Country in the city

With a new clutch, the car deserves to look good, too. That and Mom is coming to visit. So Sophie and I are walking home after dropping it off for its once-yearly detailing. Nice parks along the way.

Hivebound

While I've long had a general appreciation for honeybees, I didn't know much about them except the general things most people know: they're good for the garden and crops; they're clever engineers; they make something good to eat!

I started to get more interested last year after reading Douglas Whynott's (ain't that a great name?) "Following the Bloom: Across America With the Migratory Beekeepers." As it turns out, I reviewed it exactly a year ago today! (My review is here.)

About a month after that, I saw my first wild beehive, in a tree that had blown down in a storm. I started noticing bees around me more, and wondered where their hives were. Still just in a vague sort of way.

In the last couple of weeks, though, my sighting of three different swarms within blocks of each other pushed my interest up several notches. Where do bees live? All around me! These urban bees are not keeping house in a row of tidy white boxes watched over by a beekeeper but in countless hollowed-out trees and likely an attic or two.

And quite possibly, as I've discovered, in a backyard beehouse discreetly harbored by a bee-loving neighbor. I don't know this for sure, but if there are people quietly keeping chickens in my 'hood (and I know there are), surely there are some beekeepers too.

After I saw that first swarm, I started researching in earnest, and ran across Boulder-based BackYardHive.com. The site has a wealth of information for urban beekeepers and answered a lot of questions I had.

The site also introduced me to the top-bar hive. This kind of hive has been used by beekeepers for thousands of years and is common in Africa. It is not as efficient for honey production as the more recent and popular box-type hives (called the Langstroth system), but is easier to maintain and possibly healthier for the bees.

Isn't it attractive? One of the things that has kept me from thinking I could keep bees in my yard is the very obvious nature of the white, traditional beebox. If just one nosy and ignorant neighbor spotted it and freaked out, I'd probably have to get rid of it. Never mind that honeybees are not aggressive and are good for our gardens. They are not at all like wasps or hornets.

But this hive is both attractive and discreet. It doesn't scream out "BEEEEEEES! BEES LIVE HERE!" Should it be spotted through a gap in the fence, I doubt the casual passer-by would recognize what it is. And the supposed ease of maintaining it (plus the nifty viewing window in the side) has tipped me over from "I wish I could keep bees" to "How soon can I keep bees?"

I could buy a box from the site, but they're quite expensive. Happily, they offer the plans, too, so Pascal is going to see if he can build one. I can order just the top bars, which appear to be the most critical element to get exactly right.

I doubt I will get bees this year, but I am planning on it for next spring. I will likely take a class from the Backyardhive folks, and then watch for a swarm to capture. The lady who who had two this year has my number!

To see all the posts about my bee encounters, click here.

In the clutches of public transit

Because my car needs a new clutch. Ouch.

I would take the bus more often, but working at night makes getting home problematic. It's not very safe to take the bus late, and no one else works my hours for carpooling. Ah well.

Crunch!

I hope he has insurance. He took out the back end of her BMW.

Sweet reward

I came home from work last night to find a little package on my front porch. It was from Mary the Beekeeper, who captured the swarm I found last week.

Inside, a nice little thank-you note and an unexpected finder's fee:
A jar of honey from Mary's hives, and two pieces of comb started by the very bees I saw "in the wild."

When you put bees in a new hive, you have to check on them a few times early on to make sure they are building their comb parallel to the frames. If they start building crosswise, you won't be able to get the honey out neatly; the combs will break off. These must have been a couple of false starts, which Mary removed.
Isn't that an amazing feat of engineering? Each cell perfect, designed to maximize the space. The bees form chains by hooking their legs together and dangling below the comb as they build, creating a natural plumb line. In the beebox I'm considering getting, you lay a line of beeswax along the top bars, so the bees have guide to get them started building in the right direction.

Yes, I'm moving closer to bees of my own. I sent Pascal the plans to see if he can build me a box. He emailed me today and said, "Sounds like fun!" He'll let me know more once he's looked at the plans closely.

(Click on the "Bees" tag below for photos of all my recent bee encounters.)

Brunch at Lucille's in Denver

When I was contemplating brunch choices on Sunday, Lucille's was the first thing that popped into my head.

I've never been to the original Lucille's in Boulder, but have enjoyed the Denver branch, on Logan just north of Alameda, several times. They have beignets, for one thing! (You may recall the beignets I posted about recently.) Their bloody marys will kick your ass in a very good way. And their Creole menu is varied and satisfying.

We skipped the bloody marys this time, but the Sergeant was happy with his shrimp and cheese grits with andouille sausage:
And I packed away a big bowl of rice-pudding porridge topped with raspberry sauce, currants and cream.
We both could only manage one beignet apiece (my photo didn't turn out, but you can see them there in the background), so we had the other two today for breakfast. They're definitely best fresh from the fryer!

Here's a link to much of the menu. Lucille's main site is obnoxiously all Flash, but I wouldn't hold that against them too much. Their food is what matters, and that is most excellent.

Lucile's Creole Cafe
275 S Logan St
Denver, CO 80209
303-282-6258

7am-2pm Monday through Friday
8am-2pm Saturday and Sunday

Silly kitchen gadget No. 4

While waiting for the ferry in SF, I took a number of pictures with my cellphone in Sur La Table. I got some curious looks and an employee started following me discretely around the store but didn't say anything. What might I have said if they'd asked? "I am recording your products so I can mock them on my blog"?

What can you say about a twirling spaghetti fork?


(Click on the "silly gadgets" tag below to see other examples.)

Teh internets tire me

The morning after

Had some friends over for dinner last night.
I was too busy hostessing to take photos, though I wish I'd gotten a shot of the fabulous cheeseplate one couple brought. I had many ideas of new things to make for the entree, but in the end opted for the sanity-saving pan of lasagna, assembled the night before, and a big salad. Another friend brought crusty French bread that we sliced and slathered with garlic butter, then heated in the oven. Wine was also brought and consumed.

Yes, Mom, I washed all those dishes before bed. It is nice to wake up to a clean kitchen.

For dessert, super-rich rhubarb ice cream courtesy of Katy at Sugarlaws. Garnished with strawberries and strawberry sauce (berries pureed with a little caster sugar) and a mint sprig, along with crisp, thin almond cookies brought by another couple.
I prepped the ice cream ahead of time and garnished one dish early so I could take a picture of it. Survey says: Thumbs up!

I would also like to try making a rhubarb sorbet.

Yard work

Sophie stands guard as I work in the yard.
That's me over by the gate, digging up sod so I can put in flagstones. Have to go to Home Despot for some sand to level them. I'll take some pictures when it's finished.

Those bushes outside the window, which I thought were just, well, ordinary shrubs, turned out to be lilacs! They have smaller leaves than I am used to in a lilac. They're about to bloom. Pics will come of those, too. Later.

(Photo from the Sergeant's cellphone. Click to see it larger.)

Lunch at Swing Thai in Denver

Stopped for lunch yesterday at Swing Thai, a Denver chain of three restaurants. Over 1 million pud thai sold! Their prices are a little higher – about $9 per entree – for the amount of food you get (I always hope for leftovers) but what you do get is quite good.

And they have put a lot of effort into making the decor pleasant: high ceilings with wood beams, lots of interesting decorative Thai art and plants. It's a mix of modern and traditional. (Should've taken some overall photos.)

The Sergeant had the Jungle Curry: Bamboo, Bell Pepper, Carrots, Baby Corn, Button Mushrooms, Green Bean, Raw Thai Peppers and Fresh Basil.
Hot hot hot! Which is what he wanted. He was happy to have a dish that was just this side of too hot (it's an easy line to cross), enough to make him sweat and grin. He got an extra dish of brown rice so he could finish it all.

I went for the much tamer Swing Special: Sauteed Broccoli, Bell Pepper, Onions, Baby Corn, Button Mushroom, Carrot and Cashews in a garlic sauce, with chicken.
I finished all of it over good, fluffy white, slightly glutinous rice. I was worried it might be too salty, but it wasn't.

To wash it all down, I enjoyed a cool tall glass of Thai iced tea. Love that stuff.
Thai tea is easy to make at home. Maybe I'll make some this week. This link shows you how. If you have an Asian grocery nearby, you can buy the tea there. I use a fine-meshed chinois to hold the tea rather than a filter bag. Works just as well.

Swing Thai
301 S Pennsylvania St. (at Alameda)
303-777-1777
Open seven days a week, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Balls and browsers

On teh internets at the ballpark!

Rockies vs. Twins

Good seats!

Denver boot

At any given time in my office you can find someone wearing a boot brace. Skiing takes its toll, or other sports, slips on ice or medical issues. The gentleman on the left took a tumble on some icy steps in March. The gentlewoman on the right sprained her ankle playing Ultimate Frisbee. Another cow-orker had foot surgery. A fourth has gout.

When I say my cow-orkers are lame, it's not an insult. Just an observation.

Lest I brag too often ...

... that my dog is perfect

A fireman's work is never done

I spotted this headless fellow from a distance and wondered, "What the ... ?" Sprawled in an office chair outside the fire station, Fireman Bob is on guard. On guard against what? you ask. Against flames? Terrorist attacks? Hoodlums and thugs? Ready to leap into action to save heart-attack victims and kittens in trees?

Why no. Fireman Bob is protecting the lawn.
Apparently a horticultural-minded colleague decided the firetruck driver needed a little guidance after rolling over the grass earlier in the day.

Bee charmer?

I really have to wonder if Mother Nature is trying to tell me something.
"Bees, Kitt. You want to keep some beeeeeeeeees."

Yes, this would be swarm No. 3. That's three swarms in a week and a half. This one could be considered a cheat, though. I thought I'd walk past that mother tree the first swarm came from. Only to discover it had thrown yet another! (I haven't been by there since last Saturday, so it was flukey my timing was so good.)
I confess, I have been doing some research (more on that later) and had the phone number of a beekeeping group. They're going to try to get the swarm today. I'll check after work to see if they did.

Less muffin, more bread

Yesterday it was 80. Warm enough for one daring gal to go backless on her scooter.

Today? Snow. Yes, snow again. Though it didn't stick, and turned into rain by 9. Good for the garden, but too damn cold. I don't think we even got up to 40 today.

Good day to crank up the oven again for another loaf, this time parmesan. I rolled it up with shredded cheese inside, then put more on top. Shared some with the cow-orkers and ate the rest myself.

I call them the Underdogs

A lot of people build screened windows into their fences so their dogs can look out. These two dogs have a window like a Supermax prison cell. I wonder if they have dachshund envy. Click on the picture below to see it better.

P.S. Is my blog hanging for anybody besides me? It loads partway and then just freezes. Let me know if that is happening to you, too. Thanks!

I'm still not tired of it

Dough ...

... Bread!
The spicy sesame sprinkle on top is awesome with some wheat bran and a little sea salt. Five minutes of work to make this bread, no lie. The recipe is here.

Silly kitchen gadget No. 3

I found this item at Pacific Ocean market. The package had been opened. I didn't see any others there.
Yes, it's a melon-seed splitter.

In China, roasted melon seeds are a popular snack, and are enjoyed much the way many people enjoy sunflower seeds here. You split 'em with your front teeth. Some people eat so many seeds that they wear a little groove in a front tooth.

But I guess if you didn't have teeth or wanted to save your teeth, you could use this. It comes with handy instructions.
But can you imagine how slow and tedious it would be? Takes all the pleasure out of snacking.


(Click on the "silly gadgets" tag below to see other examples.)