Honey Bees

~ Summertime ~

August 10, 2016 by Patricia Fisher

Summertime….the pool, bee swarms, and lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

My “little’s” (I had that book as a kid, “THE LITTLE’S“, and loved it. I just realized that as I typed it!)…but I digress (to quote Pastor Bujno), are all learning to swim this summer. Such fun! The bees have not been behaving! The beekeeper has had to drop everything to catch swarms several times. Sometimes, literally in his hands. Diona and Delilah found the first swarm of the year, in my little blue spruce tree, which was sacrificed for the cause. My potager (kitchen garden) is doing well, but more weeds than I would prefer…… three year old’s don’t stand around in the garden long, and Greta, well, she is quite wonderful!

The motor home/playground is new at a park up the road, and I just couldn’t help but take a picture it’s so cute! I tried my hand at stuffed squash blossoms at my neighbors suggestion. Some were just blossoms, some had the baby zucchini still attached, so cute! They are time consuming, but tasty. The “Hubs” prefers fried green tomatoes. We have loads of blueberries again, so blueberry crisp and blueberry pie were in order. The pesto is garlic scape pesto and it is great on pasta.

As you can see “The Beekeeper” had to be pretty creative to get the upper hand on one of our honeybee swarms. Success was the word for the day! Those little buggers better be producing a lot of honey for the trouble.

Summer is speeding by fast, as usual. This coming weekend will be the first one in a month and a half that we don’t have a commitment. Yay!!! Maybe by Monday morning I’ll have a few less weeds. One can dream, right? I haven’t canned the first thing this summer, and I really don’t feel bad about it. I have found myself at my art desk more, which doesn’t usually happen in the summer. Carving out a creative space in the living room is proving to have been a good idea. Who knew when I did it that I would be entertaining a three year old this summer!?! Who by the way has her own “art desk” in the living room also. Start them young!

I’m reading a series of books that I found by default on Amazon. You know how you go on to search for one thing and they suggest another that sends you down a bunny trail, where you end up with a totally different thing than you started out looking for? Yeah that! That’s what happened. I found this book that looked interesting, read the reviews, bought it, read it, loved it, and then found out that it is the middle book in a series. As it turns out they don’t have to be read in order, in fact the author didn’t even write them in order. So, now I’m reading the second, which is actually the third, ha! I truly enjoyed the first one I read, which is actually the second. The books are her(Susan Branch) story, her life so far. They’re also filled with her watercolor illustrations and some photos. A lot going on, on the page. Maybe too much for some people, but it keeps the right side of my brain very engaged. I’m thinking that the one I started with may very well be my favorite, but I’ll continue on to see after I have actually read the first one..

The Beekeeper and I are coming up on our 10th anniversary, and I surprised him with reservations at a seaside resort in Maine. Needless to say, I can’t wait to go back to the rocky coast of Maine. It truly is one of those places that is a must for a bucket list. I’ll be sure to take lots of pictures to share, and of course the hunt will be on for some great treasures to bring back.

Enjoy the sunshine!

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Filed Under: Family, Grandchildren, Honey Bees, In the kitchen, My Potager

~ A Long Time ~

January 28, 2016 by Patricia Fisher

It’s been a long time since I’ve sat here and done this. Sometimes it seems hard to just think of what I have to say…what is “post worthy”. I often tell myself, “nothing, I have nothing to write about.Nothing new has happened.”

Just life, day after day. Not that life is bad, on the contrary, life is going along quite well. Sometimes it seems to be a challenge to put everyday life into words that would be interesting enough for someone else to want to read about it. But being a lover of journals, the “old-fashioned” pen and paper kind or the online “newfangled” way, it just doesn’t matter, it’s the concept that I like. So, here I sit typing out my thoughts for random (unknown in some cases), passers by.

It’s the end of January, and I find myself thinking, “where did this first month of the year go….and what have I accomplished?” January is usually my hunker down, get creative, take an online class, forget the rest of the world month. But this year seems very different. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that it feels like winter hasn’t started, or at least not what we were use to the last two years. I mean we didn’t light an inside fire until after Christmas. We have no snow. The beekeeper hasn’t plowed once. It’s all good, I’m not complaining or anything. It’s just different. So, maybe this is why I’m out of wack with my normal January train of thought.

So to quote Pastor Bujno, “I digress”. About this blog and my absence…..It’s unexplainable or maybe unacceptable! I just went looking for a picture to post with this and realized that I had some shots that I hadn’t uploaded to my computer yet…ummm, 534 to be exact! Opps…well I guess there may have been a couple of things to blog about after all! MY BAD!!! Here’s a few……

The Beekeeper doing his thing!

The island being beautiful.

My boy…just being a boy.

My girls…..being country girls.

All three together being A-dorable!

Having fun with Grandad.

Me being artsy.

Squash being delicious! I made this more times last fall than I care to say. Here is the recipe.

I’ll try to do this more often…no promises though. Just enjoying life…..

Filed Under: Adirondack Mountains, Family, Grandchildren, Honey Bees, In the kitchen, Nature, Photography

~ Rainy Monday ~

November 17, 2014 by Patricia Fisher

Dark, cold and wet….that’s what we had today! Add to that the fact that my little wood stove in the living room isn’t quite ready to “fire” up, that isn’t a recipe for a cozy day. We’ve spent the last two days extracting honey that we had been putting off for too long. What a big sticky mess! Glad that is done for this year. Now we can just enjoy the fruit of our (or the bees rather) labor.

On another note, back in June we started selling our antiques at a large multi-dealer shop called, Marketplace on Chestnut, as well as at our shoppe at home. First we started in a small spot then moved to a larger booth in October. We are enjoying the extra outlet for our finds, as well as all the new friends we’ve made… a few pics of the set up.

I spent a little time this week putting together more photo cards after my new display came in the mail. I was enjoying the process until I ran out of photo paper and had to quit. Wondering if I want to add these to our Etsy shop.

I go back and forth with whether or not I want to join Amazon Prime . It sounds like a good idea, but every time I look for a movie for us to watch, I can’t find one of interest. What to do!?! I could watch all four seasons of Downton Abbey again…plus plus…but could I get the Beekeeper to watch it? Doubtful, but a girl can try.

Filed Under: Fishers Beehive Shoppe, Honey Bees, Photography

~ Out of Hibernation ~

May 17, 2014 by Patricia Fisher

Eek….I haven’t blogged in two months! I told myself that “I haven’t had anything to say”, which may or may not be true. Trust me I have said plenty over the last eight weeks! I’ve even written some things down…in my journal. But, I did however take a breather from the blog world, posting myself and reading others. But I’m back, at least reading what others have to say, and maybe adding my two cents here and there.

Spring has finally come to the Northeast, and I think I can speak for most of us…..we’re thrilled, relieved, excited and very thankful! I’m sure this Winter wasn’t that much different than the ones of my childhood, but frankly that’s been awhile and I guess I’ve become a wimp. I was among those saying “UNCLE” this year!

So here’s what’s happening in our little world…..

We had three hives of bees that survived the long cold winter. We ordered in five more packages, they’re in the hives and doing well, and we have four more nucs coming soon.

Spring around here reminds me of when the movie The Wizard of Oz goes from black and white to color. Such a happy, hopeful, magical (not that I really believe in magic) moment. Likewise, we too have color again….YAY! Our Magnolia tree was beautiful this year, such a welcoming sight in the front yard, along with the Forsythia as a backdrop.

Lots of new plants “springing” out of the warm ground….Sunflower seedlings (from fallen seeds last year), I need to thin these and find new homes for some…Rhubarb (so cool looking)….peas just starting….and kale, that will produce through the late fall (gotta love that!)….and those sweet little survivor Johnny Jump Ups, that pop up even in the stones between my raised beds.

Riley and I have a lot of work to do!

We’ve been busy buying and reorganizing the shoppe, lots of fun new things to see.

I’ve been playing around with these wood blocks, leftover from one of the Beekeeper’s projects.

I finished this little afghan (thinking of lining the back with fabric, we’ll see). This is the same pattern as Angelina’s baby afghan.

This is my current project. I started this on the drive back from Florida. I think I have ripped out as much as I have completed. For some reason this pattern was tweaking my brain. It really isn’t difficult. I’m on a roll now. The pattern is called Daisy Garden, from this book, Crochet Afghans by the Pound .

This is what is taking precedence in my world right now…..my daughter and granddaughter flew in from Florida for a two week visit. I’m enjoying having all five of my children and three grandchildren in the same state. God is good!

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Filed Under: crochet, Family, Fishers Beehive Shoppe, Honey Bees, My Potager

~ My Creation Weeks 4/5 ~

October 30, 2013 by pafisher

I know, I missed week 4! Well, I didn’t really miss it, I just didn’t get it posted. The last two weeks have been a blur of Fall activities. Here’s a visit to the farm where we bought our winter supply of hay for our four-legged babies. They had a great Fall display and lots of pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn and all different types of winter squash for sale.

Fall brings on that “nesting” feeling for me. I want to move back inside, crochet by the fire and make Fall foods.

Blueberry banana bread

Pumpkin bread

I bought a new loaf pan that makes 4 mini loaves of bread. It works great, but I’m still adjusting my recipes for the right amount of batter. First time not quite enough, the second time a little to much. My boys don’t seem to mind eating the mistakes.

Pasta Fagioli soup w/ “rustic” meatballs…haha!

This soup turned out so good, (I was wishing my brother hadn’t been a duck and headed to Florida already, he would have really liked this one). One of these days I’ll start putting my soup recipes to pen and paper!

Potato Leek soup

Here is a similar Potato Leek Soup recipe to what I made (I made a really large pot so I don’t have exact amounts for mine).

The Beekeeper has been busy taking the honey boxes off the beehives and getting the bees ready for winter. We have about half of the honey extracted, looks like a good honey year for us.

And then there was the grape harvest….just when I thought I was done making jams and jelly! I forgot about the grapes.

I did get a new scarf crocheted and a little doodling in between the fall chores.

Time to get started on the next week!

P.S. Here are the bread recipes:

Blueberry Banana Bread

1 cup blueberries

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup margarine (I use butter)

2/3 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup mashed banana

Toss the washed and drained blueberries with 2 tablespoons of the flour. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together. Set aside. Cream the butter and gradually beat in the sugar until fluffy. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the mashed banana, stir in the blueberries. Bake in a greased loaf pan in a 350 oven for 50 to 60 minutes (this is different of course if you are using a mini loaf pan like I did). Makes 1 loaf

This recipe is from a great cookbook I use a lot, The Country Inn and Bed & Breakfast Cookbook.

Ruthie’s Pumpkin Bread

3 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

4 eggs

1 cup oil

Mix well.

Add:

1 cup pumpkin

2/3 cup water

Blend in:

3 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

Bake in 3 greased and floured coffee cans (you need the kind without a lip), filled 1/2 full, at 350 for 1 hour. This can also be done in a loaf pan.

This was my Mom’s recipe. I’m not sure where it originated from, but pumpkin bread in a coffee can reminds me of my childhood…happy memory!

Filed Under: Creating Every Day, crochet, Honey Bees, In the kitchen, The Catskills Tagged With: blueberry banana bread, fall, Honey, pumpkin bread, soup

~ Let’s Go To The Fair ~

August 13, 2013 by pafisher

The Beehive Shoppe took to the road. We were asked if we would like to set up a free display at the Delaware County Fair, to promote local small business….we decided to go for it. So here are a few shots ……

We are one of six 5×9 spots. That turned out to be a challenge to fit a store into.

Can you see why?

But we accomplished it!

Now we have 200 honey sticks to hand out on Children’s Day…..see you at the Fair!

Filed Under: Fishers Beehive Shoppe, Honey Bees

~ Bee Removal ~

July 9, 2013 by pafisher

As promised in my “~ Catchin’ Up ~ ” post….here is the bee removal post.

The Beekeeper uncovers the hive. At this point we aren’t sure how big.

So he vacuums and removes some comb.

And begins tying the comb into frames.

and places them into the hive box.

Then to cut into the next section of the house….

lots more comb and lots more bees!

A little smoke…

some more vacuuming.

Time for a lesson…

more tying in comb.

Queen cells

drone cells.

This is where the bees go when vacuumed.

A successful removal. There were so many bees ( four cages ), that we decided to divide them into two hives ( they already had lots of queen cells to make a second queen from).

Both hives are doing great!

Filed Under: Honey Bees