Bringin' home the bees, part II

Another view of the queen box with the workers hangin' out.
















Here is a close up of the queen box.








The queen box is suspended inbetween two of the frames to hold it in place. Mom put a
marshmallow in a hole in the bottom where a cork was. The workers will eat the marshmallow to release the queen. Hmm-I think I have had fantasies like that.











Mom is getting the bees out of the way because she is going to invert the now-open bee box and put it in the hive. The bees should crawl out, release the queen and get to work making wax, collecting pollen, tending the eggs and larvae, keeping the hive spic and span clean, and, oh yes, making honey. The queen will spend her time laying eggs and giving orders.
The hardest part right now for us is to leave the hive closed and undisturbed for the next week while the buzzers settle in. It is now cold and cloudy again, so I don't expect to see many of them out foraging today. We did fill a feeder with sugar water for them to feed on until the nectar starts flowing.
The beginning of a new adventure for us! Yea mom for putting these bees in the box! More in a week or so.

Bringin' home the buggers.

So, the bees hit town yesterday. I had a full day of work, and mom had worked the night before. She did agree to go pick up the bees and bring them home.
Putting them in the hive was not part of the bargin, however.
The weather guesser said it would be nice for the first part of the day, then cloudy, windy and cold. Bees do not like cl0udy, windy and cold. I asked my honey sweetly if she would introduce the bees and their queen to the hive, and she did! I wish I could have been home to watch, but she left these picutres.

The first one is of the box o' bees in the back of the car. 2 1/2 pounds, or about 7,500 bees.





Here is the box of bees sitting on top of the frames in the hive. The can is a can of sugar syrup sent with the bees. I quess they need to snack while in transit. Kind of what I do all day driving around. Maybe I can start sluping on a can of sugar.....











Here is the smaller box with the queen. The worker bees are staying close. Notice the lack of gloves or other protective gear. Mom is brave.

Whoa! Where are the other pictures? Hmm-double post day.

Home Sweet Home

OK, so we get to invite about 10,000 honey bees (carniolans)-or however many there are in 3 pounds of bees-to our yard next week. In preparation, I put together the bee-gining bee hive. Can you bee-lieve it? I painted it a nice white, the the worker bees took over. The bottom box seems to be a floral theme. The top is a bit sunny, and the middle has depictions of bees in action. I like the Tolkien scene...

I have heard of army ants, but..... Perhaps these will all be in the Air Force.

The middle here has a bit of construction going on. It is quite amusing.

Here we have bees on the set. "Luke, I am your father."

And this one--bees on a journey. Didn't know there were Hobeets. Can you find the Golbeeum (Smbeegal)?

Well-there were actually a few more pics, but I will wait 'till the ladies arrive Friday. Can't wait! Sweet!

Some things never change

Mom worked the past two nights. I often dream about her when she is not here-always seem to wake up and feel disappointed when I realize she is not there with me.
So, this morning, as I was waiting to hear the garage door open signaling the return of my sweet baby-puller-outer wife, I was picking out the first notes of "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" on the piano, I spotted this old photo.
This has been in Muma's house for the past 30+ years. I scanned it in and tried to adjust for the changes the years had made--don't I wish I could do that in real life some times--and here it is.
Mom was beautiful in this picture-stunningly so. But you know what? She still is. I am often amazed at her beauty and her goodness. And I am always grateful that she chooses to continue to put up with me.
So here is a picture of mom just before we got married. Yes, she looks serene and beautiful. She still does. I looked dazed and confused. I often still do.