Adventures in Beekeeping - Day 3

Not much happened today with the bees. Last night Erin and I checked the hives to make sure that the queens were alive. Thankfully they both were. However, we did notice one problem. The queen cages have a little hole for the queen to sneak out of, and that hole is usually covered with a piece of cork to prevent her from getting out. The problem is that I forgot to take the cork out. Usually what you do is take the cork out and put a marshmallow in its place. The queen's attendants (and other bees) then eventually eat the marshmallow and set her free. The idea is that it allows the hive to get used to their new queen who is a total foreigner in their hive. Had we not noticed the cork was still in the hole both of our queens would have died, which needless to say, could have really hurt our beekeeping endeavors. Everything worked out though and they are now locked in their cage with a marshmallow blocking the hole. We will check in a few days to see if the queens have been freed yet.

I haven't been able to do much else, but I did take another short video of orientation flights and took a few better pictures of the bees on some flowers. They particularly like these blue flowers we have on the side of our house. They were literally out there all day collecting pollen. You'll see that in the pictures below as well.  Enjoy!

 

Here are the pictures from today.

I like how you can see the lines in the wings.  You can also see the eyes pretty well too.  These flowers look like balloons or grapes from this perspective.

If you look at the bee's back leg you will see a glob of goo.  That is pollen.  Well, at least I think it is.  The bees have a little hook built into their leg called the "pollen basket" and they tuck collected pollen in there so they can get as much as possible.

Flying up to the flower.  I think these were all Italians, but honestly I'm not so sure.

This bee actually went to a flower other than the blue ones.  Thought it was cool how they crawl all the way in there.

Adventures in Beekeeping - Day 2

One thing is for sure, bees are truly fascinating.  I have a sensible fear of them, but I can't get enough of them at the same time.  This is all such a new thing for our family.  I hope no one minds, but I am going to be using our family blog as a sort of "Bee Journal", at least for a little while.  Today I came home during lunch to do some cleanup and shot a short video with my phone.  You will get to see lots of bees, and a few wasps unfortunately.  Wasps are terrible little things.  All they want to do is rob, kill, and destroy our bees.  They are the Viking of the insect world (apologies to anyone with Viking heritage but I think you get my point).  Here is a brief look at what are called Orientation Flights.  The bees are getting used to their new home and orienting themselves to its position.



My bee suit has really been amazing so far.  I haven't had any problems with the bees stinging me anywhere but my hands.  The bee suit is the Mann Lake Honey Maker in Nylon and it stays relatively cool.  My gloves are actually 3mm Nitrile medical gloves.  They work well in that I can really feel what I am doing, but so far they haven't been an ultimate sting stopper.  I prefer being able to feel what I am doing and risk being stung though.  At least, that is what I am saying now.  Those last stings were painful...

Lastly, here are a few pictures that I took for fun.  I tried to take them with my iPhone and it doesn't do macro shots very well, so if anyone wants to buy me a nice dslr camera, please don't hesitate.

A bee in flight on the right side.  Erin likes how the light is coming through the flowers.

This is the Italian Honey Bee.  Distinctively more yellow than other bees.  That is mud on the right side by the way.  Another battle scar from my poor installation ability.

The Carniolan Honey Bee.  Not quite as yellow.  I like this bee, I don't know why.  Maybe it's because they come from Croatia and the surrounding area.  (Which is my heritage for those who don't know.)

And finally, Daddy wears a bee suit, while Jude wears short sleeves, shorts, and no shoes.  I am humbled.

How NOT to Install a Package of Bees

Yesterday was a busy day.  I knew that I had two packages of bees in my basement that needed to be put in their hives immediately, but I had yet to build their hive stand or even buy the parts for the hive stand.  So during my lunch break I drove to Lowes and purchased some of the items I would need, but I couldn't get everything.  When work was over I hurried back to Lowes to grab the rest of what I needed and drove home as quickly as possible to make sure that I had enough daylight to build the hive stand and install the bees.  Thankfully, the Polk family was in our home for piano lessons and so I was able to persuade them to help me build the hive stand.  Within an hour we were ready to install some bees, but to be honest, even after watching countless videos and reading many books on how to install bees, I had no idea what to do when I was actually doing it.  It was rough, but this is how it went.

I strapped on my bee suit and assembled the hives on their stand, grabbed the bee packages and bravely (with much trembling) prepared myself for the buzzing masses to be released.  It started off well, as you will see below, but it quickly went very badly.



Due to my incompetence I successfully knocked the Italians' hive off it's base crushing hundreds of them.  Then the frames inside the hive (even the one holding the queen cage) somehow fell over inside the hive.  I have no idea how this happened and by all accounts it doesn't make sense, but it happened.  While I cleaned up the mess and used my trusty bee brush to move them away from the edges of the base the inevitable happened.  I was stung in my pinky.  For my first time being stung, why the pinky?  It's so small and fragile.  At first I didn't know what had happened, but then the intense burning started and I was no longer thinking about the bees' safety.  It all of a sudden became all about me and how bad this hurt.  Within about a minute the pain stopped though and I was able to continue working, so I tossed the rest of the frames in the hive and moved on to the Carniolans.  This video is blurry, but you will probably enjoy it more, that is, if you enjoy seeing a grown man get stung multiple times in the thumb.  Enjoy!



After all was said and done, I hope our bees survive and thrive in our little backyard.  Honey bees really are amazing creatures.  A lot of people point to various other complex creatures in nature to show God's handiwork, but rarely do I hear anyone talk about the honey bee.  If ever there were a creature that showed God's complexity, it is this one.  I will probably write about this more as we continue in our bee adventures, but I encourage you to do some reading online and revel in God's majesty in his design of the honey bee.  Finally, I want to make sure that we are all clear on one thing.  Getting stung was my fault, and the bees can't be fully to blame for that.  If you are afraid of bees, give the honey bee a chance.  It is our friend first, and a helpful one at that, even with the barbed stinger that makes a grown man cry.  God bless you all and I hope you enjoyed our first adventure in beekeeping!

BEES!!!

BEES!!!

As of Tuesday, April 23, the Pavlik family now contains approx. 6,012 members! 6 people, 6 chickens, and approx. 6,000 bees.  We have decided to try our hand at beekeeping. God-willing by the end of the summer we will be eating our own fresh eggs and honey. Due to the cooler weather the bees have taken up residence in our basement bathroom but will be hopefully moving outside tomorrow! Here are a couple of pictures to document the arrival of the new family members:

Package #1: Carniolan Bees

Package #2: Italian Bees

The angry little hitchhiker who landed on Paul's shoulder-priceless

To My Sweet Morrow

 Morrow: meaning "Morning". Ps 30:5 "...Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes on the morrow". Your birth has brought much joy my sweet. And the verse reminds us of God's great love and healing. How he makes things new and joyful. Come quickly Lord Jesus!

Ann: meaning "God has favored me". I pray God's favor will be upon you. I certainly feel blessed and "favored" to be your mother. You were named after your Grandma Cavanaugh and your Grandma Pavlik. They both have the middle name Ann.

Morrow, you are my 4th child. Life is hectic all around but I look down at you and there is focus, and light, and love. You are my sweet little cuddly. You may ask when you get older why there is less written in your baby book, Or why there are fewer pictures. Does this mean we love you less? Let me tell you the ways you are loved that won't be captured in a book with this crazy life flying by around us. Ways that you and maybe even I will need to be reminded of when looking back at empty pages of a little yellow baby book with a bunny on the front. 

• When I was checking out of the hospital your daddy went to get the car. I remember rocking you in the rocking chair with the afternoon sun streaming down on us. I looked at you and cried, just wanting to remember every bit of that moment knowing you may be my last little baby. The sweet girl I prayed for. 
  
• It was just the three of us for a couple days. I had never before felt blue after the others, but I was filled with so many bittersweet feelings, never wanting our time to end. Wanting you small forever, yet also dreaming of the little person you would become.
  
  
  
• You are so content and quick to smile. We drove to Iowa to visit Great-Grandma when you were 5 weeks old. You didn't make a peep the whole trip. I nursed you in bathroom stalls all the way to Iowa. It was just you and me in those stalls and we would just stare at each other with oldies music playing in the background. Your eyes were so big and blue. I couldn't picture a more beautiful little baby. You smiled for the first time that weekend (Sept. 21, 2012). That might not be in your baby book, but it is in my heart for always. 
  
• You slept in bed with us for a good 6 months (even now I'll grab you out of your crib and snuggle in with you). I never did that with the others for fear of messing up their schedules, or wanting more sleep. With you I didn't want to be apart from you for a minute. I'll never forget waking up with you nestled in the crook of my arm. How at first you could fit inside my arm, and now you roll on your side or tummy to sleep beside me. The peace your sleeping face brings is priceless. One morning, when Grandma had the other 3, I woke up to you staring at me with a little smile on your face. It brings a smile to my face to picture it. It was almost like you knew it was going to be just you and me!
  
  
  
• I love the way you bounce up and down with your legs and your wide open little mouth when you see me. 
  
  
• Boy are you loud!! I love your little sounds, and love having such a talkative little baby! 
• You tried so hard for weeks to roll over making these crazy little noises, then finally when you did it Daddy and I were there cheering you on. We even got it on video!! 
• You get three times the love from your siblings!
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• I probably carry you more than the others, because I just can't bare to set you down. 
  
  
• And even though I love all of you "The Best". Daddy jokes that you're my favorite. 
  

So my dear Morrow Ann, your baby book may not be full, but my heart is full. Full of YOU. Never doubt that you are loved, valued, treasured. Every morning I look forward to your sweet face. Joy truly does come on the Morrow.

First EVER Sledding!

I took the kids sledding for the first time EVER this week. "What?!" you say. "You have never taken your kids sledding?!" you say. No, I have not. In my head I imagine the mounds of soggy gloves, muddy snowpants (because, yes, snowpants somehow always get mud on them), trails of melted snow all over the floor, spilled hot chocolate all over the table, and a marshmallow squished between my toes. And do you know what? All of that happened-well, except the marshmallow. Was it worth it? Oh yes, yes, YES! The joy sledding brought my kids and myself far outweighed the labor it took to get there and the clean up after. There are still a couple coats to be hung and slightly soggy mittens to dry, but I wouldn't trade the memories made! 

The day got me wondering, "How often in life I have done this to myself"? I wonder how many joyful experiences I have opted out of. How many meaningful gifts the Lord may have bestowed, but out of fear of labor, or man, or rejection I have turned the other way and stayed "comfy". Lord, you are full of grace, and I am confident that, "...He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Phil 1:6. A friend of mine recently told me that she prays that she won't stay the same. Lord don't let me stay the same. Work in me, refine me, grow my love for others, give me the strength to step out in the opportunities you place in front of me. I know you will change me, and make me more like you. I can have confidence that you will. I will be discouraged if I step out in flesh to try to make the changes I want, but you are good, and your Holy Spirit is always at work in me. This work will never end until the day You, Jesus Christ, return to take me home with you. What hope and joy this brings my life!! Next time I see those big fluffy flakes begin to fall, I am going to start laying out the snowclothes! Here are some pics of the day! 

Ready to go!

  

Snow fun! 

 

 

Ha! She looked like an Oompa-Loompa!

No sledding trip is complete without a trip to the Human Bean! 

My First Blog-Yikes!

Well, here we go! I am writing my very first (and hopefully not last) blog post! Paul set this blog up for me when our daughter, Idelette, was born thinking it would be a neat thing for me to keep up. Honestly, I can't think of anything that intimidates me more than blogging, mostly because I pretty much hate to write! Needless to say I never touched it, though Paul has written some really nice ones. Over the last couple of months though, I have been struck by how life really is a vapor. I want to remember the precious moments and memories of my family and loved ones and one day be able to look back on them and pass them on to the kiddos. The other reason I have decided to take up blogging, is that after kiddo #4, I find I am unable to keep up with the baby books so this can function as a baby book for the whole family! I pray that this glimpse into our crazy life will bring my Savior Lord glory, and encourage you in your own life! (If nothing else you will probably feel a whole lot better about your life after reading about our lovely chaos). :)

So, I am going to reintroduce my sweet family since we have grown! Below are my sweet gifts from God: Jonah (6), Jude (4), Idelette (2), and Morrow (8 months). These babies have refined me in more ways than I could begin to fill a blog with! God is so good! Their wonder at life is so refreshing, though it is sometimes hard to keep up with them. Especially, that little blond one on the right. They bring life to my boring adult brain!

 My husband Paul! Without a doubt it was God who brought us together! Thankful for the ups and downs. I couldn't be a helpmate to a better man. On a side note, this post also made me realize we have far to few pictures of just the two of us-two that I could find from the last 9 years, not counting engagement pictures! Here's a picture to remedy that. Now we have three!

Goodnight all, time to wrap up blog #1!