Monthly Archives: October 2012

A Good Foundation is a Wonderful Thing

Posted on October 30, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

So much in life runs more smoothly if you have a good foundation. Didn’t the fairy tale about the 3 little pigs teach us that? Anyway, nothing is as dependent on a good foundation as a bee hive. Or at … Continue reading →

Posted in bees | Tagged , , , | 47 Comments

Getting Ready to Get that Honey

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

Not much in this world can be done without some prep. In my experience, preparing for the first time you try a new activity takes an unreasonable amount of effort. Then, with practice, it all gets easier and easier. So … Continue reading →

Posted in bees | Tagged , | 5 Comments

What did that?

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

Every morning I go out into my garden with a little bit of trepidation, worried about what I might find. It’s a rare day where there is no damage from some sort of critter. Most are easy to identify. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Chickens, Garden, Nature | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

It’s Hot

Posted on October 26, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

When it reaches about 30 C in my back garden (that’s 86 F) you can tell it’s getting hot without looking at the thermometer. The most obvious change is the bees start hanging out in a beard formation. The house … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Chickens, Nature | Tagged , | 20 Comments

Messy Messy Bee Hives

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

Yesterday we opened our 2 hives for the first time. We’ve given them (almost) a week to settle down and they seem very happy where they are. We wanted to do an initial visual check as to the state of … Continue reading →

Posted in bees, Chickens, Garden, Nature | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

HAIL!!!

Posted on October 24, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

My chickens are pretty okay with any weather. When it’s hot they half lift their wings, open their beaks a little and cleverly stay in the shade. After an initial perplexity with rain (the first rain they experienced kept them … Continue reading →

Posted in Chickens, Nature | Tagged | 4 Comments

Meringue vs Macaroon

Posted on October 23, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

I love meringues. Frank, not so much. Frank loves macaroons. Me, not as much as meringues, but pretty much. And they are a great way to use up all those eggs my chickens deliver every day. I decided to try … Continue reading →

Posted in Recipe | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Pollen Laden

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

I’m very new to beekeeping. So new that I haven’t even opened my hive yet. I’m in that first flush of a new hobby (dare I say, passion) when I am obsessed with my new pastime and probably boring as all get-out to everyone … Continue reading →

Posted in bees | Tagged | 2 Comments

Can I Hope for a Mango?

Posted on October 21, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

We’ve had a mango tree for years. Unfortunately, shortly after planting it (2006?) we moved away and rented out our house. The tenants paid for a gardener who used a weed whacker that killed a couple of trees and stunted … Continue reading →

Posted in Garden | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Almost Lost an Egg

Posted on October 20, 2012 by Laura Rittenhouse

Recently I went to let the chickens out at 7 AM (the sun comes up at a much more socially acceptable hour since we went on summer time). Rosie and Isabel were pacing by the gate but Bronwyn was still … Continue reading →

Posted in Chickens, Nature | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments