Summer Full Grandchildren Moon
Kate’s made the woodenware for Artemis Hives. Dave Schroeder suggested we mark each piece with the year made. As we start eliminating frames and hive boxes on a five year cycle, we’ve got the record right on the box. This year, with no marks, will be 2010. Next year she’ll start marking them year by year.
Kate and I have been investigating honey extracting equipment. It’s not cheap, but it’s not break the bank expensive either. We have to have a certain level of equipment to 
get from honey supers to bottled honey, most of which will go in canning jars, but some will go in fancy jars as gifts or to sell at a farmer’s market. This is the next to last phase of beekeeping and one still new to me. The last phase of beekeeping comes after the honey extraction. The colonies will need inspection for varroa mites and nosema before late fall. Doing this stuff is also new to me, but I have to learn at some point.
(this is one unit we’re considering right now.)
We had a designer come out to discuss a water feature for our patio area. He showed us some brochures, talked with us a bit and recommended a pondless solution. Sounds great to me. Once you’ve had a swimming pool, you know the hassle pond maintenance brings in its trail. This one has a pump and running water filtered through sand and rock. It’s not cheap, however, so we’ll have to decide.
Roasting a chicken. Brenda Langton suggested some meat, chicken or lamb or turkey, made at the beginning of the week, serving as a meal entre, then as sandwich or salad fixings, finally boiled in a soup. It’s a nice, straightforward way to plan a week, easy, too.
