My daughter is back at school and snow is in the forecast again. I’ve been working on color filled projects and reading about bees. I’ve tentatively decided to go with the top bar beehive..it seems easier, a little more natural and organic. This is a big expensive. I figure, including the bees it will be $500! A hive starts with around 10,000 bees. I watched some videos on You Tube of new bee keepers getting bees into their hives. I have to admit, it is a little intimidating. I’m not ready to commit, lol.
I’ve been resourcing heirloom seed companies and I came across a company that sells heirloom fruit trees..some dating back to the 1600’s. It’s called Orange Pippin Trees. A lot of the trees are sold out. Hopefully that is a good thing, maybe a lot of people are trying to keep these old varieties going. I’m trying to fit a few small apple trees into my garden plan.
This is a good time to paint woodwork, mend quilts and freshen up the house. These little yoyo’s will soon become pillows. My goal is to have everything inside fresh, clean, cheerful and organized by the time gardening season starts…yayy
handmade. homegrown. beautiful life 
Wow, lovely plans Cynthia, all sounds and looks great, do enjoy.
LikeLike
Thanks! It is fun to make plans and learn about new things this time of year , isn’t it? I found an old book I had on indoor and container gerdening. Your post inspired me to give it a read and some more projects are brewing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Enjoy Cynthia, enjoy. Today I had to catch up with paperwork, my head is spinning but it is done. Tomorrow hopefully I sort all my seeds 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Our neighbors bought some bees last spring, but they left this fall for some reason…. he’s going to try again this coming spring. Some other neighbors had bees and he was always getting stung. Nothing major, but he said you can’t have bees and never get stung.
So, all in all, we decided we’d get our honey from a man who works with our dad. He has a lot of bees and we trade him for his honey. If we didn’t have other projects going on, we might consider bees… maybe one day. Good luck with yours!
LikeLike
Thanks! My family is against the bee idea because they are afraid of bee invasions and getting stung in the yard. I read that some people get stung on purpose, believing it helps arthritis and autoimmune diseases. Funny, isn’t it?
I think it’s cool to get honey from someone you know!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I DO hope you go with the bees project – just so I can tag along & see how it goes. In my country yard that is a big possibility ( as are chickens and goats, but I haven’t gone there yet.) Funny – I am the same way right now . . . sew! clean! organize! because it will soon be warm and ALL I will want to do is garden.
LikeLike
I had chickens. The biggest problem was that I got 1 day old chicks and raised them by hand. They ran around loose during the day and were so tame and friendly, if anyone went outside, the chickens always wanted to be on their lap or head or shoulder. I could make movable pens if I get them again but predators were a big problem too..hawks, coyotes, fox. They only lasted 2 years and then I was down to 1 lonely chicken so I gave her to the farmer down the street.
It cant get warm soon enough for me! Once it hits 50 degrees, all I want to do is be outside. I want everything done inside now too:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cynthia, did you know you can capture a swarm? Here in the UK a hive is around £160 which is too much for me especially if they leave for some reason, but I know you can plaster beeswax inside your hive and purchase special scents that you place inside during swarm season … and with a bit of luck , you could end up owning a free swarm
Good luck with it all, I’ll stop by soon to see for updates 🙂 …
LikeLike
Wow! That is really expensive! I like your idea. It kind of bothers me to bring in bees that aren’t native too. I read that lemongrass essential oil attracts bees. I have a lot of beeswax already…I think I will look into this further, this is worth a shot for a lot of reasons. Thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
No prob’s! 🙂 Glad I could help, sorry for the late reply, I’m still new to wordpress …
LikeLiked by 1 person
What a serene picture of nature. I can almost hear the water burbling. Wow… $500 is quite a commitment. I’ll be watching to see how it goes. 🙂
LikeLike
Hi Judy! That river is across the street from my house. Yes, that is a lot of money and doesn’t include extra equipment that will be needed. It’s a big expense, I wish I knew woodworking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love the pictures! Hope you get everything dine before the start of the growing season 🙂
LikeLike
Thanks! Most likely I’ll get the fun stuff done and somehow manage to avoid certain closets and parts of the cellar..lol
LikeLike
I understand….
LikeLike
PS The cost of the beehive amazed me!
LikeLike
Me too. That is a frugal estimate. A ton of money can easily be spent on the hive and most of the books recommend getting at least 2!
LikeLike
You could try making a hive?
LikeLike
I really don’t think I can, the only saw I’ve ever used is a chainsaw. I am going to continue looking for something less expensive though. This top bar hive was introduced into Africa because it was a simple and inexpensive and way to keep bees. Things get complicated easily sometimes.
LikeLike
How about trying places like Ebay? You never know….
LikeLike
good idea, I’ve actually never looked on Ebay before for anything so it didn’t even occur to me
LikeLiked by 1 person
There is definitely a thrill of fear mixed with excitement every time I open a hive. It hasn’t gotten old. The key for me, which may be of use to you, is to take a deep breath and to move slowly. Bees appreciate more slow or “zen” movements (and mine are more of the darting sort than zen).
LikeLike
That’s kind of interesting..fear and excitement that don’t go away. Do you like scary movies?
Good advice, especially the breathing part..I notice I hold my breath when I’m nervous. I think I could do the zen thing though. thanks!
LikeLike
Hi Cynthia,
Have you heard about the stingless bees? It is a big new grassroots movement in some third-world countries. The honey is very expensive.
I so love every one of your paintings, Cynthia.
I used to have a small farmette (17 acres) in Northern Wisconsin and I was mesmerized with the heirloom apple trees and I actually ordered the Orange Pippin and one named “Cox-something.” They didn’t grow well in Northern Wisconsin. In fact, they died the first winter, so I planted about 10 sucker apple trees from a long-abandoned farm (with the owner’s permission, of course). Ah…I wonder if they are still growing now.
Ginene
LikeLike
Hi Ginene! Are you fully recovered from the flu? I hope so.
I have never heard of stingless bees! I have one of the Cox apples on my list too. In some ways, I hate to commit space to fruit trees because the idea of them is usually much better than the reality. 17 acres sounds wonderful! What growing zone were you in? I am in zone 5.
Plants native to the area are always a better bet. I think I saw some old varieties native to New England. Good point! I think I will take another look..thank you Ginene!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes, I am back to 1oo%. Eagle River, Wisconsin, is Zone 4A. Zone 4A is supposed to be -35. I know it was often -50 with the wind chill and that is terribly cold. Also, awesomely beautiful if one is in a cabin with a wood stove blazing. Does it get that cold by you?
Ginene
LikeLike
I don’t think it has ever been that cold here. We get down to the negative digits but usually they are single digits. I cant even imagine what temperatures like that feel like!
LikeLike
Well, i do hope you go ahead with your bees. I can see your feeling of awe…10.000! I have been told that beekeepers develop a bond with their hive and feel its emotions. That is so interesting!
I love heirloom fruits and veggies, they often taste and look better. Maybe not always so productive but if for personal use…
What a gorgeous painting btw, did you make that? It looks lovely on your banner. Have a great day, Johanna
LikeLike
Hi Johanna! Having a bond like that would be really something…I read something similar and it really appealed to me. I agree with you about the heirloom vegetables…and it bothers me that we are losing the diversity in what is planted, doesn’t seem right somehow.
Thanks for the compliment, I did that a couple years ago…4 years ago I made the decision to just draw and paint what I like and what makes me happy.. no more striving for a masterpiece:)
LikeLike
well I think it is a masterspiece!
LikeLike
Thanks:) seems we are big fans of each other’s artwork!
LikeLike
I love Yo-yos! A funny thing, I read your title for the post as “Snow bees” & Yo-yos, and I thought: What’s a Snow bee?
Oh dear… 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
long day!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yo-yo’s! I have a stash of fabric that will “someday” become a yo-yo coverlet. The problem is I have soooooo many ‘someday’ projects and many others all ready in the works! ~ Linda K.
LikeLike
I have a ton of projects too..I am just aiming for a pillow on this one, lol . Actually, you just gave me a great idea of taking a look at my unfinished quilts and turning them into pillows, hmm..
LikeLike
You are a very busy bee. I commend you on the hive endeavor. We need them as you know. I hope you do it! The stream photo is so beautiful!
LikeLike
thanks! poor bees..seems it is a worldwide problem…also seems like a lot of people really care. I hope that makes a difference
LikeLike
You will !
LikeLike
Are the Orange Pippin Trees you are referring to an apple tree? We buy heirloom pippin apples in our area and they are the best ever! Out of 200 varieties of apples, I love these the most. They are grown in an old timers orchard and there are not too many of them around anymore.
LikeLike
Orange Pippin is the company that sells the trees. They do offer Pippin apples and I was thinking of getting a couple. Glad to know they are so delicious but it is much warmer where you live, I’d better double check the zone chart!
LikeLike