Morning Meanderings…. Feeling RaNdOm

Published on May 17, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)14 Comments

Good morning! It is Thursday and I really have no one topic in my head but fractured pieces of several. Bear with me… (bare with me? No, that doesn’t sound right either….)

Last night Bookcloseouts.com emailed me a 50% off audio books sale. Way to go Book Closeouts… much of my supposed “mowing in the evening” time went to browsing and drooling over great titles that were $7.99 and less…. many around that $4.00 mark. 17 audio books later, I came out the other side. I averaged less that $5 per audio. No kidding – check this out. (And I finished mowing at 9:15 pm, thank you Book Closeouts!)

Shelf Awareness posted this morning that the Pooh House is for sale and for several reasons…. I visualized it as mine for a few seconds… one reason being, how funny it is called the “Pooh” house…. and the looks you would get – HOWEVER it is called the Pooh House because it used to belong to Christopher Robin Milne, son of Winnie the Pooh creator A.A. Milne, and more recently – a Rolling Stone… not a rolling rock, but a rock man… errr, a member of the Rolling Stones. 😛

I picture myself in England, no doubt wearing long flowing dresses and carrying around a cup of tea as I think that is what the English do… with my pinky in the air because I think that is a “must” as well. Tally ho and all that…. I think that’s what you say…..

Tonight after work I get my hair cut (always frightening!) and then I am going on a town walk – a bout thing which sounds a little cheesy but a lot of fun. A few of my friends and I are participating in a thing where you go to local participating businesses and get your card stamped – some of the businesses will have treats to sample, and drawings, and one person will win $1,000 dollars, announced tomorrow morning on the radio. My friend Amy was the winner of that $1,000 the first year she participated.

Sounds just silly enough to be fun.

Have to run – have to work…. have a wonderful day…. our weather has gone from delightful the past three days where I have been busy mowing the lawn and preparing the garden to now – when I have time to be outside…. windy and cold. GAH…. Hopefully $1,000 will take the edge off the weather…LOL..

hey, a girl can dream can’t she? 😛

Viola In The Spotlight by Adriana Trigiani

Published on May 16, 2012May 16, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

It is no secret that I adore Adriana Trigiani’s books. While I have read Viola In The Spotlight and LOVED it, I have yet to get to this one. Thank you to Camryn who spied it on my shelves and took it out on loan and now having reviewed it… I want to read it right away! ~ Sheila

Viola in the Spotlight

Viola in the Spotlight is written by Adriana Trigiani. Viola Chesterton just came home from her school year a Prefect Academy, a boarding school in South Bend, Indiana. When Viola finally comes home to her Brooklyn, New York, she is relieved and more than ready to catch up with her best friends, Caitlin Pullapilly and Andrew Bozelli. Even if Viola is surprised that her BFFAA (Andrew) and Caitlin don’t have a totally free summer, she still feels like this summer will be the best yet. Trouble arises when Caitlin falls in love with the son of Viola’s parent’s tenant, Maurice. Maurice’s dad, Les Longfellow, is in Brooklyn only for the summer to direct a Broadway play, featuring Viola’s grandmother (Grand) and her boyfriend (George). Caitlin’s strict mom would never approve of Caitlin’s relationship with Maurice, so they keep it a secret. Viola gets an internship with the lighting designer of Grand’s play, which Grand got for her so Viola would have some way to spend her time that summer. Problems occur when Viola’s BFFAA, Andrew, starts acting weird around her. Viola brushes it off as nothing, but starts to second guess her judgement later on. As Caitlin and Maurice start getting closer and closer together, Viola knows it’s not right to keep this from Caitlin’s mom, but keeps the secret against her better judgement.

Viola decides to invite her Prefect roomies, Suzanne, Romy, and Marisol to the opening night of Grand’s play. After a few exhilaratingly happy days, they give a tearful goodbye and go their separate ways. When a sad tragedy hits Viola, she is forced to realize that she has the best of friends, and the best family she could ask for. With many not-so-easy decisions ahead of her, Viola realizes that this could be one of her most exciting summers, ever.

I ♥loved♥ this book. I read the prequel, Viola in Reel Life, a year – or a couple – years ago. I don’t remember exactly. I would recommend this book to anyone who read the first one. Or who wants a good series to read. It was a really great book, and the prequel was even better.

Camryn is 12 years old, soon to be thirteen and enjoys reading YA books of the fantasy and romance genre. A few of her favorite books are “Hourglass” by Myra McEntire, “The Other Countess” by Eve Edwards, “Hush, Hush” by Becca Fitzpatrick, “The Immortals” series, the “Marked” series and the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series. When she’s not reading she enjoys watching Gilmore Girls or going to book sales for more books to add to her ever-growing collection.

Morning Meanderings… Now That is A World Book Day Story!

Published on May 16, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)13 Comments

Good morning and happy Wednesday! 😀 Truly how did I forget that spring is so much work? Every spare moment I have I am cleaning the deck, assembling lawn furniture, pulling weeds, redoing my hosta beds, mowing the lawn, planting…. and then looking around thinking, “I should really sweep out the garage, I should clean up that storage space, hmmmm…. can I make the yard scrabble board I found on pinterest?”

Ok Ok… that is not what I planned on chatting about this morning so let me just pack away “complaining about the to do’s Sheila” and bring out “I could do a back flip that is so exciting Sheila”….

Oh good… here I am…

SO, last week I mentioned that I had one copy left of the World Book Day book, Hunger Games. AND I knew where I wanted it to go, to Greg who works in the same building I do and who I figured was a prime candidate when we had a conversation about a month ago about the Hunger Games movie that went something like this:

Greg: So, do you know anything about that movie Hunger Games?

Me: Uhhh… YEAH! I seen it opening night and it was fantastic!

Greg: Well, isn’t it about kids killing kids?

Me: Now Greg, you say that like it is a bad thing…. (LOL, ok that’s not what I really said… let’s try this again…. 😛 )

Me (take II): It is hard to explain, it’s a book I never thought I would read but if you can say it is done well and tastefully… it really is an amazing read.

Greg: I don’t know… I will probably pass on it or wait for it to come out in DVD.

(Flash forward to last week when I brought him the final copy I had and offered him to read the book and asked him to put on the mask he wears when he is working at his stained glass business…. because, like I said in last weeks post… that’s just good Hunger Games humor.)

So now I bring you to present time… well, yesterday afternoon to be precise….

Scene: Greg comes up into the office I work in….

Greg: You ruined my weekend.

Me: Wha????

Greg: I could not put that book down. At first I thought it was so strange but then…

Me: Prim?

Greg: Yes! Wow, and ….

Me: Rue?

Greg: Yes! Wow when she ……………………………………….. (I wont say here in case anyone has not read the book/seen the movie)

Me: I know, right?

Greg: I will be finishing it later today.

Me: So, do you want me to bring in Catching Fire and Mockingjay for you to finish out the series?

Greg: That’s what I came in here to ask you.

Me: 😛

So yeah – that is a World Book Day WIN! I have the books packed up to go into work with me today where I am sure I will have a discussion with Greg about the ending of Hunger Games. 😀 I love book wins, and Hunger Games has been one I have recommended over and over again to reluctant readers and seen them come out the other side of the book with a “WOW!” 😀

Anyhoo… Wednesday… work, finish up the lawn this afternoon, work with the teens later tonight and then maybe try to finish up my hosta garden.

How about you whats happening on Wednesday? Books? Gardens? The ever growing lawn?

The Chaperone by Laura Moriarty

Published on May 15, 2012May 15, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)64 Comments

Louise Brooks was going to make it big. She just knew it. Kansas, was not big enough to hold her, and in 1922, on her 15th year she leaves for New York for her big break. To her annoyance, a 36-year-old woman named Cora Carlisle is sent along with her as a chaperone for the free-spirited Louise.

For Cora, this is hopefully going to be the adventure she felt was missing in her life, and she also has an underlying reason for wishing to go as well. Yet Cora had no idea what an undertaking she was in for… Louise is a beautiful young girl who is arrogant, lacks respect, and is used to getting her own way. Louise’s constant flirting with older men to get her way, and leaping before she looks, keeps Cora on her toes, and complicates her own reasons for coming to New York.

For five weeks, these two women are together and as time goes by, they are changed by what the other brings to the table.

Open this link in a new tab for some back ground review music….

I love modern-day New York. This June will be my third time there and I just love it. Now, saying that, I try to picture New York in 1922 and how it would differ from my experience. Thanks to author Laura Moriarty, I don’t have to stretch my imagination far! This well detailed book leaves me feeling like I could walk down the streets of 1922 New York and feel right at home.

Maybe part of my love for this book is the fact that it is set in New York. Maybe part of that draw is that in a few weeks I will be walking where Louise Brooks one time did as well. Maybe part if the draw is that I will be meeting author Laura Moriarty in New York, and although it is 2012 (details, details), it will be like stepping into the book itself.

*sigh*

Seriously though, I did enjoy this book very much. I did not know prior to this read that Louise Brooks was a very real person, who shortly after 1922, made it big as a silent film star. She was, as Laura Moriarty tells in The Chaperone, very outspoken, and expected things to be her way. (I looked up some information on Louise and was fascinated to find that her father’s business took priority over raising children, and her mother felt that she gave birth to them, now they can raise themselves. An awful incident with a neighbor at a young age did not help Louise’s already wild state…. )

Ok, I digress, but what I can say about this book is that it was a page turner. I loved that while Louise Brooks is a fascinating possible protagonist, she actually plays second fiddle her to the real protagonist of the book, Cora Carlisle, The Chaperone. The story line, the secrets, WOW. Both women, I found be extremely interesting and I am going to highly recommend that fans of history, historical fiction, New York (YAY!), and strong female protagonists, snatch up a copy of this book.

The book releases on June 5th and is available for pre-order now. An excellent choice for a summer read.

Thank you to TLC Book Tours for a review copy of this book

I bow before you with my 1922 Velvet Dress Hat,

This book was amazing!

Morning Meanderings… Christening The New Chair By Book

Published on May 15, 2012May 15, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)43 Comments

Good morning, happy Tuesday and all that. Looks like it will be another beautiful day here in Minnesota. Yesterday was fantastic – hot, with a little breeze….

and I sat in my new Mother’s Day Chair.

There it is! On the back deck, ready for me!

And every good chair needs a good book to be part of its maiden voyage (yeah I am stretching it here, but I am on a role…. 😛 ) and that said…

Myself, and Insurgent were on that chairs maiden voyage on the deck. Yesterday afternoon I basked in my favorite time of year with my favorite pastime….

Today, I work, I ride bike, I mow the lawn…. the last two while listening to audio.

Have you spent any reading time outdoors yet? if so, what book(s) have been part of your Spring 2012?

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson

Published on May 14, 2012May 4, 2016 by Sheila (Book Journey)25 Comments

Jenny Lawson, AKA The Blogress, shares what it was like growing up in a highly function dysfunctional home in Texas. Her father, a Taxidermist likes to stuff all sorts of animals, never passes by a road kill he can not think of a use for as well as raise a few animals of their own…. like chickens…. and goats….

From the school days, to her 15 year marriage to her patient but continuously confused husband, Victor, Lets Pretend This Never Happened is told in witty “this is what happened” chapters.

I mainly listened to this because Jenny Lawson is a Blogger and that is “Whoop worthy”. Although I admit, I was not familiar with her blog, I am almost always up for something that makes me laugh and occasionally makes pop come out my nose. Seriously, who would pass that up? 😛

After seeing a couple of reviews on this one, I decided I wanted to go with the audio version because I thought the book would come across better and because Jenny Lawson (author) was narrating this herself and that is usually pretty cool or AWESOME with a capital A. Or both. Yes, in this case both.

Jenny Lawson is an Awesome with a capital “A” narrator. She really does bring each story to life with her “yes this really happened” attitude. I enjoyed her telling of each story and her over use of the word “Ya’ all”, which makes me want to use it when talking with friends and when writing reviews… I have to be careful not to do that for the next couple of weeks until this gets out of my head so tell me if you see me using it.

There is no question that Jenny is funny and I am a big fan of dry humor and funny scenario’s. Some of the early childhood stories involving dead animal flesh, extremities, and other levels of “YUCK” were not my favorites of the audio. When Jenny gets more into her discussions with her husband Victor, I think those where the chapters I enjoyed the most. Victor’s bewildered “Seriously, what were you thinking?” to Jenny’s “Oh, but this will work and we should definitely patent this idea before it is stolen” counter is at times HILARIOUS.

Some of my favorite book/audio moments are:

Post it note argument with Victor.

The GPS – why do they give street names? Land marks would be so much easier “Turn left at that blue house where you once seen that bum passed out in the ditch”

The taxidermy Alligator on the airplane, (I laughed several times out loud when Jenny gave the Alligator a voice with a thick accent and had it talking to a much embarrassed and annoyed Victor.)

There are a couple of chapters that are pretty real too, so it is not all fun and games, Jenny’s attempts to carry a baby to term are heart wrenching, and when she openly speaks on her illness as well.

While Amazon says this is a good one to read if you are fans of Tina Fey’s Bossy Pants, I would say that Jenny Lawson’s crude language is far more frequent than Tina Fey’s was and if you are considering listening to this on audio you are going to overdose on the “F” bomb as well as a few other words. Did the language go to a point that it bothered me personally? Yes. I do not read Jenny’s blog so I am sure this is just the way she rolls, which is fine, but for me personally, I think it could have been just as good and maybe even better without all the language.

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Audible.com

Other reviews to consider:

Caribou’s Mom

S Krishna’s books

Bermudaonions Weblog

Between The Covers

You’ve Got To Read This

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading?

Published on May 13, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)66 Comments

Welcome to It’s Monday! What Are You Reading! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I love being a part of this and I hope you do too! As part of this weekly meme I love to encourage you all to go and visit the others participating in this meme. I offer a weekly contest for those who visit 10 or more of the Monday Meme participants and leave a comment telling me how many you visited. **You do not have to have a blog to participate! You receive one entry for every 10 comments, just come back here and tell me how many in the comment area.

This past weeks winner:

Laurel Rain Snow

Congratulations! Please email me your book choice out of the recently cleaned up and LOVELY Reading Cafe at journeythroughbooks@gmail.com.

I am popping in a little later than usual on my post because honestly I had a GREAT MOTHER’S DAY! While neither of my sons were home (one in college and working, the other in the Navy in Florida), they both called me in the morning and I had great conversations with them both. Then, my hubby and I went with 16 other friends on a motorcycle ride for the afternoon, THEN we went shopping and picked up the chair that I wanted (SQQQUUEEEE!!!) had frozen yogurt, spent two hours at home assembling said chair, then watched the three hour season finale of Survivor…. which I LOVE!!!! Awesome day. 😀

Now, moving on here is what happened here this past week:

The Selection by Kiera Cass (YA reviewer Camryn Schmidt!)

MAY BAND Discussion: Non Fiction… The Genres You Hate To Admit You Love

In The Bag by Kate Klise

Still Alice by Lisa Genova (Bookies May book club review)

Winter Girls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Spending time with BEES (pics and video)

Lots Of Cake, Plenty Of Candles by Anna Quindlen

Pretty decent week and thanks to a 5 hour road trip, and a 3 hour motorcycle ride, AND 3 hours of mowing… I have two more audio books ready to review as well 😀

However, due to all the activity mentioned above, I did not get as far on the real books as I had hoped so I am going to keep that side light this week… here is what I hope to add:

Albert Einstein says, “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” Marilu Henner takes it a step further, explaining, “That’s not insanity; it’s bad memory.” Known for her relatable voice, sense of humor, and life-changing advice, Marilu now serves up an inspiring guide describing how an enhanced memory can help you to improve the quality of your life, come to terms with your past, and achieve your goals.

In 2010, millions of viewers tuned in to an episode of 60 Minutes which featured Marilu as someone with Superior Autobiographical Memory—an uncanny ability to recall details of every day of her life—a talent shared by only six other people in the world. Here, in expanded detail, Marilu reveals the benefits having a great autobiographical memory has had for her, and then shares her personal insights and experiences as to how having a reliable memory has helped her in countless scenarios. She also gives listeners advice in making memory work for them, from having the right attitude about life and developing a healthy mindset about the past, to building a personal history “track” and using it to actually change your life! Accessible, entertaining, and educational, Marilu’s latest is sure to resonate with listeners everywhere.

Some bonds can never be broken…

Addie Downs and Valerie Adler will be best friends forever. That’s what Addie believes after Valerie moves across the street when they’re both nine years old. But in the wake of betrayal during their teenage years, Val is swept into the popular crowd, while mousy, sullen Addie becomes her school’s scapegoat.

Flash-forward fifteen years. Valerie Adler has found a measure of fame and fortune working as the weathergirl at the local TV station. Addie Downs lives alone in her parents’ house in their small hometown of La Prairie, Illinois, caring for a troubled brother and trying to meet Prince Charming on the Internet. She’s just returned from Bad Date #6, when she opens her door to find her long-gone best friend standing there, with a terrified look on her face and blood on the sleeve of her coat. “Something horrible has happened,” Val tells Addie, “and you’re the only one who can help.”

A young woman tries to save three people she loves in this elegant and remarkably insightful coming-of-age debut.

Afraid of losing her parents at a young age—her father with his weak heart, her deeply depressed mother—Naomi Feinstein prepared single-mindedly for a prestigious future as a doctor. An outcast at school, Naomi loses herself in books, and daydreams of Wellesley College. But when Teddy, her confidant and only friend, abruptly departs from her life, it’s the first devastating loss from which Naomi is not sure she can ever recover, even after her long-awaited acceptance letter to Wellesley arrives.

Naomi soon learns that college isn’t the bastion of solidarity and security she had imagined. Amid hundreds of other young women, she is consumed by loneliness—until the day she sees a girl fall into the freezing waters of a lake.

The event marks Naomi’s introduction to Wellesley’s oldest honor society, the mysterious Shakespeare Society, defined by secret rituals and filled with unconventional, passionate students. Naomi finally begins to detach from the past and so much of what defines her, immersing herself in this exciting and liberating new world and learning the value of friendship. But her happiness is soon compromised by a scandal that brings irrevocable consequences. Naomi has always tried to save the ones she loves, but part of growing up is learning that sometimes saving others is a matter of saving yourself.

An Uncommon Education is a compelling portrait of a quest for greatness and the grace of human limitations. Poignant and wise, it artfully captures the complicated ties of family, the bittersweet inevitability of loss, and the importance of learning to let go.

When 15-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder – much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air. It’s hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing, not even a smear of blood, to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary’s first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It’s also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk. Within 24 hours, Clary is pulled into Jace’s world with a vengeance when her mother disappears, and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary “mundanes” like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know.

Thats my week – mostly audio, but book time will be spent on books I need to catch up on 😀 Now I really want to know what you are reading this week! Add your link to your post below where it says “click here”

Powered by Linky Tools

Click here to enter your link and view this Linky Tools list…

and those of you who read mainly children’s through YA reads – please also link your post here:

Morning Meanderings… Sunday Salon Style

Published on May 13, 2012May 13, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)35 Comments

Good morning and Happy Mother’s Day!

It is a lovely day here today in Central Minnesota. I have a few commitments this morning, think hubby and I are joining some friends later for a motorcycle ride, and later yet… a road trip to hopefully pick up the chair I posted earlier this week as my hopeful Mothers Day gift (*fingers crossed!)

I did have some books enter the house this past week:

Some great reading here! AND on top are a couple of audio and I have already dug into Come Home.

Then this past Friday I went to garage sales which I have not done in probably over a year – mainly because I used to always look for books and I have no need of doing that anymore between the review books, books i purchase, and Library sales… HOWEVER, I have a friend who RAVES (” a brand new crock pot, still in the box $5! One of those buffet things I have always wanted! A set of dishes that int he store would go for hundreds of dollars, I got it for $15!) about her finds and so…. I caved… and then this happened:

This is why I can’t go to garage sales. It was a large church sale. I was minding my own business, wandering through nick nacks, shoes, blankets…. alas over to the books just to see if they had any treasures….

I love Claire Cook, had to grad that one. I read Pamela Morsi a long time ago and found her hilarious, better grab that one, I have The Help in hard cover, but what if I want one to loan out so grabbed that one, I have a copy of Mrs. Kimble, but I think it will be good when I review it so I can do a giveaway now too, Small Island – new to me, Thirteenth tale I have in hard cover, and Bel Canto I have always wanted to read – I already have, but again… what if it would make a good giveaway.

See my problem? 😯

This week should be a nice one for me, not too heavily overloaded. Now that the weather is getting nice I am getting selfish about evening meetings and commitments, I want to garden, I want to ride bike, I want to read on the deck in the new (ahem) chair, I want to be outside!!! 😀 Next weekend I will get to go to the cabin with College son. I can not wait!

How about you? Any plans for today? For this week?

Lots Of Cake, Plenty Of Candles by Anna Quindlen

Published on May 12, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)18 Comments

Bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Anna Quindlen now takes a realistic look at her 60th year in this memoir. Within, she talks of the past (growing up, parents, boys, dating, marriage, children..), the present (the importance of friends, not getting so worked up anymore, faith, loss) and the future (decluttering life, enjoying the moments…)

Anna talks to you in her memoir like she is talking to a friend hashing over the good, the bad, and the ugly while sitting in a sunny chair on her porch sitting ice-cold tea and the sampling of the occasional short bread.

I have not read a lot of Anna Quindlen. In fact, off-hand, I think other than this one, I have only read Every Last One (which is freaking me out now, as I just tried to search my blog for this review and can not find it. I know I listened to it on audio and now wonder if I forgot to review it last year. :shock:) However, I know Anna Quindlen can write, and I know her name as an author upon hearing it.

While I am no where hear the 60th birthday mark, I was still intrigued by a life memoir by a woman who is known for writing about realistic life opportunities in ways that make you think and care. I knew that writing a non fiction for Anna, would be an honest, even if it was brutally so, look at the life lessons she has carried.

I for one felt I too would get something out of listening to this book.

I used to think that surrounding myself with trusting girlfriends was just my own personal way of dealing with so much loss in my life. I like, and need “Go To Girls”. Listening to Anna, I am realizing that my need to hang out with my friends is not a unique thing, but really – a girl thing. As Anna points out, as we get older our girlfriends become all the more important to talk about everything, and to talk about nothing. I like that.

From dating to marrying to children of our own, Anna Quindlen covers all the topics with a matter of fact and confident tone. I enjoyed listening to her life lessons, smiling and laughing at times.

All in all, this book is not just for nearing or over that 60 years old mark. It is a read for any woman who feels they have lived much, but have more left to do. 😀

Amazon Rating

Goodreads Review

Audible.com

Other thoughts on this one:

Lesa’s Book Critiques

Bibliophile By The Sea

Beth Fish Reads

Freedom Acres

I purchased this one from audible.com

Morning Meanderings… Spending Time With BEES

Published on May 12, 2012May 12, 2012 by Sheila (Book Journey)53 Comments

Good morning. 😀

By the time you read this I should be on my way to the cities to join my friends for a bike ride this morning for MS. I left town at 5 am, and the ride starts at 8 am.

Last Saturday I had the wonderful opportunity to go and hang out with my friend Amanda who has just started Bee Keeping with her husband. I can not lie, once I seen her in that bee- outfit… I knew I had to go and check this out. Lucky for me, she understood my crazy thirst for knowledge and invited me into the hive…

literally. 😛

The had just bought more bees and would be moving them into their new homes. I came over to help.

This is a picture of me (left) and Amanda (right). There are the bees they had just purchased. They had bought four of these boxes and we were going to place two of them in their new homes. Amanda says each box contains around 10,000 bees.

SSSQQQUUUEEE!!!!

This is the boxes that the bees will be placed in. I am sure there is a better name than “boxes” I just do not know it… 😀 The smoker thing in the background helps to mellow the bees as soon we will be letting them out of the boxes you seen in the first picture and dumping them in their new homes.

Inside the boxes are these slats where the bees will make the honey. The section to the front with the two holes is for a liquid we pour in that the bees will drink and it keeps then from getting ill or infected by mites and dying. (I hope I am remembering this right). This is a new unused bee box, that is why it looks so clean.

In each of those boxes you seen in the first picture is a Queen in her own little box. Crazy right? She has to be protected at all cost. Amanda here will now replace the wooden cork in the end of this little box with marshmallow. Yup, you read that right. Then, once placed in her new home… in about three days the worker bees will eat the marshmallow enough to set her free among them. All hail the Queen!

After Amanda and I thoroughly spray the bee boxes with a sugar water that makes it hard for them to fly… we pour them into their new home.

After the bees are in the box, Amanda carefully replaced the slots where they will go to work making the honey!

Just playing with the camera… I feel like an Oompa Loompa. 😀

Before the lid goes back on this big hunk of food goes on top and I can not remember what it is called. 😀 This will feed the worker bees, who in turn feed the Queen for the next several weeks. When the weather warms up the bees will produce their own food.

This is one of the bee homes that they started several weeks ago… you can see on the central grids that work is being done.

Amanda says that every few weeks you need to check these for a couple of things. 1. You want to remove these little sacks you find on them which I am told is the worker bees making a new Queen. Rude right? Apparently if the bees feels that the hive is too full they will attempt to create another Queen and then take the existing Queen and leave the hive to make a new one. By scraping off these sacks you are assisting in preventing that.

2. She checks for the Queen. You want to make sure she is within the box somewhere. This is easier said than done. As the bees fill up these grids, another box of grids is added to the existing one on top. Amanda says by August (harvest time) the boxes should be stacked so tall she will need a step-ladder to get into them. Currently these older homes have only two stacked so not too deep… still, we are looking for a single Queen bee among the 10,000. 😯

How do you pick out the Queen? She is larger and longer than the others, has longer wings and is more of a buttercup coloring .

Looking for the Queen….

The experience was incredible. I was not nervous at all. When we started working with the older bee homes they were more aggressive, not liking to be disturbed. Several went for my face mask, which was kid of like 3D as they hit the mask in “attack” mode. Before we left the area we had to wipe each others outfits down, Amanda said I was covered with bees.

That is my contribution to this weeks Saturday Snapshot. Stop on over and see Alyce at At Home With Books to see what others are taking pictures of around the world. 😀