1. lemon cookies
2. secret beaches
3. how hilarious the Foleys are
4. dogs who definitely don't jump into the tiny fish pond*
5. not being in high school anymore
*absolutely not. Unthinkable.
Saturday, June 28, 2014
Friday, June 27, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Friday Random Edition
1. lilies
2. tadpoles
3. blueberries
4. seashells
5. the word "babushka"
2. tadpoles
3. blueberries
4. seashells
5. the word "babushka"
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Brave Souls Edition
1. Meg, getting right up in front of the bee hive to take pictures
2. Maeve, so excited that she grabbed the top of the hive box with her bare hands and leaned in*
3. Small people wearing big beekeeper hats
4. being the Foley cousins' field trip destination for the day yesterday
5. ice cream
*not recommended (but she was fine)
2. Maeve, so excited that she grabbed the top of the hive box with her bare hands and leaned in*
3. Small people wearing big beekeeper hats
4. being the Foley cousins' field trip destination for the day yesterday
5. ice cream
*not recommended (but she was fine)
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Lacking Credibility Edition
Note: one of my nieces is visiting in the area and wants to come over and meet the bees. Last night, I realized I should warn her that she should avoid eating bananas this morning, because bees can mistake the scent of bananas for the alarm pheromone they produce when the hive is in danger--and nobody wants to be around 30,000 bees who think they're in danger. When she didn't question the text I sent her, I thought it would be funny to just keep sending her completely invented "rules"--how many could I get away with before she stopped believing me? Then I realized that this sort of thing is exactly why my nieces and nephews never know when they're supposed to take me seriously. So here are five things I could have told my niece but didn't:
1. Always drink a giant glass of water before you visit the bees. At least 24 ounces. Our bodies have a relatively high percentage of salt, which can make the bees uneasy, so it's best to water it down a little bit.
2. The smoker must be filled with pine needles that are EXACTLY the same length or it won't work right. You must add one 3-inch long maple twig, no larger in diameter than a pencil. It must be maple, to counteract the pitch in the pine needles.
3. Don't wear horizontal stripes. It would be okay if you were here in July, but this is June. You don't want to know why.
4. Singing is helpful to keep the bees calm (they really like power ballads in particular), but no humming. Some bees are okay with whistling, but I wouldn't risk it since they don't know you yet. DEFINITELY NO HUMMING.
5. The first time you see the inside of a hive, you need to spin around in a circle three times while whispering, "Buzz buzz buzz, what an awesome sight that was" or there will be no honey that year. It's an old beekeeping superstition, but we take it very seriously.
1. Always drink a giant glass of water before you visit the bees. At least 24 ounces. Our bodies have a relatively high percentage of salt, which can make the bees uneasy, so it's best to water it down a little bit.
2. The smoker must be filled with pine needles that are EXACTLY the same length or it won't work right. You must add one 3-inch long maple twig, no larger in diameter than a pencil. It must be maple, to counteract the pitch in the pine needles.
3. Don't wear horizontal stripes. It would be okay if you were here in July, but this is June. You don't want to know why.
4. Singing is helpful to keep the bees calm (they really like power ballads in particular), but no humming. Some bees are okay with whistling, but I wouldn't risk it since they don't know you yet. DEFINITELY NO HUMMING.
5. The first time you see the inside of a hive, you need to spin around in a circle three times while whispering, "Buzz buzz buzz, what an awesome sight that was" or there will be no honey that year. It's an old beekeeping superstition, but we take it very seriously.
Tuesday, June 24, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Poets Edition
1. the generosity of poets
2. being so overwhelmed by #1 that the other 4 might not matter
3. the way that returning to an obsession can be like seeing an old friend for the first time in years
4. the sheer quantity of helpful ideas in my inbox this morning
5. poets
2. being so overwhelmed by #1 that the other 4 might not matter
3. the way that returning to an obsession can be like seeing an old friend for the first time in years
4. the sheer quantity of helpful ideas in my inbox this morning
5. poets
Monday, June 23, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Summer Vacation Edition
1. sleeping in
2. midday naps
3. staying up late
4. being in charge of my own schedule
5. realizing that I'm not really responsible enough to be in charge of my own schedule, but not caring
2. midday naps
3. staying up late
4. being in charge of my own schedule
5. realizing that I'm not really responsible enough to be in charge of my own schedule, but not caring
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Five Things that Don't Suck, Poet-Fest-Hangover Edition
1. the kind of headache you get from laughing too hard
2. staying up too late and being sort of woozy the next day
3. fantastic conversations
4. getting the very first taste of honey from your own hive and wondering if that's some sort of metaphor
5. lemon buttermilk cake*
*which is its own kind of poetry, trust me
2. staying up too late and being sort of woozy the next day
3. fantastic conversations
4. getting the very first taste of honey from your own hive and wondering if that's some sort of metaphor
5. lemon buttermilk cake*
*which is its own kind of poetry, trust me
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