Episode 23: It's a Sweet Life!

Thanks for coming back to watch My High Plains Life!  I'd like to welcome any new viewers we have. 
I am DaniGirlCO on Instagram and Ravelry.
Here are the show notes for Episode 23:  

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - 
FO's: n/a

WIPs: 

Celtic Myths shawl, doing the fingering weight pattern, finally on the border!  going to run out of yarn, had to order another skein.  Hope the color blends into the border well enough.  This is going to be an expensive shawl.

Stalking - things for the Colors of the Season KAL, swatching for the Linum tee, 

Acquisitions - 

Spinning Projects -

none

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - 
Nicole's wedding quilt, some new blocks, trying to get my rear in gear already.

In the Garden: we had yet another hail storm, and my rhubarb is still recovering.  Perennials are blooming and growing.  Hops are about 7-8 ft tall now.

In the Beeyard - Extraction party went great, if messy.  Everything got sticky.  Hubby used it as excuse to buy a power washer.  Rented extractor from the Pikes Peak Beekeeper's Association.

I've gone out on two swarm calls, but I only managed to get one, and not sure if I got the queen at that.  Installed in a hive.  Checked them yesterday and they were still there but didn't see any brood or eggs.  Not enough population to make it worthwhile to requeen.
Also did a hive extraction for a lady with bees in her house.

Off Topic:  
Watching: n/a
Want to play in the Colors of the Season KAL? Started June 1, thru Aug 31.  Make something in the colors of the season that inspire you.


Thanks for watching!

Episode 22: Cables and Colors

Thanks for coming back to watch My High Plains Life!  I'd like to welcome any new viewers we have. 
I am DaniGirlCO on Instagram and Ravelry.
Here are the show notes for Episode 22:  

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - 
FO's: vanilla socks, using Zitron Trekking XXL

WIPs: 

Celtic Myths shawl, doing the fingering weight pattern, finally on the border!  going to run out of yarn, had to order another skein.  Hope the color blends into the border well enough.  This is going to be an expensive shawl.

Stalking - things for the Colors of the Season KAL, swatching for the Linum tee, 

Acquisitions - 

Spinning Projects -

none

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - 
Nicole's wedding quilt, some new blocks, past half done point.
1st Thursday mystery block, second block finished

In the Garden: rabbits are eating my perennials.  Arrrrgggghhhh!
Rhubarb is picked again, hops are trellised, flowers are blooming.  Mint is taking over so I pulled what I could, but it's jumped the yard.  Garden is . . .not planted yet, and we just had quarter size hail which shredded a lot of my new plants

In the Beeyard - Remaining hive has swarmed.  Hosting an extraction party on June 11.  I'll be sure to take video and pictures.  Renting extractor from the Pikes Peak Beekeeper's Association.

Off Topic:  
Watching: Teahouse Knits with Tina.  Knitting and educational info about tea varietals.  Want to play in the Colors of the Season KAL? Starts June 1, thru Aug 31.  Make something in the colors of the season that inspire you.
Playing with my meds.  I think it's helping some.
May 30th was ONE YEAR of podcasting!

Thanks for watching!

Episode 21: Quick, Quick, Slow

Thanks for coming back to watch My High Plains Life!  I'd like to welcome any new viewers we have. 
I am DaniGirlCO on Instagram and Ravelry.
Here are the show notes for Episode 21:  

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - 
FO's: nada

WIPs: 
vanilla socks, using Zitron Trekking XXL

Celtic Myths shawl, doing the fingering weight pattern and turning out much better on the edging.

Stalking - nothing, trying to finish up WIPS

Acquisitions - quilting ruler, quilters have gadgets too!

Spinning Projects -

none

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - 
Nicole's wedding quilt, some new blocks, past half done point.
1st Thursday mystery block, one of two block finished

In the Garden: landscaper finished and the sod looks great.  Still need more perennials.
Rhubarb is picked, hops are vining already.

In the Beeyard - And the bees are . . . one of the two hives has died out.  Low populations probably couldn't keep brood warm?  Saw queen in the second hive, but also several swarm/supercedure cells.  They haven't swarmed yet, but . . . I reversed the hive boxes (top to bottom) so we'll see if that helps.  Suffered a bit of heat exhaustion doing hive inspection, so it's a good thing Jason and Sarah were there.  Jason ended up hauling everything out that needed it.  Thanks Jason and Sarah!

Off Topic:  
Watching: Suburban Stitcher with Dianne Brown.  Want to play in the Around Your Neck KAL? 
May is flying by so fast, yet I feel like I'm getting nothing done.  The rhubarb needs pulled again, the weeds need pulled already, and the hop needs trellised.  Garden needs planted this weekend.  Where does the time go?
We celebrated the Kentucky Derby with friends and family, and lots of mint juleps.
Been sleeping A LOT.

Thanks for watching!

Episode 10: Fall Came Too Fast

Thanks for coming back to watch My High Plains Life!
Here are the show notes for Episode 10:  

On The Road: missed the September ride with the gang to Pagosa Springs

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - 
FO's: none
WIPs: 
Atlantic Current Socks, working up the leg, 
Vanilla socks in Zitron Trekking XXL color way 156, need to start the heel
Tivoli Eileen Tee by Coralie Meslin of Tahki Stacy Charles, my swatch lied! Using Tahki yarns Sedona, 90/10 wool/silk, in the Kiwi color way.
Plain garter stitch shawl in some TLC Heathers acrylic
I am ready for the DCS Pigskin Party 2015!

Spinning Projects -
WIP: some unknown white fiber, lots of neps but VERY bouncy

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - 
no sewing because my room was in use by the niece!

Gone to the Dogs: n/a

In the Garden: 
starting the fall cleanup already.  Hubby trimmed the hedges and family cleaned up the front yard.

In the Beeyard - time to pull the honey supers and rent the extractor for the weekend

Off Topic:  will be volunteering for Habitat for Humanity build this weekend

Thanks for watching!

Episode 7: Some Summer Knitting

Here are the show notes for Episode 7:  

In the Mug: n/a

On The Road: An out and back to Pine for lunch, got caught in a little rain. Pack your rain gear!

On the Needles: 
Knitting Projects - starting at 6:45
FO's: My Crossover Top by Patons, using Universal Yarn Inc. Cotton Supreme Splash in Calm Waters'; I've sewn the front together, sleeves, seamed the sides and wove in ends.

WIPs: 
Atlantic Current Socks, I'm still turning the heel
Vanilla socks in Zitron Trekking XXL color way 156
I want to cast on all the shawls!
Starting Aug 1 the Brooklyn Tweed KAL for the My Sister's Knitter KAL group
Knit any pattern from the Wool People, BT or Jared Flood pattern lines 
I will be working on my Seraphine shawl

Spinning Projects -
FO: chain plyed my Loop bump for Tour de Fleece
WIP: 
spinning thick/thin on my drop spindle for Tour de Fleece 2015, team spindlers!

Under the Needle:
Sewing Projects - starting at 18:40
Waves of Glory quilt back done
tablerunner to match placemats finished
working on my scrappy Chain of Friendship quilt by Sally Schneider

Gone to the Dogs: n/a

In the Garden: starting at 23:00
What's blooming - catmint, hops, anise hyssop, blue blazes

In the Beeyard - starting at 25:40

Queen Fiona's hive is doing ?
S&J hive is good.  
Got stung twice, once on each hand, and they swelled so much I couldn't knit (GASP!)

Off Topic: Tea House Knits talked about dealing with depression also in her latest episode
We have a Ravelry group!  Come join us at My High Plains Life Podcast group!

Thanks for watching!

Last Steps

Sarah and I performed another hive check on Sunday, and what we found wasn't good.  Actually it was what we DIDN'T find.  No Queen Catherine!  There were actually still bees left in the hive, a very small population, but enough to care for some brood, if there were any.  We went through every frame, and no queen, no eggs.  No dead carcass with a red dot on the bottom board or in front of the hive.  Did she fly away?  Was she killed, even though they appeared to accept her fine?  I hate not knowing what happened!  If I don't know what it was, how am I supposed to correct it so it doesn't happen again?  Arrrggghhhh!!!


Only a few frames of bees left

 

Both Sarah and I working without gloves. Granted, there was only a small population of bees.

The only good things about Sunday's hive check was that my niece Enya helped out again, and I worked it without any protective gear.  Sarah also did it without gloves.  We did put our veils on when we shook the remaining bees into one box, but I think we're getting more comfortable and less jumpy.  Due to the declining population, we took off the second deep box, and brushed or shook all the bees off of the frames into the bottom deep.  We put the best frames into the bottom box, and packed up the others. 


Enya helping with the honey extraction

 Oh, and we got a little honey.  HONEY!!!  There was one frame we pulled that had 1/2 of one side with capped honey.  Not much, just enough for a taste, right?  Wrong!  With Enya helping, we scraped the capped honey into a strainer lined with cheesecloth, sitting over a bowl.  We crushed it all up, breaking open all of the honeycomb cells, and let gravity do it's work (hence it being called the "crush and strain" method).  After letting it sit for a few hours, with periodic smooshing, we ended up with 2 small jars of golden elixir.  At least the day had a sweet ending!


Our first honey!