Swarming Bees

Swarming is mainly a spring phenomenon where a new honey bee colony is formed when the queen bee leaves the colony with a large group of worker bees. 

Working in my bee yard, and noticed bees gathering in a nearby tree. Lucky I had a swarm box to catch them and they were on a branch that I could reach.

Set up brood box and dumped the bees from the swarm box into it. 

The bees began fanning to let everyone know where to go. Look  all the bees began marching into the hive following the queen.

Not sure of the origin of the first swarm I caught. The second swarm was from my newest hive so was very happy I captured those "girls". I now have two new hives in addition to my older two hives. My bee yard is growing!

Spring Beekeeping

This begins my third year as a beekeeper.  The third year is a big year for stabilization. I am a happy beekeeper that both my hives survived the winter and are thriving. It is also the year for beekeepers to start making limited honey production again. Let’s get started!

Spring inspection with removal of the winter hive wrap.

Look at all the bees!  

Looks like I will need to add the honey super to give the bees more room.

Cat Grass

Decided to plant Cat Grass as a non-destructive alternative for Spencer, my cat, to eat instead of my houseplants. Cat grass is a type of cereal grass such as oat grass or wheat grass. Hopefully the leaves of the Cat Grass will help satisfy craving for greens and keep him from my plants.  According to the Cat Grass package:

• This is a good digestive aid in small doses for most cats.
• It is extremely easy to grow, your cat will love you.
• Place in south window for best light you can find.
• Avena sativa sometimes called cat oats

Oat grass is particularly popular because it’s sweet and the blades are non-serrated so they won’t get stuck in your animal's throat.  The reason to purchase a product labeled “cat grass” is that it will most likely be pesticide free, organic, and manufactured for cat consumption.

Most animals like a little vegetation every now and again. Greens help with digestion and hairballs, provide folic acid and the chlorophyll is a natural breath freshener.   If your cat is indoors all the time, houseplants are pretty much the only option.  And eating the houseplants may get your pet in trouble and might even make them sick.  It’s even scarier for indoor-outdoor cats because who knows what’s lurking out there under the guise of a tasty green?  

Irish Blessing

*May brooks and trees and singing hills join in the chorus too, and every gentle wind that blows send happiness to you.* --Irish Blessing

Southern Hospitality Cast List

"Southern Hospitality" presented by The Stained Glass Playhouse is another riotous comedy by Jones, Hope, & Wooten, the authors of "The Dixie Swim Club," "Red Velvet Cake Wars," "Dearly Beloved" and "Dearly Departed." This show is set in the small town of Fayro, Texas. It is the hilarious tale of the Futrelle sisters, eccentrics all, trying to save their small town after all of the major businesses have flown. Trying to attract a salsa manufacturer, all kinds of unlikely promises are made and all kinds of troubles arise, including somebody dropping dead just as the salsa representative arrives! 

Cast list is as follows:

Rhonda Lynn - April Marshall

Honey Raye - Angela Hodges

Gina Joe - Kady Ann Tilley

Twink - Carolyn Huggins

Frankie - Sara Butner

Justin Waverly - Kenny Gaylord

John Curtis Buntner - Mark Craddock

Dub Dubberly - Robert Evans

Iney Dubberly - Kay Shelton

Buck Strickland - Chris Swaim 

Dayva Davidson - Patti Darkow

Raynerd Chisum - Logan Chidester

Geneva Musgrave - Peggy Dull

Director:  Justin Bulla
Stage Manager:  Tina Evans

Performance dates and times: 

Friday and Saturday, May 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, 16, 2015 at 8 pm
Sunday, May 3, 10, 17, 2015 at 3 pm