bummer.

Our high temp today was in the low 30s. The snow is back on again for the next 2 or 3 days (according to the latest forecast) and high temps will be in the mid teens. The snow we have on the ground is covered with ice, so it loudly crunches as we walk over it. Titan is not a happy boy - he has a hard time getting his footing in the deep snow and on the ice.

Have gotten a bunch of bee catalogues in the mail this week, and am hoping the hives we have make it through the winter.


Daughter Kel just celebrated her 37th birthday! She and the grands went camping!


Have fun and stay warm!

 

[lorihadams]

Hmmm...I could move them to the back side of the shed facing south and they would get some afternoon shade...kind of. They would be right next to my fruit trees/bushes then and the back side of the goat barn. Do you think putting them that close to the goats would be a bad idea?

 

[keljonma]

Hmmm...I could move them to the back side of the shed facing south and they would get some afternoon shade...kind of. They would be right next to my fruit trees/bushes then and the back side of the goat barn. Do you think putting them that close to the goats would be a bad idea?

One of the fellas in my beek assoc has his hives against the back of his cow barn. (His hives are facing south to south east, so they have protection from the north winds and snow against the back of the hives in winter.) The cows pasture is away from the hives. Could you do something like that with your goat shed?

 

[BeccaOH]

That shawl looks almost exactly like a shawl my sister did for my mom a year or so ago.

 

[keljonma]

Sunday at church I told my friend Mindy (an LMT) about my foot problem. She thought the problem was muscle related. She gave me some exercises to do and said she'd give me a massage if they didn't work. Well, I have been doing the exercises since after church on Sunday (a couple times a day) as well as my Peggy Cappy's Yoga for the Rest of Us. And the pain and swelling are both gone and I am not limping anymore!!


Got a call this morning from Kel. She got back from camping with the grands to find a water pipe had burst from the freeze they had, even though she left a couple faucets open while they were gone. So now they are at her in-laws place until the pipe can be replaced. Not such a happy birthday homecoming.


Pastor Meredith's dh, Neil, went for a colonoscopy and they found a very large malignant tumor. Surgery has removed the tumor, but Neil will be starting chemo soon. Please keep them in your prayers.


Praises to God and continued prayers for our friend Marion, who has just finished her radiation for her breast cancer and will continue chemo until May. The doctors were expecting to continue radiation for a few more months, but Marion is doing so well, that it was discontinued!



High temp today is 10, low is 6 and the winds are something fierce! The sun is out, but it is really cold today! Stay warm and have fun!