Friday, May 5, 2006

Comment O-Rama

Thank everyone and anyone who comments. While I started this blog to do some self-pushing, I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a total comment junkie. I love me those comments. Of course, everyone who has commented has been so nice, it's been easy to love them. When you guys start telling me that you hate what I do or that I'm being cruel to bees, it might be a tad more difficult to be gracious.

That said, I'm going way back and gathering comments:

The bees continue to fascinate me. When I looked at the frames last week, I didn't see any eggs or capped cells (which is what they do to grow babies). So I'm not sure what's going on. Suzee doesn't want honey (which is nice because we use a TON in our homemade granola), Rain said that chalk would stop the ants, and Suzee said to try cans of water. I ended up using a product called Tanglefoot, which is a horribly sticky barrier product. After a few commando-crawl raids where I snuck up to the hive from below and behind to spread it over the teensy spots the ants had discovered, we have finally achieved ant-free hiving!

B over at BritKnit admits to a woeful lack of bee knowlege! The queen lives about four years. After that in the wild, the worker bees grow up a new queen by feeding a regular egg "royal jelly" and either swarm out or stay home. Also, if a hive gets too crowded -- those queens can lay a LOT of eggs per day -- the workers can grow a new queen and some leave. I think that's how I got my hive.



Oh, for bfmoma, the rose on Thing4's sweater is just a plain ol'rose from Nicky Epstein's Knitting Over the Edge. I tried to make a felted violet, but couldn't do it to my satisfaction. Anyone know how to make a felted violet?

Good Dog Mack continues to do well. The vet saw him again and said his sutures were mildly infected, and they're concerned because it's a bone. So more antibiotics (and another bag stuffed with cash to the vet -- ouch!) and a head collar to keep him from worrying his wrap so much. He doesn't seem to be in pain at all. Maybe it itches.

Sharon, Suzees mom, is right. Mack may look like Cassie, but he is so not like her. In fact, Suzee told me once never to get another lab assming it would be like Mack. Dar is right -- Keith isn't like Mack. I don't know many dogs who are. He's preternaturally calm. Jen is right, he has a lovely face. I used to think he was probably reincarnated from some really attractive, muscular guy who had achieved some kind of Zen master status. It may be true, for all I know.

Sarah sweetly asked what effect this was having on me. To be honest, the week before surgery, when we thought it was probably cancer that had spread, was bad. The adults were having lots of talks about how to deal with the kids, and how hard it was going to be for all of us. While I fantasize (daily) about life without dog hair, I really want him around. After the surgery, things were much better because there wasn't evidence of rampanct cancer. Just regular healing.

Allison cheered me on for running -- we ran again today! What videos do you like best? I'm thinking that I need to do some things on my non-running days. I just got a snazzy pair of yoga pants. . .

Emma is so clearly going to have ten pets the minute she gets out of her apartment. . . Houses are nice, but wait until we start having the thousands of dollars of work done on this house that it needs. Apartment living might seem attractive in comparison. Meredith is using the tired excuse that children take up her journaling time. Ha! Well, if it's any consolation, Thing 1 has a much more extensive set of journals written about her than Thing 4.

Amy noticed that Thing 4 is very, uh, bright, in the last post. It's a new outfit from my mom for her. Every six months or so, she whips out double-thickness flannel pants for each of our kids. They practically live in them, and they enjoy choosing matching or contrasting fabrics so they can alter their look by turning their pants inside out. Mom didn't think she wanted to make teensy pants, so a clown suit. When the little one is walking (any day now) I think I'll ask again for pants. Mmmmmm. Warm and comfy flannel pants.

11 comments:

amy said...

oh my, double layer flannel pants. mmmm, my older J would go crazy for a grandparent who made those. Unless the heat is intense, he lives in those striped hannas, but flannel - even better. The brighter the better, for him.

Mack sounds amazing, and I'm so glad he's getting well.

Rain said...

Your blog is always interesting so it would be impossible to pass by without commenting.

I would have loved to see your commando raid on the hive. I have visions of you sneaking up on them.

sewingsuzee said...

Sounds like all good things at your home. And rumor has it you have clean children, too!

Thanks for entertaining all of us IRL. It's so nice to know you both virtually and down the street!

Brittany said...

I agree with rain! Your blog is fascinating!

I laughed at the 'woeful lack of knowledge about bees' part. Though it is completely true. I love reading about the bees. Teach me more!

And I'm glad to hear that Mack is doing better. Yay! He's a cutie.

allisonmariecat said...

Ooh, exercise DVDs. I have lots, but my favorites are Rodney Yee's yoga DVDs, Tamilee Webb's "I Want That Body" (two 15-min. workouts each for abs, arms, and buns), the Tae Bo videos, and Minna Lessig's Emergency Workout (cardio & strength). I love my yoga pants, too :)

jen said...

I forgot about the royal jelly! Bees are the best....

And I love how you're making such an effort to recognize people that stop by your so-entertaining-we'd-visit-without-the-recognition blog. Yours is the first blog I started following regularly. You won me over from the first garden post!

You asked about exercise videos...right now, I'm all about a Bollywood dance workout DVD I found in the bargain bin. How many exercise programs tell you in a charmingly perky British accent to "Jingle your bangles"?

Oh, and from the last post: I think your journal is beautiful! It's so worth it to make that effort...

queenbean said...

I only leave comments for "friends" that ACTUALLY RETURN MY IMPORTANT EMAILS IRL. This means YOU.

Stefaneener said...

Um, is that last comment from someone who used to have a nice small guitar?

Otherwise I, er, don't know who I'm insulting by not returning emails. Sounds like something I'd do, though.

queenbean said...

Good guess. Check your inbox.

K said...

I am diggin' on your bee tales. I don't feel brave around bees, so I am impressed by someone who brings them into their life so to speak. Kinda cool!

Janis said...

Hey,
We had a swarm of bees on the palm in front of the house. A neighbor called me at the shop to tell me. By the time I got home they were gone. I was thinking I might have to borrow my mask back. Another thing, please PLEASE come get more owl pellets. They are overtaking the garden.