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summer fun

lagoon

bees

Back in April we decided to become beekeepers and start our own beehive in our backyard.  Gene's sister, Lorraine, has kept bees for a couple years now and walked us through the process, holding our hand almost every step of the way.  The beginning of April we picked up our bees (approx. 10,000 in a cage) and 'hived' them over Conference weekend.  They are very docile in the Spring, so we didn't even need protective gear.  Come honey harvest time, in the fall, we will need to be fully suited up!  By the end of the summer/fall season there will be approx. 60,000 bees and hopefully they will 'winter over' well so that we can pick up again in the Spring. 

Gene opening the cage on hiving day...



bees covering the queen-bee cage...

the worker bees will eat their way through the marshmellow plug

to get to the queen and release her into the hive

the cage of 10,000 worker honey bees

placing the cage over the queen cage inside the hive, along with sugar water

for food the first several weeks

Hiving day back in April, after closing up the hive...

Now, late July, our hive is four boxes (or 'supers') high, and almost full of honey.

The brooding box is the bottom box (where the queen resides and lays eggs),

and the second box from the bottom is their winter supply of food/honey.

We get to harvest the top two boxes--20 frames worth!

Our beehive in the back corner of our yard, by our garden/grape vines/apple tree...

Harvesting one frame of honey...

After scraping the honeycomb into the bowl, I strained it

through a painter's cloth to get the honey out.  We keep the dry honey comb

to make candles or lipbalm.

One frame produced 1.5 quarts of honey. 

We gave some away and kept this for our family.

Can't wait for honey harvest to see how much our hive gives us!!

 

We're having so much FUN at bee keeping...

and our garden is producing like crazy this year--another benefit!

 

one niece down 3 more to go...

My niece, Jessica, had her bridal shower at my house back in April or May

and then got married in June at the Bountiful Temple.  She made a beautiful bride.

She is the first of two nieces on my side and two nieces on Gene's side

to get married this summer.

Aunt Myrna's team won the tissue gown dress-up game...

Jessie opening up gifts

beautiful nieces...

Love this shot.  "Daddy, you're gonna pay whatever it costs!" ;)

wedding luncheon in Logan