Category Archives: Strange, Odd Stuff
Bitten by the cold
Alberta beekeepers had smooth sailing through January. It was so mild in southern Alberta that one beekeeper wrote to ask if bees could be swarming. Swarming to the toilet, yes. Literally swarming with queen in tow, no. But the activity … Continue reading
The Death of Sylvia Plath
Instead of a birthday anniversary, it’s a memorial for the poet Sylvia Plath. She was 30 when she made her final suicide attempt. Did she want it to succeed? Some of her biographers say no. But her preparations were elaborate … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, People, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged poetry, Sylvia Plath
11 Comments
The $3 Billion Vacation
I’ve heard ‘three billion dollars’ as the ‘permanent’ cost of giving 700,000 US government workers an unexpected 35-day vacation. There were also thousands of consultants furloughed because of the federal shutdown. According to economists, who mostly look at lost income … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Diseases and Pests, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged government shutdown, research, USDA
2 Comments
Canada Goes Legal (Wait ’til you taste the honey!)
Yesterday, October 17, 2018, Canada legalized possession and consumption of weed, pot, grass, cannabis, marijuana, or as my father called it, Mary-Ja-Wanna. Parliament voted overwhelmingly in favour of the motion proposed by the justice minister a year ago. It took … Continue reading
Posted in Honey, Honey Plants, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged Canada, cannabis, marijuana, nectar
12 Comments
Surviving on Bees and Berries
A 40-year-old Ohio man was lost for six days and nights in the Pacific Northwest. Rescuers found him in reasonably good shape. His family says that he was always interested in nutrition so they weren’t surprised that he survived by … Continue reading
Lighten up – it’s mid-week
It’s Wednesday. We’re halfway through a July work week. For those of you putting in hours while the rest of the world is at the cabin, this is for you. I blundered across a cigarette commercial (please don’t smoke) from … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Honey, Humour, Outreach, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged advertising, Honey Nut Cheerios, honey products
5 Comments
Should you feed a tired bee?
Feeding bumblebees that are resting in a garden has become a thing. I’ve seen some twitter tweets with concerned citizens gallantly virtue signalling their good deed – giving a bee a drink of sugar water. Here’s a sample: You can … Continue reading
Posted in Ecology, Save the Bees, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged bumblebee, Carniolan honey bees, feeding bees
8 Comments
Fish Cooked in Beeswax
Why not? I’d love this!
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Hive Products, Strange, Odd Stuff
Tagged beeswax, fish
1 Comment
What if my pet gets stung?
Calgary has a dry climate. After it rains, some of our bees celebrate by sucking cedar water from our deck. I’m not sure what the attraction is, but a few bees always sit on the wet deck and lap up … Continue reading
