Nice planter combo

I have worked on this planter for years to get a good show in all seasons. There is a grass in the back that lasts all year and this purple flower in the front lasts forever. The bleeding heart just showed up this year. The clematis isn't flowering yet but should be nice in the back. The hyacinths are almost done and there should be a tulip or two soon. Later there will be some yellow and orange lily's.

First sunny day for our bees

We had out first sunny afternoon since we installed the bees.  And just like we had been told, the bees were busy checking out their new digs.  They were busy flying all around.  They were taking care to clean the hive... all the dead bees that were on the outside of the entrance were flown away (where I don't know.  But bees ar every clean and will dispose of the bodies far from the hive).

Here is a video so you  can see what I'm talking about... pictures just don't show the excitement and energy.  Also, you can see my dog Titus - she isn't scared of the bees at all yet.  She got one stuck in her nose hair... we thought it stung her yesterday but she's back today checking out the new citizens of the property!

The chickens haven't even noticed the bees.  I thought they would be interested in eating the dead bees, but maybe not.

Here is an update of the property projects staring our wonderful chickens!  So we have the retaining wall all done with electricity and water put in (wow what a headache the water was).  The chicken coop is to the far right in the pic.  We have an arbor to the right.  On the other side of the arbor I am installing a greenhouse.  So its just got the foundation put in now. 

You can see black planters I put in last year.  They turned out spectacular.  I put some Japanese blood grass, creeping jenny, some dark red inpatients, and some dark almost black coleus.  They were really great looking and the grass and creeping jenny came back after the winter.

We found a great outdoor iron works kind of place outside of Spokane last year on our way to Yellowstone (stayed at the Lake Yellowstone Lodge which was great).  So we stopped on our way back and the went again in fall just before the snow hit.  We got some really good deals (cash talks).  I was able to get some iron short fencing to go around my vegetable garden as the chickens are loving my garden too much.  Will try to find a picture of that also.

Did fuschia Saturday at Fred Meyer

We do fuschia baskets around the house every year. We try to use the "dark eyes" trailing flowers. So we usually go to Fred Meyer where you can buy the starts for 5 for $3 and bring your own pots and they will plant the pots/baskets using black gold soil. So it's kind of fun. Although this year Dave was gone so I had to do it alone. Here's a pic of my hanging pots with soil.

Bee keeping

For our anniversary (10 years!) this year we decided to start beekeeping.  Kind of one of those experience type gifts we give ourselves.  About 2 months ago we started the Washington State apprentice beekeping classes through Beez Neez in Snohomish.  We finished and passed the exam and we get our bees this coming week.

We painted our hives kind of look like our house... at least to blend in with the house.  We are doing two hives... frankly because it seems like with colony collapse disorder a lot of people are losing their hives over the winter.

But the coolest thing we got for the hive was copper tops.  We looked all around for copper tops.  Some had a wood bar over the top... which we aren't sure why they do that but we didn't like the look and often the copper was not pure copper.  So we got them through Better Bee online.  And they were back ordered.  But we ordered them like 2 months ago so we didn't think it would be a problem.  But it was... we called three times to see when they would be sent.  Got a different reason every time... essentially they bought them from a producer and there were problem on that side.  They said they would call when they shipped them.  So we ended up borrowing two tops from a friend.  But they were commercial tops and were used so I wasn't real sure about it.  But it doesn't matter because we got the tops today.  Yeah!!!  And they are beautiful...

So we have been going to our local bee club (NWDBA) and have learned a lot there as well as WSU has good information on their extension website.

We got my beekeeping suite from Pigeon Mountain Trading Company.  I will post a picture when I get someone to take one that doesn't make me look dorky.  Dave go this from Beez Neez.  I hope to have someone take a video of us when we instal our bees this week.  On Thursday we are going to go to 21 acres in Woodinville to watch two people form our bee club install bees there.  If you don't know what 21 acres is... its an educational non-profit facility in Woodinville based on sustainable agriculture and building design.  They have classes there on various topics.  We did one on beekeeping aside form the apprentice program.

Got more worms!!!

So one of my problems with worm composting has been the lack of worms.  I bought two pints (installed them 2 weeks apart) and I just didn't see many worms when I would put in food.  I was starting to feel like I was putting more food in than the worms could handle.  And I just wanted to play with my worms more... I didn't want to spend 20 minutes looking.  The demo bin at the workshop I went to showed a huge number of worms... it was cool.

So, I bought a pound of worms.  I bought them from the same place the nursery buys them from... Its in Yelm. https://www.yelmworms.com/.  They also sell the worm casting which are super great in containers that need a bit of energy nutrient  boost.  I put them in my nice black planters and I can see a huge difference in just 2 weeks.

But back to the worms... So I got them today!!!!  And here are some picture of ALL the cool worms I got.  Now I have to stop myself from disturbing them too much... but I did got back a few hours after installing this group and its is SO cool... worms are happily worming all over.  I also took a video... they were a little slow as this was irght after they got out of the bag.  Now they are happy and zippily moving around.

Worm composting

Well, I am worm composting now.  Took a class at Sky Nursery and learned how wonderful worm composting can be.  The castings (poo) are great for the garden as they have live microorganisms that help plants thrive.