 from Volume II of In Northern Mists by Fridjof Nansen 1911
  On a sunny day in January, bees were taking cleansing flights from one of our hives. I checked the other and found that the bees had absconded/swarmed leaving four deeps of honey and six frames of pollen in the top box. Down below were the empty brood frames with capped honey in the corners. I harvested two frames of cut-comb honey and gave the other two deeps of capped honey to our remaining hive. I then set up the empty box for new bees in the spring. Cut to late February: the bees began bringing in pollen by the bucket load and we began seeing the first of many orientation flights; spring build-up was going strong! Our Japanese boxwood was abuzz.   April 4: time for a honey super already! Our bees were starting to store honey and pollen in the burr comb at the top of the second brood box. I added a queen excluder and a deep for honey.
 ...and now for something completely different     Ahh, winter solstice in Seattle... yes--it is raining, a lot, and that's not unusual; we are hunkered down with eggnog, music, and knitting enjoying being HOME and cozy  Full moon Jan 2009-from my backyard  My first two years of sweater knitting  At the end of October we put up our black sunflower seed feeder along with a couple of chili suet bars and we have been enjoying Bird TV ever since. Exciting new regulars include; the Nuthatch, along with the Chestnut-backed Chickadee as they make their daily rounds with the flock of Juncos and Black-capped Chickadees. The suet brings in not only our Northern Flickers, but on the ground we had a pair of Varied Thrushes to augment our resident Towhees. The California Scrub-Jay has been teasing us for a year or so and it's finally discovered our sanctuary, flying in with a pair of noisy Steller's Jays. Welcome to everyone!
 Yesterday evening we were on the look-out in our favorite owl-spotting glen and had just about given up; we sat down on the bench overlooking the little creek and then, looking up, there was the owl perched quietly 10 feet above us! We sat in awe for ages watching it watch us, the butterflies, and other walkers obliviously passing underneath=Owl Blessings.  We started our afternoon saunters in late April, and over the next few weeks got to know this family of Ravens. It turns out that historically, Ravens nested in the Washington Park Arboretum, but until 2019 they had not been seen for 100 years. This year there were three hatchlings, and boy-oh-boy were they ever raucous! I caught them all doing their own saunter; usually we'd see them up in the trees or perched on the back of our favorite hidden bench.  Douglas squirrels: The Douglas Squirrel lives in the coniferous forests of North America's west coast. It wanders playfully throughout all parts of the forest and treetops, but prefers lingering close to the forest grounds (WA Nature Mapping). We not only have been seeing this chipmunk-sized boisterous squirrel in several locations throughout the Arboretum, but on a hot steamy evening we watched TWO of these little darlings chasing each other around and around and around an enormous tree trunk. What a joy.
 This oxalis/pink wood sorrel came from my maternal great-great-grandmother. Apparently, it is extremely hardy--still, I am proud to have kept it healthy and blooming for the last 40 years, including a dozen Arctic winters.
Curious about why the shamrock became a symbol of Ireland? ********************************************************************************** SHAMROCKS VS. OXALIS: WILL THE REAL SHAMROCK PLEASE STAND UP by Andrea Forsberg, Flowerworks History of the Shamrock This iconic Irish symbol began its journey to fame with the Celtic druids who considered the number 3 to be a perfect number, associating it with the three realms of sea, sky, and land, as well as the division of soul in the spirit, mind, and body, and the ideal of love, wisdom, and truth, among others. It was first recognized as a symbol related to the Celtic goddess Ana, representing her place as maiden, mother, and crone. During the 5th century, St. Patrick often used the shamrock to illustrate the Holy Trinity as he spread the Catholic faith throughout Ireland. The shamrock made an appearance on St. Patrick’s coppers, otherwise known as halfpennies, in 1675. By the 19th century, the shamrock became a symbol of Irish rebellion when the English forbade the “wearin’ o’ the green.” Those who wore it anyway faced death. The original shamrock is believed to be the white clover (Trifolium repens), native to Ireland but found growing in yards across America. Oxalis, the False Shamrock The plant typically sold as a potted shamrock plant is Oxalis regnellii. This small plant is loved for its clover-shaped leaves in various colors and the delicate flowers that bloom from fall until spring. Its delicate leaves fold up at night and reopen with the return of sunlight. Oxalis is a member of the wood sorrel family. Although both shamrocks and Oxalis have three leaves, they are from different plant genus, and the leaves and the flowers are shaped differently. True shamrocks are members of the clover family Trifolium repens. Oxalis plant species are extremely prolific and can be found throughout the world, with the most diverse plant being in South America and Southern Africa. While there are many different cultivars of Oxalis, exotic varieties make the best house plants. Oxalis may not be the original shamrock, but this beauty has captured the hearts of all of us looking to bring the luck of the Irish into our homes.  I'm celebrating the New Year with a sweet calendar created by Tessa who lives and paints in Wales. ********************************************* Resolutions? Pretty much a continuation of every year:   Yoga Plant Lady by Christa @ Wild Optimist
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AuthorTracey Byrne~ 
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