Author Topic: The Left Coast..  (Read 6246 times)

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Offline tecumseh

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The Left Coast..
« on: October 16, 2018, 10:26:27 am »
I am visiting my wife and my father in law in Northern California (Los Altos Hills).  Just a wee bit south of Stanford University.  It is quite enjoyable to see the proliferation of flowers still growing here and to id varieties that are attractive to honeybees this late in the season.  As is my habit I also try to locate and rub elbows with a beekeeper where ever I go.  At this time it is the beekeeper who attends the bees at Stanford and who also does removals in the area... he is quite the story teller.  Another just down the street. As in many places there are now bees where you never would think there would be beehives...

In about a week or so back to Texas and my winter schedule of keeping bees < primarily assembling and maintaining equipment + continue work on my honey house remodel.  Reports from there via friends is 'winter is coming'.

Gene in Central Texas...

Offline Lburou

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2018, 11:50:38 pm »
... Reports from there via friends is 'winter is coming'.

Gene in Central Texas...
I can confirm that Tec, the leaves have turned and begun to fall this week.  The river is up.  We've had ten inches of rain in the past two weeks.  Bees are searching for food.  Doing mite treatments.   30% of my hives filled a deep super between Oct 1 & 1 Nov.  No broomweed yet.  Glad to hear you have some time off.  :)
Lee_Burough

Offline tecumseh

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #2 on: November 08, 2018, 05:47:23 am »
The Brazos is way up here also Lee.  Due to the extend wet weather and me being unable to get into yards some extensive death via starvation has been the end results.  Even now I have had truck stuck up twice in the last week.  Still some aster blooming and the bees are working it when the sun comes out and it dries up just a bit. I still have plenty of hives to attend to so do not fret. 

Offline Lburou

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #3 on: November 08, 2018, 03:15:10 pm »
I've lost more hives than ever this year Tec...mostly from not tending them as usual.  I remodeled our kitchen this early spring and summer and totally neglected the bees, not looking in on them until August.  I suspect poorly mated queens from last year as cause for the losses, weather was bad during mating flights. 

In my 20+ years of beekeeping I'd only lost three hives, and this year I lost three of 15 because of PPB.   I've sold half of my hives and will only keep them here at the house.  Downsizing fits nowadays. Will keep as many bees here as my neighbors can tolerate (8-10 hives).  :yes:
Lee_Burough
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Offline Wandering Man

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #4 on: November 08, 2018, 05:27:35 pm »
With Tec getting stuck in the mud and not being able to get out to his bees, and Lee neglecting his hives, I am no longer feeling as much guilt.  It is nice to see beeks that I respect have the same human failings I have.
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Offline riverbee

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #5 on: November 08, 2018, 08:24:35 pm »
wm,  i would venture to say that we all have at some point neglected our bees. it is not a 'failing' although we do think and feel that way or chastise ourselves greatly over it.  i have neglected my bees plenty of times for various reasons. not intentionally. i don't think any of us 'intentionally' neglect our bees. things happen in our lives and in our lives with the bees and we just do the best we can.

try not to guilt yourself too much.  ;)
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if you obey the rules, you miss all the fun.....katherine hepburn
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Online Bakersdozen

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #6 on: November 09, 2018, 05:27:49 am »
I completely agree with riverbee.  Life happens. Hurricanes and tornadoes too!  Sometimes it interferes with our beekeeping plans.
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Offline brooksbeefarm

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #7 on: November 09, 2018, 02:30:56 pm »
I can see where you could compare Squirt with a Hurricanes or Tornadoes !!! Why else would she spend all that money and take all those shots ? Just to get even with the BEES and show them who is BOSS 8) :yes: Perry
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Offline Jen

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2018, 01:04:30 am »
Me too!! A couple of years in a row, hubby had two surgeries that needed constant attention plus the caring for him and his recovery. Hardly got out to my bees those summers. Saddest thing was later in the summer when deformed wing virus showed it ugly face and my hives were pretty sick. I then found the time to get those hives treated with OA. Miraculously, the hives made it thru to spring, but they were pretty slim hives. Amazing how these little creatures can survive our failings.
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Offline tecumseh

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Re: The Left Coast..
« Reply #9 on: November 12, 2018, 06:35:32 am »
somewhat unrelated...

as many here know in a prior life I was a banker, financial whiz and economist... left that years ago for a more meaningful path...  one aspect of economics often overlooked by the neophyte is the idea of expectations... basically if you set your expectations too high and fall short (which you often will do) then you feel bad and if you set your expectation too low then you may feel better but you could have done better... 

a couple of year back I got the idea that a lot of the apprentice and new beekeeper here though none of my hives ever died and consequently they always felt bad when their hives died.  So one day (I think I have a picture of the occasion on my new web site www.ETzzzBzzz.com) when I had friends and apprentices out here at our house and I made the point of showing them the large pile of dead out equipment with the hopes of getting the expectation back into line.

I coined a phrase at the time for the new folks....'if you never have had a hive die then you simply need to obtain some more hives'. 

Gene in Central Texas..