Gee, is this some crazy weather we have been having or what!  I can’t believe that I have seen a few bees out.  I know that mine were out buzzing around a few weeks ago but because of the rain I have not been able to drive over the soccer field.  I heard at the last meeting some members commenting that they saw their bees bringing in pollen so I have been looking hard and wide and have hardly seen anything green let alone something blooming.  Could it be dandelions already?  Hope not, I don’t have any weed killer to spread out yet.  I told my husband that if it would dry out a little I would try to pull last year’s weeds out of the flower beds so I can get outside for a little bit.  I also want to start moving my hive bodies and frames around and paint them so I am not caught off guard when it is time to add them to my hives come spring.  I mean the REAL Spring.  I am going to have to check and see if I wanted to do that last month.  If I did I still haven’t and really need to get on it.

I am still waiting to hear from King Honey Extractors about my extractor, it is on backorder.  I am just so anxious.  I told a member that I was planning on bolting down the legs to a piece of plywood when he told me not to.  He said that because of the way the legs are, all the way to the top of the container and bowed at the bottom the extractor is sturdy and would need to flex slightly.  That made sense to me and since I need to put a piece of plywood under it anyway to protect my kitchen floor, I could still attach it to the plywood later if I needed to.  I just don’t want to have to chase it around the kitchen if it starts walking when I crank it up!

After I get everything straightened out in the basement, right, I am going to have to see about the two storage units I have in my apiary.  I could use some extra room in there.  It is only 10’x10’ and with the two storage units and four hives I can hardly swing a cat let alone swing a smoker around.  I have to keep at least one and would like to move the other into our carport to store things in so I don’t have to go into the basement.  The ceiling is so low sometimes I forget to keep my head down and come up with a nasty headache.  I tried to talk Roger into letting me expand my apiary another 10 feet but that didn’t go over at all.  Now with both of us in the apiary it will be difficult to breath let alone move around.  Don’t get me wrong I WANT Roger in there to help me.  Everything will get done so much faster with a strong pair of arms assisting moving the supers around but I need somewhere to put them.  It was tight when the bee inspector, Eleanor Balson was in there with me and she is as tiny as your little finger let alone my husband and I.  Oh, well.  I guess we will have to use hand signals when we plan on moving around in there.

As you probably know, I have given up my position as Public Information Officer of the St. Clair Beekeepers Association. I think I was getting too burnt out with having held it for three years. Like quitting work, my husband talked me into giving it up. I will still be at the meetings and writing "the Bee Yard" but Roger told me it was time for someone else to take on the position and so I have. I want to thank everyone who assisted me with everything I have done with the group, especially the two Kens, Schaefer and Kloepper and Eleanor, I am truly thankful for all I have learned and you learn a lot at the front table. I sure did.

Until next month and we talk again…

  Brenda

PS: Here are the addresses for the online membership forms and the IDOA hive registration form.  Check the hive registration form for instructions on where to send it or bring your completed form to the meeting  

Link to "Join SCBA Membership Form" 

Link to " IDOA Apiary Registration Form"

Remember, we can only except cash, check, or money orders with your membership form.  See you at the meeting!

The sale of patches has slowed up a bit. Remember the patches make great gifts. I ironed one onto a couple of my hats. They stick better if you follow the directions and not iron on a porous surface like an ironing board cover or on a towel. I put a glass corning ware pot into the hat, and it fit like a glove. The heat reflected back to the patch and melted the glue beautifully. Using the round pan also helped keep the round hat shape. So far they have held on pretty good. - Brenda