Beekeeping Meeting

Last weekend, my cousin Vickie and I went to a Beekeeping seminar.

Since it was an hour and a half away,

 and it started at 7:00 a.m.,

we decided to get an hotel room close to the seminar location.  Now, I don't know about you, but for me to be away from home for any length of time, I have to have a good magazine, and some crochet, 

 

 and some HGTV!  I do not get HGTV at home right now, so it's a treat.  I sent My Shug a picture of this screened in porch (taken off of the tv) and asked him to build it for me when he is finished with the house!  He told me to stop watching HGTV!!!

 Oh yeah, I need wine and chocolate too!

 Early the next morning....

 

 over 900 people....(I think that guy behind us should have gotten a room the night before!)

   

attended the Beekeeping School of Indiana's seminar.  900 beekeepers in Indiana alone!

The seminar lasted the entire day.  

They had several different classes you could attend throughout the day.   You had to pick and choose though.  So we each picked four different classes and off we went.  Our theory was to teach each other what we learned.

 

 Aren't these baby bees the cutest!

And you thought beekeeping was just about bugs!

 One of my classes was on Disease and Pests.

The one I got the most excited about was this one....and his program is online!  So I came home and watched the whole thing again. 

 And I'll probably watch it again and again, as it's a little bit confusing but I'm very excited about giving it a try.

You've heard me talk about feeding my bees....

 This beekeeping school took place at an Indianapolis High School.  They had vendors throughout the hallways where you could shop for supplies, finished products, and artsy-craftsy stuff pertaining to beekeeping.   So during your breaks throughout the day, there was plenty to do.  They also had a silent, and a "regular" auction where they had a caller and such.  I told Vickie to get me the nuc box (which is a wooden box about half the size of a hive) but not to spend more than $30.00.  I had something else to do.  Well, I looked at the time and decided I had time to sit, so I did.   The nuc was the first thing to go.  When she was bidding, she had it for $20.  I might add Vickie is very competitive!  When someone bid against her, her head whipped around to see who bid, and she reminded me of Monica on the TV show Friends!  I started laughing!  She got it for $30!  Thanks Vickie. 

 I used to say I didn't need to go to these meetings, that beekeepers years ago didn't have all of these meetings to attend.  They just kept bees.  Well, beekeepers years ago didn't have varroa mites, tracheal mites, etc. either.  Some of these mites just arrived in the 1980s.  And I suppose, the farmers back in the day did their "meetin' time" at the local General Store over a cup of coffee.  I was wrong about the meetings.  I learned so much that I want to talk about it.  Try talking about varroa mites to your crochet group, or your lady friends at a luncheon!  It doesn't work peeps!  I'm glad I went to this meeting.  I plan on going to more.  I learned a lot and I enjoyed it.

There are a couple of  things I would like to say about meetings such as these for any hobby.  They had different levels of meetings for Beginners, Intermediate, and Advanced beekeepers.  And they put that information beside the class title so you would know which classes to attend, based on your level of beekeeping.  What they did NOT do was give a general description of the class.
SO......
1) If you are in charge of putting on seminars, don't just give a title and expect people to know what the class is about.  Put a brief description of the class.

An example....I thought "Honey in the Kitchen" was going to be about how to set up a honey kitchen in order to sell your honey.  I asked someone about it.  Nope, it was about recipes that had honey in them.  (Luckily, Vickie went to that one! LOL!)
But, the first meeting I attended, I was a bit bored.   When I met up with Vickie she was all excited.  I was almost jealous!  You see, she attended a meeting where she learned something.  I did not.  It wasn't that the speaker wasn't interesting.   The topic wasn't what I thought it was going to be.

2) The next meeting she went to was a beginner meeting.  I went to the one on Pests and Disease.  She came out of the beginner meeting bored.  She already knows beginner beekeeping.
So, give yourself credit for what you do know, and stretch yourself.   Learn something new.  Go to the next level.  Even if you are unsure about what you are doing, try it!  I was getting bored with beekeeping and now I'm excited again.

3) Get together with peeps at the general store over coffee! (I do this with my crochet group every week!)  You need to talk to people who like-minded.  Just don't talk about varroa mites to your crochet group or ladies luncheon! Their eyes gloss over!!!!

Cindy Bee

Spring-y ideas!

This is how I feel....

Instead...I did some rearranging...and spring cleaning...and organizing....

I tend to do this kind of stuff when I'm overwhelmed with things that are out of my control.  I suppose if some Freudian type person cared to analyze they'd say I do this so I would feel like I am in control.  Whatev.... Let's get on with it.

I moved several of my cook books out to the bakers rack.  I'm tired of them all being in the back room. 

 I also moved some decorations I found in a box that I used to have on our sun room at our old house.

 Beach-y kind of stuff.  I'm in the process of putting out some of our vacation pics. 

 I've decided I'm doing anything and everything I can to start Spring early in my mind!  My mind goes to all kinds of places, so surely it can go to Spring!

 

Care to join me?

 

BTW... Thank you for all of the sympathy wishes.  Before that tragic news, I was telling you about the Winter Woolen Workshop.   I had mentioned wanting a couple of things...and I was hoping I didn't cave.  

Welp...I caved. 

 I told myself, "Self, if you make enough money selling stuff, you are going to buy that gorgeous llama hat and beautiful pottery pot."  I did, so I did!  I'm wearing the hat and holding the pot.  You can't hardly see the hat, but it is soft llama and knitted and has tiny sparkles in it.

 Very Springy indeed! 

First spring thing to do....go get a tulip or a hyacinth at your local flower shop or grocery store and put it somewhere in your house where you will see it a lot.  It smells wonderful.  GO!

 Oh yeah...I have to tell you something that made my heart soar.  I was walking to my car when I was at the Winter Woolen Workshop.  As I was walking out....I heard them!  Way up high in the sky...Sandhill Cranes!!!!  Spring is coming I tell ya!

So here is  my plan.  Do fun, colorful (or colourful!) things to make you feel spring-y!  Put the snowman decorations away peeps.  OUT WITH THEM!  So besides adding my little seaside corner to my studio, I've been making yarn cakes out of this old cotton yarn.  I'm making these 'cakes' because it's easier to tote, and easier to store the yarn this way.  I've been putting things away and organizing and such.  It's part of my spring cleaning plan.

This is yarn I've had for years.  Not really that great for much but little mindless projects, which seem to work for me right now.   I'm making these flower coaster thingys....to hook all together and put down the center of my table at Easter time.  (Started that a year ago)

 And I'm making bunting.  Wanted to do that a year ago, but never did.

 Bunting for me, which I shall possibly hang up in the summer.

And bunting for my Dixie Doodle (the boy dog with the girl name.)

  I made him a new bed.  And I'm going to decorate it for him.  He loves it!

 

I got the idea from Dottie Angel's blog.  Dixie thanks you Tif!

 Oh, and I'm making happy springy dishcloths too....No more doing dishes with dull colored dishcloths.  This is just the beginning peeps.  Spring is here......can you feel it?

 So....let's recap.
1) go get a tulip or hyacinth
2) if you have old/cheap yarn, do mindless fun things with it
3) if you don't, surely you have material....make some fun colorful bunting
4) make some bright colored dishcloths....if you don't knit or crochet....go buy some.
5) get out some beachy vacay pics and hang them up.
That should keep you busy for awhile.

And make some plans to get out of the house!  I have lots of plans this weekend.  But for now, this past weekend.  Besides shopping for new clothes...

I took my parents out to eat for their

57 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

Let's hear it for my parents!!!!

yaaaaay--clap-clap-clap-clap-way to go parents!

 Then, Sunday my Sister came over with her Mother-in-Law. Then Vickie (our cousin) came over too.  We all made these election buttons for my Sister

.  who is running for Noblesville Township Trustee.  If you live in Hamilton County, please vote for her on May 6.  She would make a good Trustee.  These buttons are a hit already!

 When the election is over, they take the paper off and they have a cute wooly pin to wear!

  
I didn't know these pics were being taken.  They were sent to me so I thought I'd throw them in this long photo heavy post! They are of the beekeeping class we taught.  That's Paul our extension officer and me.

 And this is the beekeeping class.

  Rumor is it's going to get in the 40's this weekend and maybe sunny.  Cross your fingers!   I'll get to see if my bees are alive.
Off to bed with me now.  I have a good mystery to read.
Goodnight!

Cindy Bee

Important beekeeping question

We woke up to a dusting of snow this morning!

 I am going to have a good winter......I am going to have a good winter.....I am going to have a great winter.  (my mantra this season!)  I'm a Spring/Summer person....but....I am going to have a good winter!

Hey everyone, I need your help.  I am teaching a basic beekeeping class on January 7 at our local extension office.  It's only a two hour class and the basis of it is this......
What questions would you like answered, if you were thinking of becoming a hobby beekeeper. 

I know many of you are not at all interested in becoming beekeepers, but you have asked me questions.  I'm trying to put together a format for this class, and I want to make sure I cover everything.  When it comes to talking honeybees....I can go on and on.  I need to focus on beginner questions.
So, would you please help me out and think of questions you would ask if you were thinking of becoming a hobby beekeeper.  You can put your questions in the comment section or e-mail me at hilltopbeelady@aol.com

It sounds early but with all of the holiday festivities, and never having taught a class like this before, I need to start now, and I need to know where to start.  Thanks.

Cindy Bee