BEFRIENDING BUMBLE BEES

My two daughters (mainly my oldest) are going to try and attempt keeping bumble bees this year.  

Bumble bees are endangered the same way honeybees are. Their numbers are dwindling and the cause is unknown although the suspected cause is pesticide use. Without bumblebees there will be inadequate pollination of certain plants. 

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2nd HIVE BODY ADDED

My hive has grown

 I'm not 100% sure I should have added the 2nd hive body but since the bees went from covering 5 full frames to now covering 8 full frames (some weren't fully drawn) in one week, I thought it best to add another one. I can't believe they made that much progress in less than 7 days. 

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BEES ARE IN FANNING MODE

It was really hot today (94 degrees F) so the bees having been in "fanning" mode (see earlier posts for "fanning" video). They are all perched near the entrance of the hive "fanning" their wings in order to cool things down.

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My BEES ARE FRYING

My poor bees are overheating (94 f outside). They'd rather be outside than in. Not sure what this means??? I was told in beekeeping class that we can't move to the 2nd largest opening in the entrance reducer until we add the 2nd hive body, nor can I remove the cork until adding the 2nd hive body but my little bees are

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The Queen Lives!!

Yesterday my beekeeping mentor came over to help me find the queen bee that I thought died. He was nice enough to check on the activity in the hide, explain rotation of frames again and help find the queen. I was relieved when we hit frame #6 that there was a live and laying queen. She was not happy about being exposed to the light so she was somewhat burried under a pile of nurse bees.

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LAZY BEES or MISINFORMATION? YOU TELL ME.

For starters, my bees don't even come close to lazy. I personally think they are just night owls and need their beauty sleep but...

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WHO'S GUARDING THE DOOR?

Since the beginning of beekeeping class I've heard and read a lot about guard bees. You know, the little troopers that sit at the entrance to the hive ready to defend their sisters and brood with their life. Apparently, guard bees will confront the beekeeper or anything/anyone else if they get too close.

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HIVE INSPECTION #2: Good and not so good

Doing the hive inspection this time around was much easier than the first. I was so much less nervous so it made for a easy and enjoyable time. BUT... something isn't right with my hive. We just came through a cold snap of about 1 week with lots of rain and wind so I'm not sure if that would have anything to do with it but I believe my queen is dead. Did I kill her in the first inspection somehow? I have no idea.

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UNDER THE WILLOW: DOG SHAMPOO

Carrie over at Under The Willow Gifts has created some great dog shampoo. I recently purchased a bottle from her for my little ones (I have three chihuahuas) and decided to give it a go. Normally, they hit the groomers, but since my oldest isn't doing well on trips away from home and the others don't like to go anywhere without her, we've decided to do their bathing ourselves.

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FIRST HIVE INSPECTION DONE! AND I SUCKED!

First off, I seriously should stop watching that U of M video because everytime I watch it I play the scenario out in my head how things are going to go and it never ends up that way.

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WHAT'S NEW?

Well, my life right now is about getting my garden in order, cleaning out the house (seriously, I have a roll-off sitting in the driveway), nursing my poor hubby back to health (threw his back out last week and hasn't recovered yet), taking care of my babies (children and my bees). I've been focussing on the bee venture lately (obsessing is a better word) so I haven't been doing much creating for my website. Gawd, I feel guilty about that. Hang in there people, hang in there, it is coming I swear. I did manage to create a custom order of foaming body polish.

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WE HAVE POLLEN

After visiting the beesource and reading some of the advice given by experienced beekeepers I decided to wait til Tuesday to do my hive inspection. It is suppose to be in the 70's and not very windy. I went out to switch out the sugar syrup for the bees and used the smoker successfully for the first time. It wasn't the first time I used the smoker, last time I used it the bees looked at me like I was insane. This time, after

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THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE RESIDUAL BEE PHOBIA

I haven't inspected my hive yet. I keep facing weather that I've learned is not the most conducive for doing inspections in. Apparently when it is windy, rainy, cloudy, the bees tend to be more aggressive. All I need to do is get through the first inspection and I know I will be fine. It is this fear of the unknown that is killing me.

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BEE INSPECTION DAY HAS COME AND GONE

I haven't inspected anything yet :( We were suppose to inspect the hive in 4-7 days after installation. I procrastinated. I've been very nervous about the process so I thought waiting til day 7 was the best. Ok, day 7 was yesterday and it was rainy, cloudy and windy. Of course now today is rainy, cloudy and windy and tomorrow is suppose to windy and cloudy. I feel horrible. All I can hope for is that the queen is laying

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OH HELLLLLLL NO!

Today while out digging in the yard a wasp came and landed about a foot away from me. Bad memories of getting stung when I was child came flooding back. Wasps are my enemy. I know every insect has their place in society but I just can't find a soft spot in my heart for a wasp, hornet or yellow jacket. I love love love honey bees, bumble bees and mason bees but those other ugly stinging insects can trigger a panic attack if they get too close. 

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HIVE INSPECTION DAY

Is coming and I must admit, I'm somewhat afraid. It was one thing to hive those little buggers but opening the hive after they've already established themselves is another thing altogether. So far I've had two anxiety ridden nights just thinking about it so I try not to think. I know that THEY know the hive is now theirs so I'll be trespassing on their territory........ shiver.

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MY BEES HAVE BEEN HIVED

My mentor reminding me that I forgot to cut slits in the pollen patty and hubby handing me the knifen while video taping.

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SIGNS OF SPRING & HAPPINESS

This has to be the best sign of spring. While hubby was adding fresh cedar mulch around the perimeter of our home he found a nest of little bunnies. We decided to leave that area alone until they were grown and gone. Hubby found them in a hole under our front door mat that had blown onto the ground over the

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MY BEES ARE HERE!

Today was bee pick-up day. We woke early, around 6 am and headed over to Nature's Nectar to pick up our girls. I had an ok nights sleep, wasn't worrying too much about today but about 3 miles away from our pick-up location I felt like I was about to vomit. All that self-doubt started to creep in. What had I gotten myself into? Was I fooling myself about becoming a beekeeper? Could I really do this? Was I just

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DANDELIONS, DANDELIONS, DANDELIONS

What should I do with all the dandelions?

It use to be that I knew three things about dandelions. (1) They kill grass (2) they are medicinal and (3) they are edible. As for the edible part, I'm ok with eating dandelion greens, my grandmother used them in salads, BUT.... who wants to eat a dandelion that has possibly been peed on by my dog while on her potty break or worse yet, contains pesticide blow over from the neighbors lawn. < That's the best rationalization strategy that I've got.

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10 DAYS TIL MY GIRLS ARRIVE

I can't believe I have a little more than a week until my bees arrive. I'm trying not to think about it too much because I don't want to have any preconceived ideas about my experience before it happens. 

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ONE STEP CLOSER TO BEEKEEPING

My equipment arrived! My husband went from a nice healthy brown to a very pale sickly white when he saw me unwrapping the hive. The delivery man couldn't even maintain composure. He asked if I was making honey. It sounded funny me making honey since the bees are the only ones making anything.

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MY BEES WILL BE HERE IN LESS THAN 5 WEEKS

I finished my beekeeping course, ordered my bees, tonight I order my supplies. I chose the carniolan bees. Not sure if it was the best choice but I'll soon find out. They are the most docile bee, over winter better than others, but they love to swarm. I've been taught how to eliminate swarming and hopefully I don't screw it up because my neighbors wouldn't be happy if they found a swarm of bees hanging out in their backyard. 

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MY BEES HAVE BEEN ORDERED

I placed an order for my bees yesterday and I'll be picking them up on April 21. I'm more nervous than excited at this point. Right now I'm still pouring through beekeeping equipment catalogs trying to decide on what I need/want, plus making sure I remember everything I'm suppose to do once my bees arrive. I'll be ordering the beekeeping video put together by the University because it is very thorough and it will help me stay on track once my bees are hived. Yikes! Feels like April 21 is around the corner.

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PESSIMISM GETS YOU NOWHERE

I've talked with the neighbors and it seems all my pessimism did is give me sleepless nights because both neighbors were very supportive and intrigued by my need to have honeybees. The neighbors that I thought would be the easiest to convince were a bit skeptical only because the man of the house is terrified of bees after watched his own mother almost die from a bee sting. The neighbors I thought would be the most difficult to convince were excited for me and very interested in the process. So, nothing stands in my way of getting my bees except me.

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I MADE IT!

Not quite a beekeeper yet but 1/2 way there. I finished my 2 day 16 hour beekeeping course at the University of Minnesota. It was FANTASTIC! You'd think after sitting for so many hours I wouldn't want to do it again but it was full of information I kept wishing the time would tick by slower. Our professor

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BEEKEEPING COURSE STARTS TOMORROW

I'm excited and nervous at the same time. I'll be studying bees for two full days (16 hours) total. I received a message telling me that 250 people have signed up for the course. I keep wondering what classes will be like. With such a large number of people attending are we going to be able to ask questions? Will everything be done by slideshow? The last time I was in a class with more than a 100 people was in college and I didn't like it because I was just a number and it created a limit on learning but hopefully this will be different.

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I KILLED MY OWN SOAP

Why Why Why? Is all I can ask myself. Twice in my soap making years have I had soap seize up on me, turning to a curdled mess. Sure, it's still salvageable for the sheer purpose of just giving it away but I wouldn't sell it if my life depended on it. Well, I would if my life depended on it but whatever... 

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NATURE: SOLELY FOR WILD ANIMALS AND THOSE WHO RESPECT IT!

Haven't we carved enough space out of this planet for us? Do we really need to start invading the space that our wildlife occupy and then complain that somehow the wildlife is a burden because they are there?

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A HODPODGE POST

Been busy around the house and with the family lately so I haven't had time to organized my thoughts in order to make an interesting post. Rather, I've decided to post now about various things since I hate leaving my blog to collect dust.

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SOAPMAKING CLASSES BEGIN

For a few years now I've been teaching soapmaking to people as they've expressed an interest, even one person who intends on creating a new business out of her new venture, so I thought, why not offer classes on a scheduled basis.

Beginning March 18 I will be offering beginning soapmaking classes for one or two people at a time in my home, so if you are in the area (St. Paul, Minnesota) and would like to learn the art of soapmaking, please give me a shout: michelle@thesoappixie.com

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STICK'EM UP SOAPS

Soon to be part of the Soap Pixie line of products for kids.

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HONEYBEE CANDLE HOLDER

I walked by yankee candle company today and saw this cute little honeybee candle holder in the window. Usually you couldn't pay me to enter that store because the mixture of intense fragrances gives me a massive headache but I couldn't resist. At first I admired the honeybee from the window and then hubby urged me to buy it. I gave in because it was so darn cute and it cost so little. It is a gift to myself since I have such a long time to wait for my class to begin. For now I'll have to fill it with someone elses beeswax candle but someday I'll be able to fill it with one of my own.

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THE LEMONADE STAND AWARD

Has been given to me by my friend Teresa over at Homestead Notes. If you've never read her blog please check it out, you won't be disappointed. She's a very funny and intelligent blogger, her blog is always interesting. You'll love all the pictures she shares as well.

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SOON TO BE MICHELLE THE BEEKEEPER

I know it is still 58 days away but I'm so anxious for my beekeeping course to begin. I've been wanting to take this course for 3 years but each time I'd go to sign up it was already too late. This year I signed up just on time, way back in September 2009, registration closed the first of October (that is how quickly this course fills up). My first beekeeping course is March 13 and 14 for 16 hours total. Although beekeeping courses aren't required to become a beekeeper, there are plenty of books on the subject, I chose to do this hands-on under the instruction of those with experience because I want to do it right. 

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PRESERVATIVES AND WHY THEY ARE NEEDED

The very first time I made lotion, which was about 19 or so years ago, I used a recipe I found in a book my mother had given me. The recipe contained only natural ingredients and required refrigeration to prevent spoilage, which meant it lasted no more than a few weeks. I loved knowing it was ALL NATURAL but it wasn't so great slathering myself with freezing cold lotion after a nice warm shower. As time went on and

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HOW TO MAKE CORNSTARCH BEADS

While at the bookstore recently and flipping through a book I saw a picture of cornstarch beads. I thought it would be a fun project for the girls and I to do together so I searched online for a recipe, gathered the supplies and got busy.

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