March & April 2016...Bees, Birthdays, & Beaufort NC

April showers bring May flowers and bees, bees, and more bees.  A quick trip to downtown Raleigh and we officially have three hives up and running.  After losing one this winter we needed to get back on track so we purchased a box of bees with a ready Queen.  Dave, Bill, and Charles share Birthday cake and candles at Nonna's.  A long weekend in Beaufort to chillax and have some good eats.  

Marley Mae and Miller...Puppy Pals

Emerald Isle at the Inlet...beautiful

...the secret garden house

And Then There Was One! February 1, 2016

Warm temperatures on the first day of February 2016...what to do?  Check the hives!  Both full of bees but hive number two has moved upstairs...removed the bottom box to leave just one brood box and hope this will keep them warm, happy, and the Queen healthy.  Hive number one-two brood boxes and happy.  :) 

January 24, 2016 "Melt Away!"

Bees are out and busy today despite the cool temperatures and sleet and snow we had Friday and Saturday.  Earlier in the week we fed each hive a pollen patty just in case cabin fever would set in and the temps would keep them indoors.  

Merry Warm Christmas and Happy New Year!

Unseasonably warm weather this month and over the holidays has sent the bees from the hive.  They are out and about and returning to the hive with the bees knees loaded with pollen.  Hope this is a good sign and the weather doesn't turn too cold too quickly.

Check out that pollen...December 25, 2015! Temps in the 70's.

November 11, 2015

It's warm and sunny outside...bees are busy!  Still picking sweet one hundreds and a green pepper every now and then.  Lettuce looks good.  Turkey day is right around the corner

Growing A Greener World...How I Stumbled on this Unbelievable Garden and the Gardener

• Sunday, October 4, 2014
• Rainy and Windy
• Fuquay Varina, NC
• Garden Conservency Open Days Event

Lucky me, I got to meet Brie Arthur, a Foodscaping and Landscape Design Corespondent for the PBS series, Growing A Greener World where some of the episodes are filmed on her property.  Check out the link and see the pictures below.  What a wonderful find and she even has a hubby who blows glass as a hobby on their property...it's everywhere!  

Growing A Greener World

Backyard-Beekeeping-101...their most popular episode

Moving Day!

With sunny skies and warm temps we moved one of two hives to a new home away from the potential rainy waters that sometimes stand still on the lower part of the yard.  We realized two Thursdays ago that one of our hives was empty...don't know where this family went but they are gone without so much as a "See ya later!"  Grrrrr, we hate when this happens and we don't know why.  

Enough said...two hives strong today and both look good in terms of honey stores and lack of hive beetles.  As usual, our fingers remained crossed that we will usher in spring of 2016 with the same two hives healthy and ready to fill their hives with honey.  

More brood than I expected to see in October but I won't complain.  More bees means they will need plenty of honey and pollen to feed their young.  

Always faithful and helpful...my beeyard side kick!  He's smokin hot!  

A finished baby quilt for a set of twins...trying to get better at this "quilting thing!"