Tucked away wayyyyy back there behind the Hollyhocks is the BEEHIVE~~
THE "Bee Viewing Area".......YES we watch the bees ~ Our big pond is just behind the chairs so the bees have lots of water ~~
TZ checking the frames - you can see the white wax across the top where our Busy Bees have already begun working.....after 3 1/2 weeks they already have Honey in them ~~ it tastes SO good :-)
Cookie - TZ's Bee Buddy just can't stay away from the hive.....no stings yet but it'll happen~~
This view from the top of the frames is after just ONE week in the hive ~ I think that's so amazing - they work fast~
TZ is pointing out the QUEEN - she's easy to find because she's marked.......
Smoking the bees to calm them~~ when I knew TZ was planning Beehives I found an antique Bee Smoker for $5 at an estate sale - works great~~
Alotta lotta bees......
TZ dumps the Bees into the Hive.....
He sprayed them with sugar water to keep them from swarming out - they start licking the sugar so they stay occupied while he dumps them into the hive ~~
Opening the BEE BOX after they arrived.......they come with a can of sugar water to keep them alive on their trip to our cottage~~~A new adventure at kattz*cottage~
Our new & very exciting adventure! TZ has Bees! Something he has planned for years actually & he has been working on building his beehives & getting ready for his bees for several months now. The Italian Honeybees arrived 3 1/2 weeks ago & they seem to be very happy & comfortable living in their new hive-casa!
After researching & googling the internet & books for months & even years, I think TZ has learned what it takes to be a great bee-keeper. Every step he's taken has been smooth & easy as if he's been doing this for years. Fortunately, as he claims, he got some calm bees if that's possible....lol
The bees arrived at the front door, in a little box, thousands of them - the buzz was almost deafening & Cookie wanted to get in the box with them! He couldn't stay away from them & still can't. The Queen is marked with a red spot on her back & she was contained in a tiny box with candy on the end that she had to nibble through to be released into the hive.
He has already "smoked" them twice to check the frames & to our complete surprise there was HONEY right before our very eyes! He pulled out every frame to check them & was never swarmed & so far we are "sting-free" but I'm sure one day that'll happen - probably Cookie will be the first victim because he can't stay away from the hive - he walks right up to it!
It may sound crazy but we go out & sit & watch the bees every evening. It's really interesting to see them flying back into the hive from their daily excursion. After smoking them last week TZ pulled off some chunks of wax with honey & brought them over to what I call ~OK don't laugh ~ our "bee viewing area".....lol We couldn't believe that first taste of honey - so unbelievably good & sweet! Can't wait till we can start filling jars FULL of HONEY!
Our internet was down all last week so I had to make 2 trips to town & use the library computer just to catch up on ebay ~~ I'm still trying to catch up & am trying hard to get things listed since last week was a dud with no computer. So since I'm still behind with ebay & that comes first - I'm super WAY behind with blogging! Thanks so much for all your comments & I promise I WILL CATCH UP on all of them! I need more hours in the day!
~~hugs~~ xoxoxoxoxo Kathy
9 comments:
Hi Kathy!
I think that looks just fascinating! Unfortunately, I am highly allergic to bees so keeping them isn't an option for us. We had actually talked about it before I found out I had a problem. I would love to know what kind of harvest you get. Have a great summer!
Wow, I would be scared to death.
But I love honey!
Kathy you are NUTS! Better your yard than mine!
Wow~ that is too cool! I've toyed with the idea (especially now that bees are so scarce here), but Sam gets pale at the thought :-P
Sounds wonderful! I love that first photo. Beautiful!
Have a wonderful weekend.
Pat
That's too much about the bees. A friend of mine had bees go up under the siding of her house and set up housekeeping between the floors! She had to find a beekeeper to come get them out of their house; he said there were thousands of them.
How fun and fascinating! My Dad had a few hives when I was growing up, we loved the honey!
That is too cool! How exciting to have your own beehive and honey. Please keep us informed on the status of your new adventure.
Irma :)
I would love to learn more about keeping bees. Our family makes our own bread using wheat that we grind, eggs from our sweet Rhode Island Reds and would love to have the honey from our local bees. :o)
You have a lovely blog!
~Tricia Anne
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