if you give a mouse a marker...

At least it was washable...

a few flowers

Took some photos from the cellphone of flowers in the yard this evening. God sure made some amazing plants...

Izzies

About to be fed... Thus the happy countenances.

drew's bees...

Hi folks :)

Just wanted to throw some photos your way of the bees. One of my boys (11 yrs old) built a TBH (with some help from Daddy). He hived the bees on his own although I had to help a bit with the queen and got stung for the privilege. ;)


He had a crowd of his friends/fam watching him...


I checked my hive next to Drew's. Saw eggs, brood and capped brood. All looking groovy. I pulled out a frame without gloves/veil for first time. So, posting that pic for posterity's sake. :)


The family has become quite familiar/attached/intrigued with the bees. Here's a common scene...

still burnin...

I pray my "light" will still be burning 100 years from now.

Braces off!

Bees are flyin...

The first warm day since Monday when we first hived the bees. They're going through a mason jar of syrup daily and looks like comb building has finally begun. They're cleaning out the hive (no more dead bees or sawdust), fanning, bringing in pollen, etc. Saw a couple drones flying--they kinda remind me of big ol' bombers.

-John

Our first bees!

Quite the experience today with the family receiving our bees and installing them in our TBH. I thought I would share some photos :)

Bees in the package. Not something you get in the post every day!


Putting on the silly hat. The girls giggled pretty good.



My two boys helping me carry the hive out to it's location.



The three girls ran back into the house and watched from safe height and distance, hehe. :) Momma is lurking in there somewhere as well.



Getting ready to drop the girls in their home. I was as nervous as my first date!



After the boys backed off a bit, I carefully dropped them in and set up the queen and food. They all spread out calmly and fanned away.



At the entrance fanning.



The boys were braver than I and helped throughout the process with no suit or gloves (they did wrap their heads a bit!).



Dusk approaches. All is quiet. Bees are humming. Chickens are roosting behind...


Psalm 19:7-10

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

sweet!

bee boxes

The Mason bees are hatching left and right from the boxes next to my window. Spring is finally here (I think)!

The boys and I have been getting the bee hive ready for the arrival of about 5,000 new members of the Schwartz family (lots of girls). Drew is helping (above) paint the beeboxes.

We're going with an unconventional dark-green to help it blend in with the landscape and not raise any eyebrows with the neighbors. Of course, if they swarm in June or July, well... they'll know we have bees then I guess. :)

-John