Sadly, I must report that bees do not have knees. I am disappointed but not suprised. Seems like I knew that previously in life (I forget soooo many things) and it is fairly logical that they wouldn't. I found several explanations for where that phrase "the bees knees" came from. The one I like the most: it refers to the pollen sacs on the bees' legs. A couple of bee websites I'd like to take a closer look at:
http://www.bee-magic.com/
http://thebeejournal.blogspot.com/
Ahhh... I am really looking forward to the weekend. It's going to be hot though. Early tomorrow, a friend and I are meeting up at the Fayetteville Farmer's Market on the Square to get our tickets to the "Through The Garden Gate Tour" sponsored by The Flower, Garden and Nature Society of Northwest Arkansas. It's a six-garden tour. I have to remember to take my camera!
During my lunchbreak today, I stopped by Snooper's Barn (I worked in Fort Smith today) and found a great little book: Wildlife Folklore by Laura C. Martin. I LOVE folklore and I LOVE animals. What could be better than a book on both?
Friday, June 10, 2011
June 7- June 9 2011 The Bees Knees
Do bees have knees? I don't know, but I think I'm going to find out. I found the neatest book at Dickson Street Bookstore last night. It's called Plan Bee by Susan Brackney. I've thought more and more about keeping bees over the years. I stumbled upon this book and it reminded me that now that I'm single again, I don't have to worry about someone's family being allergic! :) YAY! My coworker let me know there's a hive with box and queen available for sale on Craigslist for $225. I don't really know how much they cost elsewhere. I'm not quite ready though. I'd like to learn more about it.
I had no idea that honeybees had their own subspecies. They are in the family Apoidea, genus Apis, species mellifera. But there are categories below the mellifera designation that I did not know about. Fascinating! For example: the German dark bee is Apis mellifera mellifera, the golden bee from Italy is Apis mellifera ligustica, a Slovenian bee called the Carniolan is Apis mellifera carnica, a bee from the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe called the Caucasian honeybee is Apis mellifera caucasica, and the famous "killer" bee from Africa is Apis mellifera scutellata. They each look a little different, have different personalities, and tolerate different climates. All this information I found while reading Susan's book. I'm hooked! The way Susan writes makes Plan Bee an entertaining, easy read. So glad I found it!
I had no idea that honeybees had their own subspecies. They are in the family Apoidea, genus Apis, species mellifera. But there are categories below the mellifera designation that I did not know about. Fascinating! For example: the German dark bee is Apis mellifera mellifera, the golden bee from Italy is Apis mellifera ligustica, a Slovenian bee called the Carniolan is Apis mellifera carnica, a bee from the Caucasus Mountains in Eastern Europe called the Caucasian honeybee is Apis mellifera caucasica, and the famous "killer" bee from Africa is Apis mellifera scutellata. They each look a little different, have different personalities, and tolerate different climates. All this information I found while reading Susan's book. I'm hooked! The way Susan writes makes Plan Bee an entertaining, easy read. So glad I found it!
Thursday, June 9, 2011
May 28- June 6 2011 Lake Leatherwood
Wow, all it took was a little sunshine to keep me from writing! Let me see if I can remember anything....
We went hiking at Lake Leatherwood in Eureka Springs last Monday (Memorial Day). It was a really nice day weather-wise. The lakewater was muddy from all the rains, but the streams in the woods were deliciously cool and clear. The one of the bridges across the trail was relocated by the flooding, so I took my sweaty socks and shoes off to wade across the streams. It was both soothing and painful. We were hot, so the cool water was wonderful on my feet, but since the riverbed was ALL rocks, I did feel a few sharp jabs.
I still have poison ivy all over my hand, so I didn't do much work outside. Plus, it was in the mid to upper 90's and our air-conditioner is on the fritz. I didn't want to get hot outside and not be able to come in and cool off. Apparently the darn thing needs replaced. Thank God for the home warranty that covers this.
Saturday we went back up to Eureka for our friends' party. Once the weather cooled off, we played volleyball and threw a glowing frisbee around once it got too dark to see the volleyball.
I now have a beautiful pink water lily flower and a white one as well.
We went hiking at Lake Leatherwood in Eureka Springs last Monday (Memorial Day). It was a really nice day weather-wise. The lakewater was muddy from all the rains, but the streams in the woods were deliciously cool and clear. The one of the bridges across the trail was relocated by the flooding, so I took my sweaty socks and shoes off to wade across the streams. It was both soothing and painful. We were hot, so the cool water was wonderful on my feet, but since the riverbed was ALL rocks, I did feel a few sharp jabs.
I still have poison ivy all over my hand, so I didn't do much work outside. Plus, it was in the mid to upper 90's and our air-conditioner is on the fritz. I didn't want to get hot outside and not be able to come in and cool off. Apparently the darn thing needs replaced. Thank God for the home warranty that covers this.
Saturday we went back up to Eureka for our friends' party. Once the weather cooled off, we played volleyball and threw a glowing frisbee around once it got too dark to see the volleyball.
I now have a beautiful pink water lily flower and a white one as well.
Friday, May 27, 2011
May 27 2011 Blue Skies, Nothing But Blue Skies.....
The sun is here again!! Yesterday after work, I was able to plant the cherry tree cutting that grew roots and take up the crabapple trees. I got a general fertilizer from our local Nitron Industries store as well as the paramagnetic rock. I used these when planting the cherry tree and in replanting one of the crabapples. The other crabapple snapped in the winds earlier this week. I'll probably end up using it for mulch.
I planted the two passionflower vines finally. I don't have the trellis built yet, but I know what I want to do. The caterpillar disappeared.
I'm still working on that online landscape design class through our local library. This is what I wrote for one of our assignments which included drawing up a plan:
Technically, David helped me quite a bit with this. And the 811 number did NOT help me much but I figured out where the utility lines were anyway (the sunken earth lines gave it away).
I planted the two passionflower vines finally. I don't have the trellis built yet, but I know what I want to do. The caterpillar disappeared.
I'm still working on that online landscape design class through our local library. This is what I wrote for one of our assignments which included drawing up a plan:
"Before I bought the house, I'd had the full acre surveyed. I used this professional survey as the background for tracing paper. Using this method, I mapped out all the existing trees. I had several "free" Arbor Day trees I wanted to put in, so I read up on how large they are expected to get. I evaluated the available spaces, keeping in mind areas we wanted open for company to be able to park and just open yard space to enjoy. I was able to find a few areas to plant my trees. I thought about the colors the trees would offer and what times of the year those might change. This allowed me to plan where to plant a witchazel, a cherry, a redbud, and a crabapple. I also found spots for lavender to spread. I thought about what kind of trellising to use for my passionflower vine and put in on the plan. The trellis is pretty much longer than it is wide, sort of a short, shallow fence that parallels the driveway.
Before I started planting trees, I also called the 811 number our state has for finding the utility lines and was able to include those in the plan so I could avoid planting trees on or too near them. It's been an interesting but fun experience."Technically, David helped me quite a bit with this. And the 811 number did NOT help me much but I figured out where the utility lines were anyway (the sunken earth lines gave it away).
Thursday, May 26, 2011
May 25-May 26 2011 Acres and Acres
More rains last night, but not much. My brother came up with a friend of his and took David and I out to eat. It was nice.
The caterpillar was still around this morning but wasn't on the plant anymore. Frog is still around too!
The wormies are happy still. Treelings look okay. I know that's not proper terminology, but I like the way it sounds. I wish had acres and acres. I would plant an orchard, have some chickens, some goats, a great vegetable garden. I'd also make sure there was adequate plantings around for rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds, and other wildlife. I would have a blast.
I'm going to try to remember to stop and pick up some mushroom fertilizer on the way home. Someone suggested it for my trees.
I don't think I mentioned it before, but they had a tornado down in Denning and Altus a day or so ago. Four people were killed and I think 33 injured. Donation sites are popping up all over the place to help with Joplin and the smaller tornadoes.
The caterpillar was still around this morning but wasn't on the plant anymore. Frog is still around too!
The wormies are happy still. Treelings look okay. I know that's not proper terminology, but I like the way it sounds. I wish had acres and acres. I would plant an orchard, have some chickens, some goats, a great vegetable garden. I'd also make sure there was adequate plantings around for rabbits, squirrels, deer, birds, and other wildlife. I would have a blast.
I'm going to try to remember to stop and pick up some mushroom fertilizer on the way home. Someone suggested it for my trees.
I don't think I mentioned it before, but they had a tornado down in Denning and Altus a day or so ago. Four people were killed and I think 33 injured. Donation sites are popping up all over the place to help with Joplin and the smaller tornadoes.
May 24, 2011 Rainy Days Are Here Again
We got storms again last night. About another 1.5 inches of rain.
Caterpillar still with us. Need to get the passionflower planted, but can't because everything is soaked.
Caterpillar still with us. Need to get the passionflower planted, but can't because everything is soaked.
Monday, May 23, 2011
May 23 2011 Tornadoes
Last night a tornado wrought havoc on Joplin, Missouri. National Public Radio this morning reported that 70% of the town was flattened and the death count was at eighty-nine. Last count this evening was 116, again from the NPR news. City-data.com claims that Joplin's tornado activity is historically higher than the rest of Missouri and is 161% above the national average. I'm not sure where they got that information though or if it's even true. Joplin's public library has a digitized collection of photographs from a 1971 tornado. West Siloam Springs is also said to have been in the path of this 2011 tornado on its way to Joplin.
Here on the homestead, we got just under 2 inches of rain since last night and it's about 60 degrees. There's standing water under the skinny magnolia, in the spot where we turn around, under the big tree out back, where the gas and water lines are, and in some holes the dogs dug. Did I mention the last winds that we had snapped the tops of my tall blueberry bush? The blueberries are gone of course. Oh well. And the catnip and bronze fennel may not have survived David's mowing yesterday. Again, oh well. I need to plant the mint out there.
Once it dries out, I'll plant the rest of the trees out front. It will eventually give us more privacy from the street.
Couldn't believe it, but that caterpillar is still out munching on the passionflower vine.
Here on the homestead, we got just under 2 inches of rain since last night and it's about 60 degrees. There's standing water under the skinny magnolia, in the spot where we turn around, under the big tree out back, where the gas and water lines are, and in some holes the dogs dug. Did I mention the last winds that we had snapped the tops of my tall blueberry bush? The blueberries are gone of course. Oh well. And the catnip and bronze fennel may not have survived David's mowing yesterday. Again, oh well. I need to plant the mint out there.
Once it dries out, I'll plant the rest of the trees out front. It will eventually give us more privacy from the street.
Couldn't believe it, but that caterpillar is still out munching on the passionflower vine.
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