Monday, July 22, 2013

The Bees Knees!

I actually use this phrasing, or at least consider it in my head more than one would think.  But the rhyming is so excellent, how can you not?  It's either that or I was a 1920's flapper girl in another life and the lingo is still stuck in my head.  Either way it applies to our weekend home in WI where we got to visit a close friend of ours, Scott and his newly beegun bee colony.  (See what I did there, beegun.)  Ok, I'll stop now.




 Scott was so kind as to give me what I deemed as the most important but also the most fun job of smoking out the bees!  
The smoke acts as a blocker between bee communication so that they remain calm as we invade their home.  Drunk bees.  

 Searching for the Queen Bee!


This was actually heavier than you might think, and I had to be oh so gentle with it so that I wouldn't smush one of the precious honey bees.  
(But then I accidentally did.  Sorry Scott)




See the bee's proboscis licking up the sugar water?

Scott the bee keeper, Ian the photographer, David the husband.

A special thanks to Scott for the bee education and the experience.  As previously discussed I can now cross this off of my not yet existent bucket list.  Also a special thanks to Ian Roberts Photography.  Yours looked way better than mine.  ;)    

Between controlling the smoke can, killing possibly threatening larvae, chewing wax, and the eminent threat of bee aggression this truly was "the bees knees!" (the concentrated goodness to be found around a bee's knee)  I like it! 









10 comments:

  1. that actually looks kinda fun. did you get a chance to take some honey home? (was that a dumb question?) oh and i love your new design!

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    1. Hey Cris! No that is not a dumb question at all! We actually didn't take any home because it's not ready to harvest yet. Scott's bees are just building their colony, so it should be ready in the fall. One bee tower will yield about 75 lbs of honey. It was fun! Last summer I read the Secret Life of Bees and then saw the movie, then watched some docs on the disappearance of the honey bee (needless to say, I was real into bees for awhile.) Now that I experienced them up close and personal my curiosity has been sated. And thanks for the design comment, there are so many options it took me the whole day to make a final decision on what I wanted, for now anyways. xo

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  2. That is so neat! I think I may be too chicken to ever do that but it does look like fun. :)

    Lauren
    Style of One's Own

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    1. Lauren, I know I was afraid the closer we got to the hives. But actually, the bees weren't interested in us at all. I had one land on me the entire time out there and I was totally all up in their business for like an hour. The one that landed on me was just discombobulated from the smoke, wasn't trying to sting or anything. We are just so used to wasps and hornets which are prone to attack, but the honey bees were just wanting to work. Plus I had everything tucked in tight- NO WAY they were going to fly into my suit if they got upset about anything!

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  3. It's good to see the 3 amigos together again. Too bad Jordan couldn't have joined. The world of bees is so interesting - I've learned so much from Scott & Clair. I can't wait to taste the first honey from their hive. Love your blogs... fun to keep up with your creativity here in WIS.

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    1. It really is so interesting! I hope Scott & Clair save some for us!!! Christmas presents????.... (I'm just saying) Thanks so much!!! Oh, and also luckily we were able to meet up with Jordan later in the week!

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  4. You're too funny! Bees (really any insects) kind of freak me out...I wouldn't be brave enough to get that close!
    Debbie :)
    www.fashionfairydust.blogspot.com

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  5. I had a chance to do this once and it was amazing! Your photos are beautiful and don't worry, I still say the bees knees too! ;-)
    -Jamie
    ChatterBlossom

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  6. Thank you so much Jamie!!! I know, it really was a great experience! Bees Knees all the way!

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