Posted in The Happy Embroidery Machine, tagged beekeeping, I Heart Bees hat, natural beekeeping on November 26, 2014| 8 Comments »
I have to admit I got the idea for these hats from a “I Heart Bees” sticker” that my daughter gave me. I knew it would be a conversation starter (not that I needed one) to talk about my favorite subject. When the subject turns to beekeeping, I carry pictures in a shirt pocket to brag up my log hives.
I’ve always wanted to see how the logo gets sewn onto a hat and this was my chance!
Adding the heart
I’ve got to get my web site on it, of course.
Posted in Music video, Uncategorized, Videos, tagged Bandon Lighthouse, Kirk Schumacher, Old Town Marketplace, Pelican, Port of Bandon, Sweet Insurance Agency on November 16, 2014| 12 Comments »
It was such an uncharacteristically warm day, we decided to bicycle down to the Port of Bandon to peruse the Old Town Marketplace.
It was one of those perfect days when everyone was in a good mood with the weather being warm, farmers selling their veggies, and Kirk Schumacher strumming his guitar. I asked Kirk if he would sing one of my favorite summertime songs. Without missing a beat, he belted out “Summertime.”
Bandon Lighthouse
Crabbing at the dock, Bandon lighthouse in background.
I even got to watch a pelican swallow a fish, twice…possibly the same fish. 🙂
Posted in Baking bread in a wood-fired oven, Uncategorized, tagged Allen Scott wood-fired oven, Baking bread in a wood-fired oven, Sustainable living on November 14, 2014| 5 Comments »
It took about six months for Seth to build his Alan Scott wood-fired bread oven and the shop that serves as his kitchen.
My daily walks would take me by his place. I watched as he built the roof. It was meticulously built on the ground with beautiful jointing. I wondered how he was going to lift it up to the top. One day, as we walked past, there it was connected to the uprights. I asked him how he got it up there. His reply…”one piece at a time.” “I built it on the ground to make sure it was right.”
The small fire was lit on Sunday, the day before ‘bread day.’Â Enough heat is stored in the dome to bake 125 to 130 loaves of bread the next day.
Seth scores the dough so moisture will be released and enable the bread to ‘bloom.’
When done, the bread goes onto the cooling rack.
I had breakfast and returned to see the bread all sorted for deliveries.
At about 9:30 am, fresh bread gets delivered by bicycle to the natural foods store.
Posted in Follow a tree, Tulip Tree, tagged American Tulip tree, American tulipwood, Liriodendron tulipfera, planting a Tulip tree, tulip poplar, tulip seed pod, Tulip tree in November on November 12, 2014| 4 Comments »
November 11…The leaves of the Tulip tree are full of color. In another month or less, I’ll be happy to rake up piles of them. Hmmm, maybe I better see if the owners are okay with that.
A different view of the Tulip tree. The setting sun brings out the colors.
Ah, there’s a seed pod up there.
I pulled out my pocket knife but the pod just fell into my hand.
There were precious few pods hanging in the tree…then I looked down and found lots of them on the ground already.
November 12…I picked up as many seed pods as my bag would hold wondering what people thought of me walking with a very full doggy bag.
Hoping to get the seeds to pop out, I pulled the pod open…but where are the seeds?
Are these the seeds? I’ll try planting these in the spring, but if they don’t grow, I can always plant a Tulip tree twig. (See gregmcswain1’s comment below)
I was struck at how similar the Tulip tree seed pods were to my backyard spruce tree cones.   Deciduous on the left, conifer on the right.
I couldn’t get enough of the colorful leaves, so I just pointed the camera upward for one more shot before leafing leaving.
Posted in Bee to Flower relationship, Bee Video, Bee-loving flowers, Music video, Natural Beekeeping, Videos, tagged bee-loving flowers, bees and hebe, bees in November, bees on Oregon Coast, bees pollinating hebes, East Virginia Blues, GaelaMae On The Bluffs, honey bees, macro nature video, pollinators, Steve Montana, Sweet Insurance Agency, Wild pollinators on November 8, 2014| 6 Comments »
November 5, 2014…On an unusually warm November day, I spotted these hebes growing in front of Bill Sweet Insurance Agency. The bees were loving it. Thanks, Bill.
While the east coast is getting hammered by the polar vortex cold weather, the west coast is enjoying warm sunny days into early November. At this time of year there are very few sources of nectar, so it’s good that the honeybees are getting a lot from the hebes. Nectar provides an important energy source (carbohydrate) for the bees.
Many thanks to Steve Montana who has let me use his musical talents as background to the video. “GaelaMae On The Bluffs” was written by Steve and the banjo music was written by Buell Kasey back in the late 1800’s. Watch Steve Montana play banjo at the beginning of Sustainable World. Click on “Soldier’s Joy.”
Posted in Bee to Flower relationship, Bee Video, Bee-loving flowers, tagged bee-loving flowers, bees on Oregon Coast, honey bees, Log hive wood carving, Log hives, macro nature video, natural beekeeping, pollinators, Verticle log hive, Warre hive, Wild pollinators, wood carving on November 6, 2014| 7 Comments »
Many thanks to Steve Montana for permission to use his music.
Posted in Bee to Flower relationship, Bee Video, Bee-loving flowers, Crab spider, tagged bee on Gallardia, bee-loving flowers, natural beekeeping on November 5, 2014| 12 Comments »
If you want to grow some very colorful flowers that will bloom in September and October, try the Arizona Sun Gallardia.
Watch the crafty crab spider emerge from below the curled petals bottom right. I’m wondering if the honeybee saw the spider. It almost looked like it was ‘daring’ the spider to come after it. I’ve seen enough honeybees that were trapped in the crab spider’s grip to know it’s foolish to tempt fate, but this one got away.
Adventures in Natural Beekeeping 