tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73990191709613125742024-03-05T17:38:41.690-08:00Hands Off BeesNatural Beekeeping with Warre HivesAmanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.comBlogger39125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-58544518180667333572014-05-02T08:25:00.000-07:002014-05-02T08:25:09.467-07:00If You Build It, They Will Come So last year we had two hives of bees, both started from packages installed in the spring. Neither colony made it through the winter. We decided not to buy packages this year, and Trish said offhand that maybe some bees would find our hives and move in. Guess what happened yesterday? A swarm moved into one of our hives. Neither of us were home when it happened, but our housemate reported seeing a huge column of bees around noon. Now there is a lot of activity in the hive with bees going in and out.
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Trish never cleared the honey and comb out of the hives, so we imagine that the bees are busy cleaning things up to their satisfaction. We don't think the old colony was diseased or anything, so there shouldn't be an issue with the new colony taking up residence. These bees are the first natural swarm we've had.
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By the way, if anyone is interested in keeping bees this year in the Seattle area and is looking for a Warre hive, <a href="http://handsoffbees.blogspot.com/p/our-beehives.html">Trish does build them</a>, so feel free to drop us a line.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-25621797874977921872013-09-18T19:39:00.001-07:002013-09-18T19:39:53.237-07:00Bees and Wasps Far and NearThe honeybees at Edmonds Community College (where I teach English) have <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EdmondsCommunityCollegeHoneybeeProgram">their own Facebook page</a> now. While looking at some recent posts, I found a link to Facebook page for another honeybee program at a Seattle-area school, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GreenRiverHoneybees">Green River Community College</a>.
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The Edmonds CC page also offered a link to <a href="http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2021790752_waspsgalorexml.html">a recent Seattle Times story about the large amount of wasps</a> people have spotted in the area lately. While wasps are also pollinators, they unfortunately will attack honeybees (as well as people, as we all know too well!).
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If you ever are seeing a lot of yellow/black/gold insects and aren't sure what they are, <a href="http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/insect/05525.html">this page from Colorado State University</a> has some useful information about distinguishing types of wasps and bees.
Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-79277710833365952862013-09-06T22:12:00.000-07:002013-09-06T22:12:19.559-07:00Looking GoodOur bees still seem to be happy and healthy. We see them in the yard enjoying the flowering herbs especially. They like our fennel plants quite a lot.
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We realized this year that we want to start planting more flowers that bloom later into the summer/fall. Maybe some mums and asters? Please let me know if you have suggestions.
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Last year the nectar flow dried out at this time of year, so I know Trish is keeping an eye out this year to see if she wants to supplement their diet with some <a href="http://handsoffbees.blogspot.com/2012/11/tea-for-bees.html">bee tea</a>.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-92086588144693080252013-07-23T20:49:00.000-07:002013-07-23T20:49:51.354-07:00Buzzing AlongBoth of the hives are doing well! We see bees in the flowers and flowering herbs in our yard every day. The bees enjoy lavender and borage, of course, and we also see them in the oregano. If you aren't already planting borage, I would encourage you to plant some if you want to attract pollinators; <a href="http://gardening.about.com/od/herbsspecificplants1/p/Borage.htm">here's some good info about borage</a>. It has pretty, star-like flowers, and it's also believed to have medicinal benefits.
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The other plant our bees love is Crocosmia, or "Lucifer" flowers. Here's a photo from Wikipedia--and it's perfect because we have had hummingbirds visiting ours quite a lot, too (or maybe just one hummingbird who returns quite a lot).
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts3RK_gVPWIJxW710ItbveVac-b2B7BFLrHjVGW0tjpH83rxvI8GGibOwvrDYvxi8TGygym19sTHT9RD3MwbUNSOOxjtbFlbfzSdrvpfLTYmyOVksjVWZxd1wT_7LzorwxrgZQHbelWz9/s1600/HummingbirdCrocosmia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhts3RK_gVPWIJxW710ItbveVac-b2B7BFLrHjVGW0tjpH83rxvI8GGibOwvrDYvxi8TGygym19sTHT9RD3MwbUNSOOxjtbFlbfzSdrvpfLTYmyOVksjVWZxd1wT_7LzorwxrgZQHbelWz9/s200/HummingbirdCrocosmia.jpg" /></a></div>
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We have been seeing butterflies in the yard a lot, too. It's been nice to see so much activity. Trish's close attention to gardening shows a lot of rewards!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-78436817271169214782013-06-21T10:13:00.001-07:002013-06-21T10:13:37.824-07:00Meanwhile in the Garden: Peas!We've been enjoying fresh peas from the garden lately. Here are a couple pics I took when the peas were in blossom. Trish stakes them with bamboo.
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxkcE9ZvFEJ_CJ9Jm4uoMJI2g6vfIGo1AW_aaLF_udVIs368dOKZRwmyj8VoOFcyRQ4Lt2Ym67hMHKS0fInbg9zNS9w4uL2P0HJOs3j8cJ9JBzRScfWrlUpYdNZJXwGmeIcEvcxgjfmTH/s1600/peas2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxkcE9ZvFEJ_CJ9Jm4uoMJI2g6vfIGo1AW_aaLF_udVIs368dOKZRwmyj8VoOFcyRQ4Lt2Ym67hMHKS0fInbg9zNS9w4uL2P0HJOs3j8cJ9JBzRScfWrlUpYdNZJXwGmeIcEvcxgjfmTH/s320/peas2.jpg" /></a></div>
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I think simple preparation is best for peas. I like them raw, or just lightly steamed. Of course they are always good in a salad or stir-fry, too. How do you like to cook peas?
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqYlwAIe8sbGWgadiWvNAsFnPTbatLOQiJJiN0ZErAfv0kSkl3mn_ML3YRmRmrjDdW34wFxDWb4e_PBObXT9tTdzjBSYrB4Zu3itooXtCn3UXo4qXMyJCxQFOiCYYo3DuERN2HGKU_sxf/s1600/peas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpqYlwAIe8sbGWgadiWvNAsFnPTbatLOQiJJiN0ZErAfv0kSkl3mn_ML3YRmRmrjDdW34wFxDWb4e_PBObXT9tTdzjBSYrB4Zu3itooXtCn3UXo4qXMyJCxQFOiCYYo3DuERN2HGKU_sxf/s320/peas.jpg" /></a></div>Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-22546524619350209062013-06-19T16:54:00.000-07:002013-06-19T16:54:54.031-07:00A Hive in a HurryThis week Trish hurried to finish a hive for our friends Yun and Jade because their hive split. The swarm of bees took up residence in their neighbor's yard, and they called a local bee expert to collect the swarm. The bees waited for a couple days in a screened (ventilated) box (courtesy of the bee expert) while Trish finished up building a hive. Then yesterday she went over and helped install the bees in their new home.
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Meanwhile the two hives in our yard are very active, and both seem to be growing every day. Trish thinks the hive by the garden may split/swarm, too, so she is going to add a fourth box to the hive soon.
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Remember that if you're in the Seattle area and interested in a Warre hive, let us know as Trish would love to build you one. You might very well be able to get a swarm for your hive as this is a great season for bees so far, and I would think that many local hives will split/swarm.
Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-60463592347926594702013-05-25T13:04:00.002-07:002013-05-25T13:06:26.641-07:00Bees in LavenderI snapped some photos in our garden today, and I happened to catch a couple of bees enjoying the lavender on the south side of the house. Bear in mind that I have a point and shoot digital camera, so these are not the best quality photos!
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWLr9UHzn5payPs6_4WnDE9izWYKPzidDjvnaOp3PZ5B_5YBIL7xotynRJNI-3eckAEIXqwPMMGGYLjwx467-hIi5mtmo00RxXR1-eKPt3O6kACljMQxIGYW3qOv_IGZWvIQpVTjT8NNM/s1600/honeybee+in+lavender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRWLr9UHzn5payPs6_4WnDE9izWYKPzidDjvnaOp3PZ5B_5YBIL7xotynRJNI-3eckAEIXqwPMMGGYLjwx467-hIi5mtmo00RxXR1-eKPt3O6kACljMQxIGYW3qOv_IGZWvIQpVTjT8NNM/s320/honeybee+in+lavender.jpg" /></a>First off, here's a honeybee in the lower left corner of the first shot. Of course I can't know for sure that this bee lives in one of our hives, I'd bet that she does.
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Then here's another kind of bee toward the center of this second shot. Not sure what kind of bee this is. It's a black color with a bit of yellow and white. We think of these as bumblebees, but they aren't the big kind. If you happen to know what kind of bee this might be, please do leave a comment on this post and let me know.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYs-nferOxyBdhNCJgtWMH3UhvOkHxz1QlMcWulctBRjZaEQT9yxru-Si5TfvZwclU2Y0ua-sOxvaUwFdSP9ATUjPURp0FUg-1XS3wRfyLFPUh-Ej35FojIor4PmSBJc6wuDJ_G8m9fVt/s1600/bee+in+lavender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbYs-nferOxyBdhNCJgtWMH3UhvOkHxz1QlMcWulctBRjZaEQT9yxru-Si5TfvZwclU2Y0ua-sOxvaUwFdSP9ATUjPURp0FUg-1XS3wRfyLFPUh-Ej35FojIor4PmSBJc6wuDJ_G8m9fVt/s320/bee+in+lavender.jpg" /></a></div>
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There are so many varieties of bees out in the world, enjoying the different blooms they find. It's a pleasure to see both in our yard.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-84847104025909201532013-05-10T15:42:00.002-07:002013-05-10T15:42:37.242-07:00Warm May Weather, Active Bees<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7luq1Lhz6-pbMpBFMLE_m-fhxtCmmdpMpXC1uOc9qUSJjendc9kDT2hFYrq1Rkeh05vgjp47IFWxuAc3HQkxMot8xee5fnKy-vKL0Rogyy6xfkHKcEqy4xmXZc_GRSPxf2JrUpZdHmJk3/s1600/May+Bees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7luq1Lhz6-pbMpBFMLE_m-fhxtCmmdpMpXC1uOc9qUSJjendc9kDT2hFYrq1Rkeh05vgjp47IFWxuAc3HQkxMot8xee5fnKy-vKL0Rogyy6xfkHKcEqy4xmXZc_GRSPxf2JrUpZdHmJk3/s400/May+Bees.jpg" width="327" /></a>
I've lived in the Seattle area my whole life, and I can't remember such a long streak of summer-like weather in May. Well, apparently this is <a href="http://blogs.seattletimes.com/today/2013/05/washington-dry-stretch-to-end-by-mothers-day/">the longest rain-free streak in May since 1946 and 1958</a>.
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The bees are super-active, as you might guess. Here are two pictures I snapped today, both showing the hive in the backyard. The other hive is located in the side yard, and it's also been plenty busy.
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It's been interesting to have two hives to be able to compare and contrast. The bees in the side yard have always seemed more boisterous, something we noticed the day we picked them up. We heard them buzzing as we drove home from Beez Neez, while the other bees were silent. Trish thinks that possibly the side yard bees are sometimes going into the hive of the backyard bees to rob them of some honey, but we can't be sure.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJE-Yv0UDq0Z7jzokLhpn7EahotXV-6agsTOYS8uVDUDjcPiDfiWOuLEvwTcllptQOx5yo9T9tM-kEf_MpcpgH6wJ2SXb_HjSR7MVmKnWs3zE0zl7jZLSxYC9OnhzgxBw2Xn-NiHVnizs/s1600/Hive+Entry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbJE-Yv0UDq0Z7jzokLhpn7EahotXV-6agsTOYS8uVDUDjcPiDfiWOuLEvwTcllptQOx5yo9T9tM-kEf_MpcpgH6wJ2SXb_HjSR7MVmKnWs3zE0zl7jZLSxYC9OnhzgxBw2Xn-NiHVnizs/s400/Hive+Entry.jpg" width="391" /></a>
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In other bee news, Trish had a look through the observation windows of the backyard hive this morning and was pretty sure she saw some brood emerging from cells of comb. The timing sounds about right: I read that <a href="http://www.bushfarms.com/beesmath.htm">it takes 21 days for a worker bee to hatch</a>.
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I wish I could get a picture that shows how you can look up into the air near the hives and watch the bees heading back and forth. They're pretty high up, like 10-12 feet or more, I'd say. There are so many of them flying so quickly on their looping paths. I've compared them to bottle rockets before in a poem, and today they reminded me of stunt pilots.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-55274485230584765962013-04-23T13:35:00.000-07:002013-04-23T13:35:20.219-07:00The Bees Are Settling InLast Wednesday (April 17) we were lucky to have a sunny day for our drive to Snohomish to pick up two packages of honeybees. Even better, the sunny weather made for a perfect afternoon to install the packages into the hives. This is our first year having two hives instead of just one.
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Trish has become quite the pro as far as the bee installation goes. My job is more to make sure our two cats stay inside during the process because they're very curious and want to interfere (I think if we could ask them, they would say they're "helping"). Right when we got home, one of the cats sort of leapt/charged at the package that was waiting near one of the hives. Anyway, the cat wrangling is the easy part.
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The more complicated part, of course, is Trish's role as the bee-installer. Over time, she's come up with a lot of ways to make this easier. For example, she lays out all her tools on a bench she puts near the hive so that everything she needs is just at hand (smoker, pliers, bee brush, etc). She also has learned that it works best to cut away more of the screen from the bee package rather than to try to force all the bees out of the small hole at the top (the first year, we'd watched a YouTube video where the beekeeper shook the package until all the bees came out the hole, and most of them do come out, but many of them linger in the package, and it's easier to get those bees out by just cutting away one of the walls of the package). Well, I'll have to ask Trish for a list of tips she's put together. This was her third time installing packages of bees.
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From an observer's perspective, the process went pretty quickly, but I'm sure it felt longer for Trish inside her protective gear. The bees have been very busy and active in their first week here, even over the weekend when the weather was on the rainy side. Go, bees!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-16868122515089166892013-04-15T09:58:00.000-07:002013-04-15T09:58:11.468-07:00Bees Coming This WednesdayThis Wednesday is our bee pick-up day at Beez Neez in Snohomish. Unfortunately, the bees in our backyard didn't make it through the winter, so Trish is installing a new package of bees. Also, she's decided to start a second hive in the yard. We'll have one hive in the backyard and another in the side yard. We have a nice wide space in the side yard where the bees can live, with ample space between the hive and the neighbor's yard.
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Did your bees winter over? Are you getting new bees this year? Are you just starting a hive? We'd love to know if you have a moment to share!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-80326195576041652222013-03-08T16:38:00.002-08:002013-03-08T16:47:50.033-08:00We Bought a Goji PlantToday we bought an established goji plant from a local gardener who is selling her collection of plants. We're looking forward to seeing how it does this spring and summer--and how the bees like it, too, of course! I'd love to discover that we can do well enough with goji berries here that I could put my food dehydrator to good use with them.
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In the meantime, when it comes to berries to eat, we'll keep buying our organic <a href="http://www.kqzyfj.com/click-7049864-10583669" target="_top">goji berries</a><img src="http://www.tqlkg.com/image-7049864-10583669" width="1" height="1" border="0"/> from SunFood--I actually signed up for an affiliate account with them because they have the best organic goji we've found.
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Back to gardening, Trish planted peas in the garden at the end of February, as well as some potatoes. Last year the biggest success in the garden was the cucumber plant--I hope this year will be a repeat. We enjoyed Greek salads with garden cucumbers all summer.
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How is your yard/garden coming along as spring is (finally!) around the corner?Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-25574562210881884212013-03-06T11:03:00.002-08:002013-03-06T11:03:49.035-08:00Hands off Bees in the Local NewsOur local news blog, PhinneyWood, which covers the Greenwood and Phinney Ridge neighborhoods of Seattle (and nearby areas), just posted <a href="http://www.phinneywood.com/2013/03/06/greenwood-beekeeper-builds-her-own-hives/">an article about Trish's backyard beekeeping and the hives she builds</a>.
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Thanks to Sarah who wrote the article, Doree who manages the blog, and everyone who is visiting the blog (and <a href="http://facebook.com/seattlebees">our Facebook page</a>) as a result of reading the article!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-55703930989241281382013-03-02T10:07:00.000-08:002013-03-02T10:07:18.596-08:00Growing Goji Berries I did a bit more reading about goji berries and bees, and I started thinking that the goji berry plants could be a bee-friendly addition to our yard. Plus, the health benefits of goji honey would be good for honeybees as well as people.
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I found an organic nursery in California (<a href="http://www.groworganic.com/">Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply</a>) that sells a variety of goji berry tree started from a plant in Utah. The folks at the nursery have produced a helpful video about planting and maintaining goji berries which I've embedded below. Trish and I are thinking about planting a couple in containers.
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<iframe width="525" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/fxWqfzOqcLc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-3838558166322227272013-03-01T11:18:00.001-08:002013-03-01T11:19:13.132-08:00Goji Berries for People and for BeesTrish is a great fan of goji berries. She buys the dried ones and adds them to the "green drinks" she makes in her Vitamix. Other ingredients for the green drinks include spinach, pear, and a variety of vegetables and fruits. They say these little berries have high concentrations of antioxidants, vitamin A, and all sorts of helpful compounds which we probably don't understand yet. Anyway, I got to thinking about bees and goji berries, and sure enough, the plants are a favorite of honeybees in China. Check out this page with <a href="http://www.michiganbees.org/2012/goji-bees/">beautiful close-up photos of bees and goji berry plants</a> taken by Zachary Huang of Michigan State University. The author also has other articles with tips on "beetography" (or photographing bees).Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-62971688315980331302013-02-28T11:32:00.001-08:002013-02-28T11:32:05.678-08:00Beekeeper as Murder SuspectLast night we watched the last episode of the second season of <i>Vera</i>, a series of mystery films made by ITV in Britain. In this episode, titled <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2123814/">A Certain Samaritan</a>, one of the suspects is a beekeeper. Actually, in the opening sequence of the movie, some beehives are vandalized, so we were hooked from the start to follow the bee-related thread of the story. While the beekeeper isn't the main character, he's an interesting supporting character, and the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varroa">varroa mite</a> becomes a metaphor in the story.
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Oh, and as a special bonus for fans of <i>Downton Abbey</i>, the actress who plays Mrs. Hughes has an important role in this episode as the mother of the murder victim. It was fun to see her in a modern-day role.
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In general, this is a great series of made-for-TV movies starring Brenda Blethyn as a police inspector in the north of England. Toward the end of the episode last night, I was saying it's too bad there aren't more episodes to watch! But there are two sets of dvds available in the US, and a third series of episodes will be available one of these days, too.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKciNwgWD23vjgov79UvYSHlz02XmOrUMVUGtiep9NK4Z6a2vvf3Q8HjXEqPE8gGvYB-mS2XXJul9a_td5EIqmqty5VKeCpOTMjQCBUZnKJ55kwDc_cx2UM1riF72aIYcKHWkgGgUTa7dK/s1600/Brenda-Blethyn-as-Vera-008.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKciNwgWD23vjgov79UvYSHlz02XmOrUMVUGtiep9NK4Z6a2vvf3Q8HjXEqPE8gGvYB-mS2XXJul9a_td5EIqmqty5VKeCpOTMjQCBUZnKJ55kwDc_cx2UM1riF72aIYcKHWkgGgUTa7dK/s320/Brenda-Blethyn-as-Vera-008.jpg" /></a>
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If you like thoughtful mysteries, I think you'll like <i>Vera</i>.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-42971455197387642192013-02-26T12:04:00.000-08:002013-02-26T12:04:10.301-08:00A Great Bee Blog from Applegate, Oregon"Applegate" just sounds like a good place to live, doesn't it? The name of the town makes me want to retire to an orchard right now. Actually, the house where we live in northwest Seattle used to be on an orchard, but that was a long time ago.
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Back to Applegate, Oregon. This morning I happened upon a website from a family (identified as the Shockey family on their site's about page) who lives in Applegate and, among other things, has a strong dedication to natural beekeeping. In fact, their website is named after <a href="http://mellonia.com">the Roman goddess of pollination, Mellonia</a>. They have a nice little page which gives <a href="http://mellonia.com/pollinators/">an overview of their beekeeping practices</a>, which include beekeeping with the Warre style of hive, which they like because "because its theory and construction is such that you don't keep disturbing the bees to see what they are doing."
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I also like that the Shockeys talk about how they "are not in the honey business" and thus wait until spring to harvest any honey that the bees don't need after getting through the winter: they "[believe] that honey, not sugar or high fructose corn syrup, is meant to feed bees."
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See also this nice post by the mom of the Shockey family, Nadine Levie, about her excitement regarding <a href="http://mellonia.com/blog/2013/2/12/warre-hives">the construction of her first Warre hive</a>.
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I'll definitely check back on the beekeeping adventures of the Shockey family in the future.Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-26590079804796597822013-02-24T20:07:00.003-08:002013-02-24T20:07:46.337-08:00The Positively Charged BeeTrish sent me an interesting <a href="http://www.npr.org/2013/02/22/172611866/honey-its-electric-bees-sense-charge-on-flowers?sc=emaf">article about bumblebees and flowers from NPR</a>. Here's a little quote: "'When bees are flying through the air, just the friction of the air and the friction of the body parts on one another causes the bee to become positively charged...' It's like shuffling across a carpet in wool socks. When a positively charged bee lands on a flower, the negatively charged pollen grains naturally stick to it."
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There's always more to bees than we know! Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-42680654253140996062013-02-21T18:06:00.001-08:002013-02-21T18:06:02.822-08:00Buying a Package of BeesWhen I first learned that honeybees are sold by the package, this sounded strange to me, as I couldn't make sense of comparing bees to other items that come by the package. I was picturing bees arriving on the doorstep like other brown cardboard boxes that come via UPS or FedEx or the postal service. I've heard that some people do in fact get bees by mail order, but this isn't how Trish orders her bees. She buys her bees from the <a href="http://www.beezneezapiary.com/">Beez Neez in Snohomish</a>.
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If you're in the greater Seattle area, the Beez Neez is a great place to buy your bees. Trish orders a <a href="http://beezneezapiarysupply.1freecart.com/i/271246/3-package-italian-bees-with-queen.htm">three-pound package of bees</a> for one of her Warre hives. (They also sell four-pound packages.) The way it works is that you order online ahead of time (they are taking orders now!), and then you get an email notifying you about bee pickup day, which is sometime in April. On that day (well probably the day before), the bees are driven north from California on a big truck and dropped off at the Beez Neez warehouse, where they await pickup.
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It's a unique experience to see a crowd of people lined up to get their packages of bees, but that's exactly what you see on bee pickup day. I know because I've been there! It was a little unsettling for me because there were a lot (A LOT!) of bees flying around, but the beekeeper/bee-retailer explained that these were just "hitchhiker" bees who had been attracted by the large number of bees (especially queen bees) all in one place. He brushed the extra bees off the sides of each package before giving it to the beekeeper who had come to pick it up. There were no loose bees in the car or anything like that.
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Well, if you ever wondered, "where do you get your bees?" when you want to start a hive, buying a package is a great option. You can also get a wild swarm, which is a whole other story and not something we personally have done. For more about swarms, check out the <a href="http://urbanbeeprojectseattle.com/bee-swarms/">swarms page on the Urban Bee Project site</a> (also maintained by Seattle beekeepers).Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-79075607664946928162013-02-14T05:22:00.002-08:002013-02-14T05:25:30.736-08:00Bee MineIn honor of Valentine's Day, here's a bee-themed card from <i>The Simpsons</i>.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqcbJF-8I5VU7XdpAVmKag4MlfSRzfqEMQAF_03EU26NAYifNPr6XORTCZIcQ-nhknr_r3kg6upo_NBgxT4tVVTOmd-0areZ_jqW6XXgap6__nZNencNmhCE2dxxf6Zs6zyVNANIWwFrD/s1600/beefriends.png" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEqcbJF-8I5VU7XdpAVmKag4MlfSRzfqEMQAF_03EU26NAYifNPr6XORTCZIcQ-nhknr_r3kg6upo_NBgxT4tVVTOmd-0areZ_jqW6XXgap6__nZNencNmhCE2dxxf6Zs6zyVNANIWwFrD/s320/beefriends.png" /></a>
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Remember the Valentine's episode from early in the series where Lisa gives Ralph a Valentine, and then he thinks she's his girlfriend? Later she makes things right by encouraging him to be friends instead. :) A classic.
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Happy Valentine's Day to all of our honeybee friends--and all of our fellow friends of bees!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-46698160489422217232013-01-30T22:02:00.003-08:002013-01-30T22:02:55.629-08:00Spring Is ComingWell, it feels like spring is coming as the weather hasn't been too chilly, and it actually stays light out past 5pm. But as Trish and I were discussing earlier today, it can still get pretty cold in February!
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The good news is that it's warm enough that Trish can enjoy doing woodworking in the garage again, and she's been building some beehives. If you're near the Seattle area and looking for a handmade Warre hive to use this spring, <a href="mailto:mandypoet@hotmail.com">let us know</a>. She's making the hives from pine and finishing them with EcoFin, a soy-based nontoxic stain.
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Haven't seen any bees out and about, so it can't really be near spring yet, can it? Has anyone seen a bee lately?Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-26305881521458076352013-01-16T15:29:00.001-08:002013-01-16T15:29:41.274-08:00Do You Bake with Honey?I baked some banana muffins yesterday, and the recipe called for white sugar, but I decided to substitute honey. I've always been a little hesitant about substituting honey for granulated sugar, but why not experiment a little? I referred to <i>Feeding the Whole Family</i> by Cynthia Lair in hopes of finding some guidelines, and I was happy to find a list of natural sweeteners and suggestions for using them. As it happens, the edition of this book that Trish has doesn't mention honey, and I'm not sure if Lair mentions it in later editions of the book, but this <a href="http://www.bastyrcenter.org/content/view/247/">list of alternative sweeteners</a> on the Bastyr Center's website--inspired by Lair's list--does include honey.
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Basically, you just substitute honey one-for-one for the sugar in a recipe and then add a little flour or reduce other liquid content. My recipe called for 1/3 cup white sugar, and I used a little less than 1/3 cup of honey and added a couple extra tablespoons of flour. I used whole wheat pastry flour from Bob's Red Mill--great stuff! The recipe turned out nicely with a subtle honey flavor.
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I'm not sure how it goes if you try to sub honey for brown sugar. Has anyone tried? I experimented with date sugar in the past and found it was a good substitute for brown sugar in zucchini bread, but it was not so great for cookies.
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I'd also be very curious to hear other thoughts about and experiences with baking with honey and other alternatives to processed sugars if you have a moment to share! :)Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-15794529060056594522012-12-27T17:35:00.000-08:002012-12-27T17:37:20.406-08:00Recommended Magazine on Gardens and Bees and MoreIf you're looking for reading material, I'd like to recommend an interesting, new-ish independent publication out of Colorado called <a href="http://www.greenwomanmagazine.com/">Greenwoman Magazine</a>. The editor publishes a selection of nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and visual art. It's an 8.5x11 size of magazine with newsprint pages and a stapled binding--the color cover always looks nice, and the inside pages include some color images, too.
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There's a nice variety of topics, from gardening to art. I especially enjoyed a long interview with an artist who often paints images of backyard chickens in a formal portrait style. If you enjoy creative writing about gardening, plants, and backyard wildlife (including domesticated animals), I think you'll like this magazine.
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I just received some copies of the current issue (Winter 2012/2013) as I have two poems about bees published in it. <i>Greenwoman</i> is definitely a bee-friendly magazine!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-80847668452894863482012-12-23T16:27:00.002-08:002012-12-23T16:27:44.352-08:00If Only We Could Run Errands Like BeesWe've been running a lot of last-minute holiday errands over the past couple days, and this reminds me of our inefficiency compared to that of honeybees. I've seen articles before about the ways that bees maximize their time/effort when they gather pollen and nectar. I just read <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/grow/ci_22054167/bees-efficient-errandmasters-beat-computers-route-charting">this article on the Denver Post's website</a>, and I like how the author also mentions other cases where humans (and computers) can't match the natural abilities of animals.
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Well, it's just one more reminder that we'd better help take care of bees because we're not going to be able to replace them!Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-22507212824501508412012-12-18T09:50:00.000-08:002012-12-18T09:50:11.922-08:00Interview with Brian Dykstra of EthnobeeologyThere's a great community on Facebook called <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ethnobeeology/318530098181576">Ethnobeeology</a>. The moderator, Brian Dykstra, maintains the page to "share stories of bees and people," and he includes a range of images and stories from cultures all over the world to demonstrate the many ways people have documented their respect for living with bees. Brian was kind enough to respond to some questions so that I could post an interview with him here. He has other Facebook pages such as Ethnoherpetology and Ethnoornithology as well.
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<b>Mandy: How/when did you become interested in bees?</b>
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<b>Brian:</b> There are multiple reasons for my bee interest. I became interested in bees partly because of an interest in flowers! My interest in plants helped hone an attention to detail, form, and color in nature, and of course that is helpful when observing bees. After working for a season doing botany surveys, my colleague/team leader gave me the book <i>Robbing the Bees: A Biography of Honey</i> by Holley Bishop (2006). Later, I chose to conduct my Biology Masters research on the pollination of a rare flower, the golden inside out flower, because I wanted to explore a new area of botany (I was already interested in ethnobotany, taxonomy, and ecology). So I spent a good amount of time with some great helpers observing bee visitations to these beautiful flowers. We saw bumble bees and solitary bees primarily. Honey bees were not observed visiting the golden inside out flower in the two years worth of observations. We found that bumble bees are needed for this plant to make seeds for the next generation.
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My interest in the diversity of human cultures and their relationships with the planet and its diverse life forms contributed to my interest in the cultural aspect of bees, beekeeping, and honey hunting. I have a Bachelor's degree in Anthropology and Environmental Policy, and have long been interested in ethnobiology (or the study of human relationships with other species). Traditional cultural relationships with plants and bees are both important to the future of life on this planet--being aware of and strengthening our relationships with life improves our quality of life.
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<b>Mandy: For readers who haven't seen it yet, could you describe your Ethnobeeology page?</b>
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<b>Brian: </b>Ethnobeeology is a page dedicated to sharing stories about human cultural relationships with the bees around the world. Bees are diverse and cultures are diverse. As Luisa Maffi (of <a href="http://www.terralingua.org/">Terralingua</a>) and others have pointed out, cultural and linguistic diversity is positively related to biological diversity. I think people benefit from gaining an awareness and perspective of humans and bees that includes other peoples and places. I do not expect a beekeeper in Louisiana to take up Indonesian chanting and prayer when harvesting honey; I believe that awareness of the way other people, cultures, and countries respect, revere, and care for bees promotes harmony, both among humans and between humans and bees.
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<b>Mandy: When did you start Ethnobeeology, and what gave you the idea to start it?</b>
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<b>Brian: </b>I started the Ethnobeeology page in December of 2011 (it has been a whole year!). I know that many people are expressing an interest in learning about and helping bees (as well as being helped by bees), but often the contemporary information about bees is very scientific. I wanted to include the human element to bees. Truly I started the page as a way to initiate a personal study into human cultural relationships with bees around the world and through time.
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<b>Mandy: Where/how do you find your sources for Ethnobeeology?</b>
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<b>Brian:</b> I use books (libraries) and the internet. You will find most of my posts have a link to another website, or refer to a published book or article. I want readers to see the truth of the stories I share, and I want them to have a way to continue learning if it is a topic that interests them. I would not be able to share anything if other people had not already written and photographed and shared their experiences. So I owe so much of what I do to others. I want people who write about, photograph, and create art about bees and people to be credited, have their popularity increase, and have their stories and images available to people so that awareness of these stories increases.
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<b>Mandy: What are a couple things that anyone can do to help bees?</b>
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<b>Brian: </b>I think everyone can do something to improve their relationship with bees.
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Learning more about them is one easy way. While tabling at an agricultural event with bee information, I had an encounter with someone who approached the display exclaiming, "I hate bees," but by the end of the conversation, he voiced respect and need for bees. It was his love for various bee-dependent fruits and nuts that helped bridge the gap. So learning the truth about bees and sharing it is a powerful way to help bees. Many people do not understand the importance of bees to wildflower and agricultural pollination. Additionally, there are other benefits to some species of bees such as honey, wax, and propolis (used in food, medicine, technology, etc.). Bees will continue to inspire us.
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In order to help bees, we must be informed as to who they are. Start seeing bees. Slow down. Look at the flowers in your yard, neighborhood, and wherever you go. Not all bees look like honey bees. Becoming a bee-watcher is a great way to generate enthusiasm and passion for helping them.
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Another great step towards helping bees is planting flowers. Planting flowers in your yard, in pots on your porch, or a community garden provides a means for bees to obtain their foods (nectar and pollen). Bees benefit from the preservation of wild areas. This is especially true because areas that are left to be wild spaces have many nesting opportunities for native bees (which nest in the ground, wood, twigs and stems). Planting a diverse set of native plants is a great way to positively impact the lives of bees near you.
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Some people are helping renew interest in solitary bees, which can be amazing pollinators; although few people are aware of them, they make up over 80% of all bee species. These bees have often lived very close with humans without our notice. To learn about solitary bees I suggest <a href="http://solitarybee.com/">http://solitarybee.com/</a> (which has a great blog) and <a href="http://www.ufnativebuzz.com/">Native Buzz</a>, a citizen science project. Both of which maintain great Facebook pages (<a href="https://www.facebook.com/Solitary.bees">https://www.facebook.com/Solitary.bees</a> and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NBNSproject">https://www.facebook.com/NBNSproject</a>).
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For some good reading about pollination, bees, and other pollinators, I suggest <i>The Forgotten Pollinators</i> by Stephen Buchmann and Gary Paul Nabhan (1997 paperback). For the cultural side of bees, I suggest <i>The World History of Beekeeping and Honey Hunting</i> by Eva Crane (1999). If your local library does not have these books, I suggest using their inter-library loan.
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There are about 25,000 bees and 4,000 wasp species that are documented pollinators and "there are perhaps 40,000 species of bees alive today" (from<i> The Forgotten Pollinators</i>).
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There are many ways to help bees, so this list is just the tip of the iceberg. Thank you for taking the time to write me and ask me questions.
Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7399019170961312574.post-54302962245187485332012-12-09T13:10:00.000-08:002012-12-09T13:10:31.735-08:00Handmade Beeswax Ornaments and MagnetsWe've enjoyed the warm scent of beeswax in the house as we've been melting and pouring wax to make sets of handmade ornaments and magnets. We have three bee-themed designs: a beehive, a sunflower, and a piece of comb.
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Here are the ornaments:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo6XsdH65XLMi9aLSMtr__8_kTMLijTFc-kkzDrnaBooea0hYPeV_QA6LvFsr1qmsoiWtYJmkeTtsHK95fgxo086t3TubnQnvxcff6aXcs0KnxsHQlfqjlCAuu5vKS6x3-nanskctrlMH/s1600/3ornaments.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="221" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmo6XsdH65XLMi9aLSMtr__8_kTMLijTFc-kkzDrnaBooea0hYPeV_QA6LvFsr1qmsoiWtYJmkeTtsHK95fgxo086t3TubnQnvxcff6aXcs0KnxsHQlfqjlCAuu5vKS6x3-nanskctrlMH/s320/3ornaments.jpg" /></a></div>
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And here are the magnets:
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBtNYxPSrAhwWak9oCmVdKwxBTim_R_G_hZwOFZMiZfg-4PkTBK6tBIf71GWObBhpc-1CKT-2zgnLdDxFOnWdpQh5g9BxDBErtadBFHrrP4D9kzgZtAlRobXWHyUz5_u_B68hUucaui3l/s1600/3magnets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="233" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyBtNYxPSrAhwWak9oCmVdKwxBTim_R_G_hZwOFZMiZfg-4PkTBK6tBIf71GWObBhpc-1CKT-2zgnLdDxFOnWdpQh5g9BxDBErtadBFHrrP4D9kzgZtAlRobXWHyUz5_u_B68hUucaui3l/s320/3magnets.jpg" /></a></div>
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We're selling sets of three (one hive, one flower, and one comb) for $5 each plus $2 shipping. If you'd like to buy a set, you can <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=PL3EQF62C3ZK8">click here to order with PayPal</a> (please specify if you want the ornaments or the magnets), or you can also buy them through <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/mandypoet">my Etsy shop</a>.
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Here are a couple more photos to show what the back side of the magnets look like as well as a close-up of one of the ornaments. For the string to hang the ornaments, we used the same cotton thread we use for wicks for beeswax candles.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWih2g8xEGcfZvgFpcac9iJBtCXRVuuStN6M-4yjrTC0CLSrz_q7IcBlTRyqOQwkekSwY5I0ATkRONaPcEj73CCexKKnbTUt3B75pK4yv6-ihaT_OKbBAXmRLyiVTpb_2PKgbQl6d73vg/s1600/magnetbacksample.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="163" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHWih2g8xEGcfZvgFpcac9iJBtCXRVuuStN6M-4yjrTC0CLSrz_q7IcBlTRyqOQwkekSwY5I0ATkRONaPcEj73CCexKKnbTUt3B75pK4yv6-ihaT_OKbBAXmRLyiVTpb_2PKgbQl6d73vg/s200/magnetbacksample.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gQF3Q3jxQqkVS5TySnWl8pJnSCRM2XlYpXLHFVLxbvOttybBNM1QgtAwxK5g5FgwcWBVB54YCuv_KubF2QnACOPPvatzxQE2x4lSkyVw_LvR5bfpTrI76kx2vG4002Fli28rRJ-YQp9r/s1600/sunflowerornament.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9gQF3Q3jxQqkVS5TySnWl8pJnSCRM2XlYpXLHFVLxbvOttybBNM1QgtAwxK5g5FgwcWBVB54YCuv_KubF2QnACOPPvatzxQE2x4lSkyVw_LvR5bfpTrI76kx2vG4002Fli28rRJ-YQp9r/s200/sunflowerornament.jpg" /></a></div>
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We hope you'll consider sharing these as stocking stuffers for your friends and family who share your love of bees and the natural world.
Amanda Laughtlandhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07014736758217241238noreply@blogger.com0