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Last week I was dismayed to find a small but productive patch in our neighbor's gravel parking strip.
​ 
Across much of the western U.S. and Canada, Foxtail is one of the most widespread and persistent roadside weeds. Gravel alleys, railroad rights-of-way, vacant lots, construction sites, and roadsides are classic habitat.

Why is it so successful?
Foxtail-type grasses are almost purpose-built for disturbed ground:

• They thrive in poor, compacted, dry soils.
• They complete their life cycle before summer drought.
• Each plant can produce hundreds to thousands of seeds.
• The barbed awns hitchhike on fur, clothing, tires, and equipment.
• Seeds can remain viable in the soil for several years.

That means once an area has a seed bank, it often requires several years of vigilance to eliminate.

We are excited to attend the Cistus Summer Extravaganza and we'll also be swinging by the Portland Japanese Garden.
(I updated my BeePeeker cards too. They are so cute!)

Honey tasting time: the lighter colored honey tastes of spring clover and blossoming trees while the darker honey is deeply herbal and aromatic. 

Since we allow our bees to naturally draw their comb, we use the crush-and-strain method. This not only keeps plastic out of the hive, but also allows the bees to make smaller cells which discourages varroa mites. We will not let the wax go to waste as our solar wax melter is ready to go-just waiting for the sun now. 

​The last two images show the gorgeous naturally drawn comb with the bee girls at work. Our Golden West hygienic bees are from Randy Oliver via Rainy Day Bees. Both hives are healthy but we only harvested from the Sweinty hive this round. 

Both our hives made it through the winter and seem to be going strong this spring.
I feed the Hive IQ bees sugar syrup in early Feb (very warm!) and then twice more with dry sugar end of Feb and mid-March. Today's check into top box showed dry sugar left (had dumped it into the feeder) and a bit of  honey in the frames. I will switch to sugar syrup next week with the warmer temperature.
My early February check in the older Swienty hive showed nine frames of honey in second brood box; by the end of March the queen has moved upstairs and the top box is packed with bees, including drones, and they are bringing in loads of pollen. They have burned through most of the honey...Did a quick (2-frame) check on lower brood box, mostly empty frames and a little brood, but no visible swarm cells. Both boxes were light (i.e. short on fuel and bringing in pollen) In the next couple days I will reverse the brood boxes and plug in a frame feeder until the blackberry flow and perhaps keep them from swarming.

What is it about these little guys? 
The ubiquitous black-capped chickadee and the tiny bushtit have been consistent guests to our backyard feeder. Until a few years ago we had no Chestnut-backed Chickadee sightings in our backyard-these days LOTS! They all arrive in a chattering cloud several times each day to enjoy the offerings of black sunflower seeds;  we also keep two cakes of chili-suet for the larger birds who, along with the squirrels, get all seeds spilled on the ground. Cheers for the LBBs.

Two at a time at the feeder-dozens of LBBs in the bushes and the Garry Oak