My bees...

I still have them! It's been 6 months and I still have 2 hives of honey bees. I don't think they are as strong as they were during summer. I have seen LOTS of dead bees. I am assuming they are drones. But we have had some nights in the low 20's. And snow Monday. But they are doing pretty good so far. I've been feeding them sugar water with honey in it. And when I find time, I'll make a "sugar cake" to put on the top of the cover.

This is the Outback Hive. I had a small box on top, but they never did anything in it. So I took it off a few days ago. I had read they don't need the extra room to have to heat during winter. I think they are much better right now with it off.

This is the Garden Hive. They are much stronger. More bees here and not so many dead ones laying around.
They go through a quart of sugar water a day and would take 2 if I gave it to them. I was going to take this top box of yesterday, but when I lifted it up, there were bees and wax toward the bottom. So I left it on for them.

I just hope they make it through the winter. I'll take these jars off when I get the cakes in and then put the entrance reducers in.

What about you other bee keepers? How are your bees doing so far? Would love to hear about them.

I'm dying.

Yes, that's right. Dying. Wool. That I spun myself. And I picked the Goldenrod and Sumac a few months ago to make dye "tea" to use. I don't know what it's called.

So I stayed home ALL day today. Didn't even go see my poor mother. She fell 2 weeks ago at her church and broke her right knee. And fell right on her face again too. It looks much better. But her knee can't be bent. She is walking on it though. So she can do a lot now that she couldn't do last week. My sister came up and stayed with her over a week. That's how I got to go to my spinning class. Thank you Heidi!

I found some directions for natural dying. Went to the studio and got it all together. It takes 2 hours to wash the skeins. Then another hour to set the mordant. Then another hour to keep the yarn in the dye pots.

This is the rinse water.

Then they went into the mordant pots. I used alum and cream of tartar.

Then into the dye water. This is the Sumac. it's really pretty when in the water here.

And this is the Goldenrod. So pretty.

And this is the finished yarn, hanging outside on the front porch to dry. Or drip really. Then I brought it inside the studio.

I wish now that I had done all the yarn in the yellow. I love it.

But don't know if I'll dye again. It took so long to do and it's just an iffy thing. So not to knit up a pretty scarf or cowl.

My $700 skein of yarn.

I am SO glad I went to this spinning class at the John Campbell Folk School. I learned so much. And now I CAN SPIN! I will be able to spin my own wool from my own sheep now! I am beyond thrilled about this. I also learned how to use a drop spindle. 2 different kinds. I am very impressed with myself and proud of me too. It was so much fun.

This is the yarn I spun at the school. Some Corriedale roving. Very easy to use.

This is what I've done at home. I am getting better at getting the fiber smaller so I can get more on the spindle. Or bobbin. What is this called? I would love to take a class now on the mechanics of the wheel. What everything is called and how it works. I need to know these things as well. At any rate, I LOVE spinning! On the wheel and the drop spindles.

This is my home made Lazy Kate. I have my great grand mother's but it's too narrow to hold these newer bobbins. So I used to rods and put them through this basket. Works great!

And this is some of the spun yarn, plied.  Pretty big.  I am already spinning smaller.

This is some of the washed Romney fleece I had gotten from the fiber show a few weeks ago. I carded up 5 batts  and spun away. I am loving Romney. It's SO soft.

This is some of the Romney, spun. You can see how much smaller it is here than the white. I already have 2 bobbins full so far. Need to get the rest of that fleece washed up.

I really loved that school. And it's only about 100 miles from here. I had called to get a room because I couldn't find any hotels in Murphy. I got a room in the Bidstrup  House. With a shared bath. Which I didn't mind. But specifically said I did not want a shared room. So when I got there, I went to register. Got my room # and found the house. It looked like a little Hobbit house. All I could see was the roof. I had to walk down and behind to get to the door. A long hallway with rooms on either side. Cold. I found my room. It was the size of a small bedroom, with 2 twin beds, really close together. I saw another name on the door with my name. Then the door opened and this little lady walked in. And to my room. My little room mate. I almost cried. So I went back up to the registration office and told her I was not happy. I wanted my own room. SO she looked and found me another room. I would have to upgrade, which was fine with me. It ended up being a huge room with 2 double beds and a bathroom in the room!!! And upstairs from my classroom! I was a very happy camper then. And had a great time the rest of my stay.

There were people from all over the country there. Some families. One of the girls in my class was from Brooklyn, NY. If anyone can go, I highly recommend this place. I would love to take the pottery class next.  Sunday, we all had to display our work in the 2nd floor of the house I stayed in. It was amazing seeing all the beautiful things all these people had made that week. Very impressive indeed. I will go back.

But glad to be home. It's freezing here. Had out 1st snow of the season yesterday. Already found 2 dead hens in the past several days. The sheep of course are loving this cold weather. They are dressed for it. I hope you all stay warm and happy the rest of the week!