California calling...

I just booked my flight out to San Francisco! My heart definitely lives there, it's the city of my birth. 1969, yo! One of the places that is on the itinerary is Beekind, a great shop in Sebastopol. 
Another place i love to go and is on my agenda is in Calistoga. Wine, bees, geysers, and some Half Moon Bay! New England has been cold, in so many ways, this winter. Bleh! I am looking forward to warm, sunny, loving California!

Beautiful Day on the Cod

Wow...warm, late winter sunshine. The crocus, snowdrops, and witch hazel are  blooming. The bees are flying! I made some spring syrup today for them. Now, for a little spring e e cummings...

 sweet spontaneous

earth how often have

the

doting

 

fingers of

prurient philosophers pinched

and

poked

 

thee

, has the naughty thumb

of science prodded

thy

 

beauty, how

often have religions taken

thee upon their scraggy knees

squeezing and

 

buffeting thee that thou mightest conceive

gods

(but

true

 

to the incomparable

couch of death thy

rhythmic

lover

 

thou answerest

 

them only with

 

spring)

Read more at http://www.poetry-archive.com/c/o_sweet_spontaneous.html#tXll4Da6THdf1OYQ.99

Thinking about the bees

Oooh, it's frosty and very snowy on Cape Cod today. Barnstable Village is powder puffed in glittery, sparkly, fluffy snow. It's very cold outside. My mind is wandering to those hives tucked up behind the silver birch, semi-protected by the ancient stone wall. Are they alive? Hungry? Cozy?
A couple of weeks ago the temperatures 'soared' into the early 50s. When I say 'soared,' that's up from 9 or so degrees. :( I sat on the bench and watched the hives. Several were pretty active, one was not (my weak hive from the spring of 2013), and one was bleh, just a couple of bees. So, we shall see.
I left lots of honey in these new hives (spring 2013) and fed them fall sugar syrup, and straight up sugar misted with a bit of water on a bed of newspaper. I did not tar paper their shacks, but rather put styrofoam insulation on outside top and the sides facing west. The hives are tilted quite a bit forward, hopefully draining any dampness right out. Poor cold bees.
Tim and I ordered 5 more packages, which is pretty exciting. Am contemplating top-bar for a couple and maybe a Warre hive or two. That remains to be seen. I got rather pumped up thinking about these methods after hearing Sam Comfort, of Anarchy Apiaries speak at the Barnstable County Beekeepers Association meeting this past fall.
Sending you some smoke fairy bees to keep you healthy and happy this mid-winter day.
All my love.

Sam Comfort's Anarchy Apiaries

Honey over the air

Hey Honey Lovers,
I started business underwriting on WOMR from Provincetown!
That is Outermost Radio and is good stuff.
Mulligan Stew from 4-6 on Sundays.
All my Love,
Kalliope

My honey for sale at Cape Cod Organic Farm!

Honey is available at Cape Cod Organic Farm, 3675 Main Street, Barnstable, MA 02630. Producing using strictly organic beekeeping practices.

Harvesting honey

Cleaned out the extractor and whipped out some honey this past weekend!