During my last beekeeper class, I got to taste my first honey direct from the comb. I'll get to that in a minute. But first we learned about the main job of a beekeeper - swarm control. Why does a honeybee colony swarm? The first factor has to do with the age of the queen. Here's a rule of thumb. In her first year, she will not swarm. In her second year, she will probably swarm. In her third year, she will definitely swarm. The second reason a colony swarms is because they need more room. But let's discuss the...

What happened to Spring? Too cold for me and much too cold for the bees. It should be at least 12 degrees Celsius before you open a beehive. And seeing as the thermometer in my car on the way to my bee class read 6 degrees, we weren't going to get a peak in the hive. Instead, about 15 of us huddled in the beekeeping clubhouse to learn about the different breeds of bees, frame sizes and where to best place a beehive.   We discussed three of the most popular races of honey bees, not very many considering that...

I am so happy that I have the opportunity to be a part of a beekeeping class offered by the beekeeping club of Konstanz. Yesterday afternoon was my second class so I have a lot to catch you up on. But first, a little bit of Greek Mythology which our instructor shared during our first class. Did you know that Zeus, the god of the sky and the ruler of the gods, was raised on honey? The story goes that Cronus, the father of Zeus, ate each of his children after they were born as he feared that they would overthrow him...

Paris is one of my favorite hobbies, if a city can be a hobby. But why not?! Thus, I love discovering new places to add to my ever-growing "must-see" list of things to see and do in the City of Light. My latest discovery makes me want to grab a sketch block, buy some paint and head straight to the banks of the river Seine to capture that light. Just take a look at this video and you'll know what I mean.     The Impressionists emphasized the effects of light in their paintings. Because of their lightness and transparency,...

Fall is all about preserving Summer! Thus far, I have harvested the remainder of my tomatoes and canned pasta sauce, harvested my cucumbers and made the best refrigerator pickles ever and now I've finished canning the last of my jalapeños and habaneros from the garden. For those of you who are in need of a little extra spice in your life, this recipe is for you!     Here's what you need: 4 cups white vinegar 1 1/3 cups water 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 1/2 lbs. Chiles cut into slices 8 garlic cloves     After...