So this is how it looked in May:
It may look romantic, but the shingles are bad in places:
This part got fixed today!
I was suspicious about Dad's methods at first ('just find a few planks without measuring first' - I had to measure!) Ultimately, his eye was successful!
/no new pics yet though!/
It's not 'pretty' pretty yet, it's just fixed so the rain doesn't destroy it further!
The nettles got annihilated & new planks replaced the convenient gap! (That could be used as door and looked great on pictures!)
If I really get into keeping bees and such, then Dad said he'd fix it more proper! (Or maybe make a new one - but I'd prefer to keep old Grandpa's beehive!)
There is one BIG danger though! lol - Dad is afraid!
A whole hive full of wasps!/source: the lovely Wikipedia, all other photos by me!/
Will we manage to fix the beehive? (& survive?) What to do with the wasps?
I don't want to toxify them!
It's almost like having bees, they hum in and out so nicely.. Just minus the lovely smell of honey!
In fact, if I don't get the bees this year, I don't see any harm in letting them be in the 2nd hive from the right all summer.. How would we fix the roof in the front then tough? Dad is scared!
The smart thing would be to annihilate them (& their home) in May, but I was so fascinated with it!
(Click on the photo to see the fabulous texture better! It's like a work of art! Can you blame me for not wanting to destroy it? - The top shelf is their home of many years! The bottom shelf has drinking dishes for bees.)
/I found myself humming to them a song that goes, 'Bees are our friends!' & they stayed good all the while we were repairing the roof in the back!
It took a bit to convince Dad it was safe to fix the roof in the back, lol! :)/
Now you must know my Dad is a BIG hunk of a man over 6ft (185cm) tall!
It is soo funny to see him scared of such tiny animals!
(He's scared of the bees too & thinks I'm terribly brave for wanting to have 'em!)
I wish I had a better camera - it seems my cousin's phone takes better pictures - especially macros of flowers and such - than this! /sigh/
He said he'd replace it in 2 years & I asked him to take great care of it & give it to me when he replaces it! lol! :)
The bigger they are, the more there is to sting!
ReplyDeleteThese pictures are wonderful. I understand about the wasps! I fear them, but hate to destroy their home. They behave so well MOST of the time.
I have a wasps' nest in a birdfeeder that was left out too long. Initially, I didn't know how to safely get rid of it, then I felt kind of bad about getting rid of it, and then I just left it and got interested in it. They've been pollinating my garden all season, and presumably keeping down the insects too. When the sun hits the bird feeder just right, you can see the whole structure inside...
Rebecca
Can I comment with OpenID?
ReplyDeleteI guess I can-- feel free to delete all this nonsense!
ReplyDeleteYAY for being able to comment!! :)
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing you have a nest in a birdfeeder! :) Would love to see a pic if you can manage that someday!
Really good point about pollinating the garden & keeping down insects! I think it might be good to read more on this!
And of course I'll need to talk to the local beekeeper on what to do with them.. hmm.. Not that I really want to.. (as I'm sure you understand..) At the moment I have the excuse of not knowing what to do with them, and my dad is quite bloodthirsty otherwise!!
gawsh i'm so scared of bees! not to mention wasps!!! i got stung by bees twice and it was not pretty! :P
ReplyDeleteElise, thank you for the wonderful comment!
ReplyDeleteI really like your site about dancing too!
Kay, great to see you stop by too!! :)
I got stung by bees twice too - once when I was 7 and a poor bee came between my foot and the sandal, and once later on. The bee REALLY doesn't want to sting you, as she dies when she does! It's only out of ultimate self-protection, if she feels really threatened by someone. Mostly they just hum along, it's important that you're as calm as possible..
Wasps don't die, but their sting hurts MUUCH less too, and is soon better!! (if you put vinegar or such on it)
It also depends if there are chemicals on fields near-by, then a reaction to a bee sting may be bigger..
Anyway, bees smell SOO nice, it is all soon forgotten!! If you just go past a beehive in summertime, it's magic!! :)