Bees & Blooms

Lagger

2011-02-04T07:04:00.000-08:00

Wow, the behinder I go the hurrier I get...I still have tons of dahlias to wash and divide, yikes!! Anyhoo, we are still in the talking/doodling phase of kitchen design. Love our builder/designer, such a cool dude. He says we have to be careful not to get "trapped in perfect", hahahaha!

Happy New 2011

2011-01-09T08:16:00.000-08:00

After 25 years of intense cooking, cleaning, baking entertaining and raising a family in my kitchen, time has come for a kitchen makeover. Today we meet with Joe Wood of Amity Construction for a sit down...I have mixed emotions about it all, but I am sure the new cooking area will open doors to more gatherings and even more baked goods!

2009-11-29T18:01:00.000-08:00

Traveling back from Grants Pass Oregon after visiting Makaila. It is always nice to see Mount Shasta. Really takes my breath away, a sleeping volcano. Wow! Taken from the car, so not sure how great the resolution is.

Thanksgiving 2009

2009-11-29T17:56:00.001-08:00

We hosted TG 2009 Lucchesi style. I was so busy serving, prepping and having fun that I neglected to shoot pictures. Stina got some of the family..enjoy.

Makaila at the Monterey Bay Aquarium

2009-11-29T17:52:00.001-08:00

We never grow tired of the MB Aquarium. The crowds are pretty daunting though. Saw some amazing sea creatures!

Updates schmupdates

2009-11-29T16:56:00.000-08:00

We adopted a female Mediterranean Spur Thighed Tortoise after rescuing a male of the same species. Today I built her an enclosure for inside the house, as we are not incubating this Winter. It is a bookshelf on it's back that sits upon 2 inexpensive tables I found at Target. I still need to add a few plants and such, but she really likes it!
The light is a UVB provider, which reptiles need in order to stay warm and healthy. Since the room doesn't dip below 65, no need for additional heat at night.

More pics

2009-09-21T20:23:00.000-07:00

We went to the Monterey Bay Cactus & Succulent Society Show & Sale which was in San Juan Bautista. A beautiful day. We came home with some cool specimens!

Also photos of Punky, she weighs around 300 pounds!

Catching up?

2009-09-21T19:32:00.000-07:00

It has been awhile since I have posted much. Been so busy with work and play. The dahlias are gorgeous this year, the giany pumpkin is growing nicely as well. We took Best of Show at the Santa Cruz County Fair in the cut flowers with "Kenora Firefighter" a formal decorative red, as well as Best Novice Flower in Show at the MBDS Show. Here are a few photos, enjoy!

Now look...

2009-09-04T07:42:00.000-07:00

This is our new family member. We rescued him for a pet shop. They didn't even know what type of tortoise he is...ugh. This is a Greek Tortoise: Testudo graeca ibera, hales from Turkey. I have been in touch with experts who claim that this tortoise have probably been in captivity since around or before 1994. It was sadly probably wild caught. I hope to be a good steward to him, he even gets to go see a vet next week to make sure he is healthy. So we have named him Sufi Nasruddin, masallah!

Bloglagging

2009-08-11T07:13:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in posts, I have been "too busy". Here is a photo of the giant pumpkin as of today. I started the seed a bit late, hope it makes it to at least 500#???

You will also see photos of the California Desert Tortoise that meandered into our yard!

...one of the first dahlia blooms, an "orchid" variety

2009-06-21T12:36:00.000-07:00

2009-06-21T12:29:00.000-07:00

Back at the blog contunued:

2009-06-21T12:26:00.000-07:00

Back at the blog.

2009-06-21T09:10:00.000-07:00

Its been a while since I have posted anything, so here are some random photos. You'll see the dahlia patch, the mini-vini, the entry way to the house, a new cymbidium bloom, some new phalaenopsis blooms ( I purchased the plants a year ago, they just keep sending out spikes ) . I have been busy dealing with some family issues, but seems as though I am catching up! Enjoy!

So Long Good Buddy

2009-05-03T15:47:00.000-07:00

Odd numbers really aren't my thing, but today I had no choice. The precious dog who shared his life with me for 12+ years had to move onward today. Little Buddy, Dubby, BuddhiSatya, was adopted from K9Haven.org over 10 years ago. I had decided that it was time for a dog, after having some bad luck with dog ownership over the years, along came Buddy. I won't elaborate, but just tell you he really was the "best dog ever"...I will miss him so much. It was so difficult to make the decision to let him go, but it was the least I could do. The transition was peaceful, he was with me, Christina & George. We were able to hold him for a time after the passing. I remember once asking how anyone could have given up such a fantastic dog, and Christina said, "So you could adopt him Mom". Such a wise child...I love you little dog, you have a part of my heart with you for always and ever...

Tuber Planting

2009-05-02T12:32:00.001-07:00

I think I planted the tubers about 2 weeks ago. Here are a few shots of the patch. I was fortunate enough to have the fragrance from a blooming wisteria, heavenly! Some have begun to sprout, yeah!

Kombucha what?

2009-05-02T12:09:00.000-07:00

Okay, yes I know, I am doing ONE MORE THING! My daughter had been drinking bottle kombucha. The stuff is kinda pricey. I was aware of this health elixir for many years, but never really read up on it much. After doing a bit of exploration, I found that brewing this stuff is like a mini science project, and who doesn't LOVE science projects?

You'll see the set up, the water & tea, and then the development of the SCOBY ( symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast ). The the final product which is a delicious fermented tea full of pro-biotics B vitamins amino acids, mmmm along with a fine light fizz. But the thing is reproducing like crazy! HAHAHA, much like bees!

Returning

2009-05-02T12:04:00.000-07:00

We feed birds, among other things...Each Spring for about the past 5 years we have been visited by "Black Headed Grossbeaks". Really pretty birds, I had never seen them before in all my years, but they found the feeders and their family has really grown. You can see the male at the feeder!

SMILE!

2009-04-26T16:01:00.001-07:00

Stack 'em high!

2009-03-31T08:56:00.000-07:00

You can see that I have added to the colonies! Adding these boxes is called "supering". The lower boxes ( hive bodies ) are the brood boxes, where queenie lays her eggs. Bees store honey up top in the "superior", hence "supers"...

I am preparing for honey harvest within the next few days!

Vegan Delights

2009-03-28T14:27:00.000-07:00

One of my signature "go to " vegan desserts. Sinfully delicious, a mixture of tofu and semi-sweet chocolate sits atop a crust of raw cashews and coconut oil. The maple sugared sliced almonds adorn the top, and a slurry of raspberries makes for gorgeous plating, mmmmmm! I love baking this killer dessert!

Spring has really sprung, and my blogging is suffering?

2009-03-28T08:42:00.000-07:00

Right, well, the weather here has been absolutely nothing short of miraculously beautiful in every way! I have sorted all the dahlia tubers, set out tubers for cuttings, potted cuttings, and planned the patch!

Here are some photos of other activities I am working with.

You will see photos of my famous black bean soup with homemade honey wheat bread, the watercolor I purchased at the estate sale ( which I had framed ). The Kombucha that is growing in my pantry ( starting the SCOBY - symbiotic colony of yeasts and bacterias )...Have fun!

Just Do It Yourself Already!

2009-03-22T19:47:00.000-07:00

Ok, so the frustration hit me. I was reading about various "small" organic companies that are actually owned by BIG corporations and quite possibly are using GMO products not to mention who knows what. So can you guess my latest mission?

Yup, I am going to attempt to make as MUCH food & drink from scratch as I possibly can!

First step: Soy Milk maker. Saw it this am on the web, and stumbled upon it at a locally owned cookware store in Aptos Village "LeChef"...by the way the owners are the kindest!

Second step: Make my OWN Kombucha tea. Also bought a nice Italian made glass vessel to let the Kombucha grow in. It has a spigot at the bottom and a stand to make pouring easy ( pictures soon )

Estate Sale Treasures

2009-03-08T17:44:00.000-07:00

Someone put a sign on a telephone pole at the lower end of the property yesterday advertising an estate sale. It was up the road a bit and I thought I would check it out. I am so happy I did.

The home was on Brooktree Ranch Rd and was built in the early 70's. The style was very eclectic and reminded me a lot of organic looking homes in Big Sur. The house was sadly in a bad state, with water damage, termite damage and earthquake damage from the 1989 7.1 we experienced out here.

Still the house had a lot of creative energy still left. The woman who lived there, Virginia Hughins, passed away 4 years ago, her husband of over 60 years passed this February.

Virginia was quite the artist and was very prolific. If I had more walls I would have purchased more paintings. The lesson here was to choose the works that called to me and to not be greedy. I came home with 3 acrylics and 1 water color. I will post a picture of the water color after I have it framed.

I also purchased her older "Made in Japan" gold leaf plates...so pretty. Thank you Virginia for your beautiful art...

Thank you Uncle Paquito ( Frankie )

2009-03-02T12:16:00.000-08:00

My beloved Uncle Frank taught me everything I know about gardening. I hung out with both he and Aunt Augie every day. Aunt Augie taught me cooking and baking. They were and still are a huge influence in my life. My parents were kind enough to share me...

Uncle Frank gave me some cymbidium orchids which he divided from his plants a good 32 years ago. I have made division from those original plants over the years, and the plants are all about the yard. This year has been a great year for blooms! I will share with you some near my front entry. So pretty eh??

And what do we need with soup?

2009-03-02T12:13:00.000-08:00

Honey Wheat Bread

Why buy bread? So easy, I make it in the K5 Mixer! My house smells divine~*~*~*~

What to do on a rainy day?

2009-03-02T12:04:00.000-08:00

Wow, I actually have one day where I do not have to do one darn thing! Bees are set, birds are fed, I don't have to take my senior citizen dog Buddy to the vet today ( we've had to go a lot lately, tomorrow too, but that is another story ). It is raining, and so here is what the rain inspired me to do thus far:

Why buy it in the can? Red lentil soup. Veggie broth, onions, garlic, tumeric, sweet tater, potato,,crushed tomatoes, salt & pepper. Spinach goes in at the very end.

Plated!

2009-02-13T14:47:00.001-08:00

Vegan Enchiladas

2009-02-13T13:54:00.000-08:00

Here is a great recipe for vegan enchiladas. You can find it in the book "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch". Of course I highly recommend the book, "Skinny Bitch".
Enjoy the photos of the ingredients up until the final result, dinner. I served the enchiladas on a bed of broccoli slaw, and set out some guacamole, and homemade salsa.

Shelly's DNA

2009-02-09T18:06:00.001-08:00

I wasn't to impressed with the results of Shelly's DNA testing, here it is.

There are 5 levels.

Level 1 Over 75% of the DNA is found in your dog from the breed listed.
Level 2 37-74%
Level 3 20-36%
Level 4 10-19%
Level 5 less than 10%

Shelly is:

Level 3 Poodle
Level 3 Shih Tzu
Level 4 Brittany
Level 4 Great Pyrenees
Level 4 Maltese
Level 4 Parson Jack Russel Terrier

AKA...MUTT!

P.S. I was suprised there was no "Great White Shark" dog in there, hahaha

Protein Bliss Bars Vegan

2009-02-08T19:10:00.000-08:00

Why buy Lara Bars, when we can bake our own vegan protein bars at home! Made these today, used oats, brown rice flour, sesame seeds, chia seed, sunflower seeds, coconut, dried cranberries, pine nuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, a bit of maple syrup, unsweetened soy milk, and a bit of turbinado sugar. I keep them in the refrigerator, they are really yum!

Great Deal or Bad Purchase?

2009-02-08T15:24:00.001-08:00

A friend of mine alerted me to this honey extractor he saw on craigslist.com. I contacted the seller right away and today we drove to San Mateo and picked it up. It has been used, but works. The basket looks nasty with rust. Sure hope there is a way to clean it up! If everything continues as it has been with the bees, there is a chance I could end up with a lot of surplus honey.
Having the extractor will be very helpful. I am keeping my fingers crossed, because that works like magic!

Spring Prep for Bee Swarms

2009-02-08T15:11:00.000-08:00

This year I am hoping to lure swarms of bees to my land. Last year 3 swarms arrived here and I wasn't very prepared. This year however I say, come on lil bees!
You can see 2 types of swarm traps, one is hanging from a tree up on the hillside under the Eucalyptus trees. Many bees travel to and fro in this area. Hopefully scout bees will catch the smell of the swarm lure which contains Queen Bee pheromones in it.
The other swarm trap is a nucleus hive which also have pheromone in it. This trap is placed in the area of a swarm that landed here last year. so think, SWARM! Yay...
Also pictures are some of the Eucalyptus that are now in bloom, the bees are loving it!

Painting Bee Hives

2009-02-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

I am in the process if painting all the surplus bee boxes. I chose a non-toxic paint brand 'Mythic'. The color I chose is "Honey Pot".

Finishing today I hope. Will post pictures. I mean who doesn't want to see painted bee boxes right?

9 Day Liver Cleanse

2009-01-31T21:29:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow completes my 9 day Liver Cleanse/flush/detox

For 3 days I ate 3 meals of greens and 3/4 c organic brown rice. I drank masala chai, bancha green and herb tea.. and when I really got hungry I munched on broccoli slaw.

The second 3 days, I drank a medical food called 'UltraClear Plus'...a non-inflam. ingredients. I could have up to 6 drinks of this stuff, by the end of the 3rd day I was ready to chew something!

Last 3 days, greens and rice again! Tomorrow is the LASTday yippeeee..Then I HOPE to only partake of really healthy foods!!

Wish me luck!

Grape Vines from Macotera

2009-01-25T11:37:00.001-08:00

Greetings All,

The days are growing longer, and I for one am very pleased this time of year. It is time to get things going in the garden, and with the bees as well.

The soil is resting, but the good ground cover weeds are growing. We will till the cover crop in soon.

My cousin Frank brought back cuttings from some grapevines that grow in our family's village of Macotera, Salamanca, Spain. Frank goes every year to visit his family there. At any rate, when I heard of these vines from the old country I just had to have some. Frank gave me some cuttings off the vines, which are merely branches. I propagated these in soil, Fortunately they did take root, and I ended up planting 26 plants. They did great, but the first year in the group, the deer ate them up on May 19th ( the anniversary of my Dad's passing ). I was so saddened. But the little vines, true to the nature of a "Chaparo", continued to grow despite adverse conditions.

After battling deer for 3 years, I think I will finally have fruit this year. I am not trellising them, but head pruning. This affords a strong thick stem, which will bear the weight if the vines.

The photos reflect cuttings I am starting this year ( because one can never have enough grape vines ), and a 3 year vine which I head pruned!

2009-01-23T07:43:00.001-08:00

So Many Bees

2009-01-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Just a few days ago I inspected the 3 colonies. The weather here has been unusually warm. As much as 82 degrees in Corralitos, which is just a stones throw from here.

At any rate, the bees looked great, robust and healthy with plenty of honey stored. I am curious though. If a queen bee is supposed to lay much less in the Winter,I don't know where all the bees are coming from??? Ha ha...I will check them again in Mid-February, to work on keeping them from swarming.

Following Mrs. Cuthbert's Lead-Doggie DNA

2009-01-15T07:44:00.000-08:00

My niece Christine recently performed the DNA test on her beloved dog, Fergie. Since we have this crazy new pup, and have NO idea what she might be comprised of, we also ordered a kit. It has not arrived yet.

Here are our guesses as to her mix = Chihuahua, Manchester Terrier, Miniature Pincher, Italian Greyhound. Whatever mix it is, well...is equivalent to one crazy ass dog!

You can see a photo of her here on an earlier post. The picture doesn't want to upload for me today...

Delicious Vegan Meal "American Style"

2009-01-15T07:32:00.000-08:00

When I say I eat Vegan, people look at me with such disdain. It is amazing. I am so grateful to live in an area of the US where most anything "Whole Food" is embraced. At any rate. Here is a great vegan meal for you to try if you like.

Delicious "Field Roast Grain Meat". This stuff is amazing. It looks like a small roast, and is stuffed with a concoction of squash, mushrooms and other yummy stuff. It takes only 15 minutes to heat.

Menu

Field Roast with Hain's Vegan Gravy
Garlic Mashed Potatoes
Steamed Organic non-GMO corn
Steamed Organic Broccoli

I boiled organic potatoes, mashed them when done ( leave some of the potato water in the potatoes ). I added "Veganase", and LOT'S of granulated garlic, as well as some "Earth Balance" and a bit of unsweetened soy milk for the right consistancy. Really a down home healthy meal.

One Year Vegan Anniversary

2009-01-14T17:50:00.000-08:00

My one year "Being Vegan" anniversary is almost here. Well, almost Vegan, I did partake of cheese here and there, and maybe something might have had egg in it...hhhmmm. I feel terrific, and I can thank Christina for encouraging me along the way.

Perhaps I shall add some of my incredible exciting recipies here for you all to see, mmmmmm.

Thinking of Spring Swarms

2009-01-14T16:43:00.001-08:00

With the unusually warm temperatures this January 2009, I am forced to think about bees swarming in Spring. Last year my one and only hive swarmed on March 3rd. Not a bad thing, natural actually. However there are steps I must take to hopefully avoid my 3 colonies from swarming. That's another story.

I am writing this now to encourage any and all of you to understand that swarms of bees are fairly harmless. Swarms must still be treated with caution, and should be removed by experienced beekeepers. They SHOULD NOT BE destroyed with pesticides, lighter fluid, fire, or any other asinine method.

Why fairly harmless? When bees prepare to swarm, they prepare for their journey by gorging themselves upon honey in order to have enough food for their travel. This seemingly makes it very difficult for the thorax to assume the "sting position", also, they have no home to protect. They are on a mission to get to a new home. This all applies directly after the bees swarm. If it has been a few days, and the bees become hungry this is called a "dry swarm". A dry swarm can be very testy, that is why it is best to call a beekeeper, or swarm catcher. Someone who will not kill the bees.

I agree with a fellow commercial beekeeper, Dana Mumm. She feels honeybees should be protected. They are like the "canary in the mine", and are reflecting negative actions made toward the planet doncha know!

So come on people, WAKE UP with me...take care of Mother Earth. Stop using chemicals, pesticides, stop polluting the planet.

Peace Out~*~*~

Don't forget to label!

2008-12-30T08:16:00.001-08:00

As I mentioned previously, label your roots! Use an ink pencil...as an anonymous dahlia grower once said, "A dahlia without a label is a weed", hhhmmm, I am not totally sure about that BUT I do label!

The Task Begins...

2008-12-30T07:53:00.000-08:00

Just a few of the tools I use to divide. These knives are very sharp, I love 'em. Clippers of course to clean off the dangling roots. An ink pencil to write on the tubers.

Photo 2 shows you the clumps and the roots where they attach to the "Mother Tuber". You can see there is a swollen area at the connection. This is where I cut to free the new "root tuber" from the "Mother"

Photo 3 shows you the root removed, and the indentation on the "Mother" from where it came.

Photo 4 reveals the tuber, ready for a bath ( I soak them in a pan of water with a touch of chlorox ).

Photo 5, the storage bag. These are perforated zip lock I purchased from Canada some years ago, I am grateful they hold up!

2008-12-30T07:43:00.001-08:00

You can see that the dahlia plant in the first photo has been "lopped". All the stems and remaining leaves have been removed.

Photo 2 shows you what the clump looks like just pulled out of the ground.

Photo 3, the clump sits atop the washing area, reading to be cleaned of the excess soil.

Photo 4, a nice clean clump ready to go up to the greenhouse for dividing.

Digging et Dividing

2008-12-29T22:36:00.001-08:00

Over 200 dahlias to dig, divide, label and store. Here are a few photos of my process. Digging the roots up let's me see how they are doing, approx how many I will have for Spring, and it also allows me to replenish the soil. After the tubers are up, compost and soil optimizer will go back into the ground. In feeding the soil, we make it possible for the plants to absorb nutrients more effectively. The earth smell sweet and delicious. The texture was fluffy, and there were tons of earthworms, a VERY good sign.

This first photos shows the dahlia plant completed. It is ready to be lopped.

Christmas Day 2008, Soquel Lucchesi Gathering

2008-12-26T22:37:00.000-08:00

We sure had a lot of fun, wish I had taken more photos. I am very naughty as I took no photos of my beloved family on Christmas Eve. Guess I was too busy talking! Here are some photos at the Christmas dinner hosted by Linda & John.

Canning for Christmas!

2008-12-04T14:31:00.000-08:00

Sometimes, well often times, I get INSPIRED to make or do certain things. Today, it is jelly making and canning! This was a lot of fun, you can see red and green to be traditional. The red is a delicious cranberry-apple spiced jelly. The green is jalapeno jelly. Both are delicious served over cream cheese, or tofutti cheese served with your choice of crackers!

Christmas Tree Time

2008-12-04T14:12:00.000-08:00

I usually do not decorate the tree until around the second week of December. This year however I am early, as we are having a small group of friends and neighbors over for an 'Open House'...I haven't hosted a holiday open house in years. Hope I can remember how?

End of November in my hometown...

2008-11-29T17:56:00.000-08:00

This is heaven...well close anyway. There were supposed to be huge waves today as a result of a storm out in the Pacific. While I didn't see huge waves, there were some pretty awesome sets near Pleasure Point. The temp must have been at least 70 today, gorgeous! Here are a few photos for your viewing enjoyment!

Oregon November

2008-11-22T10:20:00.000-08:00

We made our annual trek to Grants Pass, Oregon for Makaila's birthday. As you can see by the cake she decorated, she is now 9 years old! Pictured with her is Hannah, a friend she has known since daycare years ago. This was taken at our Oregon "bungalow" which is right across the street from Mak's house.

My Veteran's Day Message

2008-11-11T07:16:00.001-08:00

Birds and Bees

2008-10-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Winter birds are arriving to the feeder. The gold crown sparrow and nuthatches have arrived. Actually the nuthatches are prolly here all year, but there are more now. Here is a nuthatch at the birdbath.

You can see our bees like to drink from the mini water garden. It has been a real Indian Summer these past few days!

A Birthday Grevillea

2008-10-23T20:24:00.000-07:00

Wednesday 10-22 was my birthday. I stayed at home to hang out with Geo as he had a knee arthroscopy 10-21. I was surprised by a knock at the door and presented with this amazing specimen of a Grevillea "Robyn Gordon", apropos as it was developed in the 1950' ( like me ), at the Myall Park Botanic Garden. The original plant still grows there! Oh it was gifted to me by 2 co-workers, Linda and Julia. I thank them!

Speaking of Gourds

2008-10-21T22:32:00.000-07:00

On Sunday 10-19, I visited the home of the Albrecht-Sprinsocks. I have been fortunate enough to meet this lovely family through the dahlia society. Not only do they grow dahlias, but they grow giant pumpkins, and quite well I might add. This year Riley grew a large variety of gourds! Riley won many awards at our County Fair. He sold the surplus on Sunday and the $885.00 went to "Obama for America"...I left with a beautiful collection of pumpkins and gourds for my front entry way. I will save the seeds from some, and next year add gourds to my growing agenda!

Gourds

2008-10-21T21:55:00.000-07:00

While visiting my friend and dahlia mentor Kevin Larkin earlier this year, he cracked open a really neat gourd and I pocketed 3 seeds. All 3 germinated and I planted them in wire baskets and fashioned a teepee trellis out of bamboo. I really didn't think they were going to produce gourds, as most of the small fruits shriveled up...Well, after being attacked by aphids ( which the ladybugs feasted on ), I see where I actually have some nice looking gourds. One is particularly large and a few other are catching up. I hope the gophers and deer stay away! I love gourds.

Probably one of the last dahlia bouquets of 2008

2008-10-12T15:27:00.001-07:00

Picked this one 10-11-08...love the colors!

Capitola Seawall Dedication 2008

2008-10-12T14:02:00.000-07:00

Sunday October 12, 2008. We trucked on down to Capitola Village for the seawall dedication. Truly a wonderful thing, the seawall decorated with hand painted tiles. Each person paid $35.00 for a blank tile and made it into a piece of art. The theme, why Capitola of course. Because I drug my feet I only got to paint one. It was pretty fun, and hearing the stories of various artists was inspiring. A gorgeous day as well. I feel so grateful to live in such a magical wonderful place on Earth!

Halloween Party at Gonzo's SJFD & Central Fire Folks

2008-10-12T13:55:00.000-07:00

We attended Gonzo's Massive Halloween Party. The theme was "Rock Stars and Super Heroes"...after a good long shopping spree at "Hot Topics", we rocked the star look...

Tomato Harvest of the Day

2008-10-12T13:50:00.000-07:00

We grew 4 Heirloom tomato plants this year, "Hawaiian Pineapple" variety. I harvested many yesterday, here is a photo of them. Today they are sitting in a 200 degree oven with fresh garlic cloves, onions, salt & pepper and a few herbs. They will sit in there for around 8 hours. then I will whirl them in the Cuisinart and cook down to a yummy sauce!

Silly Buddy, Bellina and a bit of Shelly

2008-10-04T13:41:00.000-07:00

Dahlias, Found a New Button on my Camera!

2008-10-04T12:40:00.000-07:00

Dahlia Fun & Photos

2008-10-04T12:14:00.000-07:00

Every year, after our annual show, the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society has it's "Dine-Around".

We choose 3 gardens to visit and enjoy a meal at each one. Our first garden was at Doris Wilson's on Green Valley Rd. in the Salsipuedes area. Doris is in her late 70's and is a go getter. Garden 2 was at Kevin and Karen's "Corralitos Gardens". Under the oaks, surrounded by amazing dahlias, Kevin had a BBQ going...the sun was shining, gorgeous! Stop 3 was a drive by at our place, "Day Valley Dahlias"...then on to Betty & Jim Crandall's for delicious desserts!

Shellaylee

2008-09-11T07:16:00.001-07:00

Babysitting-Dogs!

2008-09-10T20:57:00.000-07:00

Christina has been house/dog sitting for a coworker...She had to go to a wedding and guess who doggie sat???

Pictured are Buddy Bellina Shelly, and Lily. Lily is a Shitzu...such a cutie. They are all waiting for a yummy treat!

MBDS Dahlia Show 2008

2008-09-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here are so photos of the Monterey Bay Dahlia Society Show which was held on Labor Day weekend at Soquel High School.

I entered 28 blooms, 5 went to the head table and 2 remained to place Best Double Novelty 'Shinkyoku' and Best Anemone 'Alpen Pearl'

Busy is as busy does!

2008-08-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

Lordie have I been busy. Working at the hospital, in the dahlia patch, with the bees, preparing for the annual MBDS flower show...We did have time to play though at Uncle Pat's wedding to Laura Mahan. August 23, 2008, John Patrick Lucchesi married his high school classmate Laura Mahan. A sweet story. Laura was sweet on Uncle Pat in high school, but the war came and things changed. They both married other folks and had great lives. Both their mates passed and Laura, never forgetting about Pat, found the courage to call him up. The rest is history. We wish them hundreds of days of quality time together. The wedding was simply gorgeous!

Final Product

2008-08-01T16:48:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the bees and blooms, 17 jars of honey today! So pretty! Tastes delish, with an aftertaste of some kind of flower, I can't quite tell!

2008-08-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

You can see I cut our the honeycomb and placed in a big pan, I crushed the comb with a potato masher, really good. When it looked sufficiently smashed, I strained it into buckets. I used cheese cloth. This method takes a bit of time, but I like to watch the honey drip into the buckets!

Extracting Honey, Crush and Strain Method

2008-08-01T16:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, July 31st, I removed 3 frames of honey from the hives. I extracted it today. Here is a frame of that capped honey. The bees cover the cells of stored nectar with wax = capping.

Beehive Inspection Day

2008-07-31T13:00:00.000-07:00

Today I worked the hives, all 3. They are growing beautifully, and making lot's of honey. Since 2 of these hives are new colonies, and since the older hive was a combine of a swarm and a queenless hive, I am treating it as a new colony as well. This means that I will not take a lot of honey from them. I want to make sure they have enough of their own stores for Winter. I did take 3 frames ( medium sized ) total from the hives today and will extract tonight or later today. I will take photos of the "crush and strain" process. I do not have an extractor, and besides, I like being "one" with the honey!

Seedlings from Our Garden

2008-07-31T11:18:00.000-07:00

Here are some 3rd year seedling from Day Valley Dahlias ( that be us )...I really love the red one, nice!

2008-07-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

We rescued a pup from the local animal shelter. 'Shelly' is a terrier mix, we think she is mostly comprised of Rat Terrier, here are a few pics, some of her early on at our Oregon Bungalow, then back here at home.

2008-07-31T11:10:00.000-07:00

On July 19th we visited my mentor's fabulous dahlia gardens. Karen and Kevin at Corralitos Gardens have a real knack for growing these beauties. They have brought many a new variety to the dahlia world for our enjoyment. Here are a few photos:

2008-07-31T11:07:00.000-07:00

July 19, 2008...First bouquet from the dahlia patch!

March 8, 2008 Swarm News

2008-03-08T08:49:00.000-08:00

The swarm is still enjoying the new hive body. I still have a few more tasks to complete. I have to elevate the hive onto a platform and put it in a more user friendly area. Since it was still on the sheet I placed under it, I just pulled on the sheet and got it closer to the area where I would like to put it. Tomorrow I will actually lift it up in the late evening.

After that I have to focus my attention on the first hive, see if they are "queenright"...

Bees keep the brain active for sure!

Swarm Update 3/6/08

2008-03-08T08:43:00.000-08:00

6:30 am Thursday morning. Still a cluster of about 1/5 the bees clinging to the side of the hive body. I went inside and planned my strategy. Suited up and went out around 7:30am...took 2 dust pans and a bucket. Placed a little stand next to the hive body with a sheet under it. I placed the sheet so in case queenie fell onto it I could hopefully see her. I very gently lifted the lid and placed it on the stand. Squatted down and took the dust pans . I took one pan and placed it under the cluster then took the other and gently but firmly scraped the bees in a downward motion into the lower dustpan, put them in the bucket then dumped the bucket into the hive, placed the top back on the hive...Noticed that after about 1/2 hour, all the bees were in the hive. That means the queen was inside her new home!

Swarm Update 3/5/08

2008-03-08T08:36:00.000-08:00

Wednesday am...still in the oak...the short oak, on a fat stump, nearly impossible to try to scrape/brush them into anything. I attempted, but I figures I wasn't helping them by stressing them out, so I went to the grocery store to buy more sugar to make more syrup. When I returned from the grocery store around 1pm, they were gone from the scrub oak...Oh my where did they go?

I saw bees flying around my little work shed. There was an overturned metal garbage can. They all decided that the can would make a good home I guess...

Well I stood and pondered, how to remove 30,000 bees from an upside down garbage can? Think like a bee? I placed the hive body, which I put on a sheet, next to the garbage can. Sprayed the bees down with syrup as best I could, as most of them were IN the can! I gently lifted the can and gingerly lifted it over the hive body and thumped it down...bees poured into the hive, I quickly set the lid on and put a bucket of sugar syrup in for food. I noticed a cluster of bees on the side of the hive body...and though best just to watch and wait.

Swarm Update 3/4/08

2008-03-08T08:29:00.000-08:00

On Tuesday morning I ran out to the back deck, and saw that the swarm cluster was still high in the old oak. I had to drive my daughter to the airport that morning, so I would need to leave my observations for a while. I left the house around 11:00 am, returned at approx 1:30 pm. There were no bees in the old oak. They had left. I went outdoors to do some work approx. 2:30pm and could hear a loud hum again. Looking towards the Southwest, I could see the cluster swarming again...WOW, amazing yet again! They looked as if they were aimlessly flying, after al that chaos, the settled on a short scrub oak on my lower property. I set the hive body next to the oak hoping they would enter, but they remained on that little oak. I attempted that late afternoon to hive them after spraying them with sugar syrup. It had been a day since they swarmed and I figured they might be hungry. The syrup did keep them occupied. I was not successful in trapping them. Leaving it up to fate, nature & the Universe, I left them alone...

Hived a Swarm

2008-03-08T08:23:00.000-08:00

On March 3, 2008 I heard a LOUD hum, looking up toward the sound I saw a cyclone of golden bees swirling swarming. It was quite the site to behold, and had an extreme humbling affect on me. The swarm clustered high in a huge old oak that sits to the East of my back deck. There really wasn't much I could do, it was pure nature.

Fellow beemaster.com folks gave me wonderful instructions as to how to capture this swarm. I set out 2 swarm traps. One I had purchased from Mannlakeltd.com. It is a large sort of conical shaped pulp thing. I placed lure in it, this lure has a swarming pheromone in it. The second trap I made out of an old hive body, and some drawn comb that I had saved in the freezer. Now all I had to do was sit and wait...

2007-06-17T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is a swarm which landed in my cousins oak tree in Del Rey Oaks, Ca. Sadly he said all the bees died. Probably poisoned...

Blogging is like Beekeeping

2007-06-17T19:50:00.000-07:00

Right now blogging to me is like beekeeping, I really have no idea what I am doing.

Beginning Blogging

2007-05-23T16:56:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I wonder...anyway...here is my attempt at blogging. A bit of a journey into my "off work" life here at home...
Growing dahlias and beekeeping, both in a non-toxic manner I do hope. The dahlias I pretty much have figured out...I will not say for certain I have them figured out, as nature can always throw a curve ball. The bees however, well, they are challenging to the mind...Unfortunately, bees have it much harder now. Why? One can only speculate as there seems to be many factors involved. I have learned about the dreaded varroa mite. There are various theories as to how to control and prevent this parasite...I will attempt to "regress" my new bees. It will be a slow process for me I am sure of that...I am going to try to crate a step-by-step for other newbees...a "keep it simple: kinda way...Enjoy the buzz...