We put out bird baths for the song birds, and nectar for the hummingbirds, but how many of us have thought to set out water for the bees? They may not be the first creatures that come to mind, but bees get thirsty too! They're attracted to swimming pools, wading pools, buckets with water in them, and birdbaths...but they can easily drown in the deep water. Keep your bees hydrated, and safe, with this super-simple DIY Bee Bath!
Mason bees are the lesser-known relative of honey bees, and are fascinating! A mason bee can visit as many as 1000 blooms each day, which is 20 times more than a honeybee. And major bonus for the wary...they don't sting! If mason bees pollinate 20 times more than honey bees, sign me up! I've recently received a Bee & Bee (cute, right?) to help attract mason bees to my garden and am excited to invite them in.
Bees bees bees, I love them! When I was a little girl, on my way home from schoolI'd stop every day in front of our giant almond tree. The branches were filled with hundreds of honey bees hard at work - buzzing from blossom to blossom. The neighbor kids were all afraid to get close, but I loved the excitement! Each little bee had its job to do, and as long as I moved slowly and quietly, they were perfectly happy to have me by their side.
Earlier this spring I visited Home Depot and was shocked by their new plant tags. How in the world could they be promoting their plants treated with bee-harming Neonic pesticides as a friendly convenience? I was ashamed to have been purchasing there. Shocked by it all, I researched the topic and wrote Why I'm NOT Buying Plants at Home Depot or LOWESand quickly vowed to go on strike against them and any other nurseries using Neonics.
Wait...you can eat bee pollen?? Those were my thoughts as I first thumbed through a cookbook I'd received (more on that here). How could that be a good thing? And it sounds like way more work than it could possibly be worth... So when I saw the beekeeper selling honey at the farmers market the next morning, I was filled with questions. How is the pollen collected? Does it hurt the bees? How long does it stay fresh? How much is it?
Something about warm mornings makes me crave a creamy smoothie filled with fresh fruits and veggies. Its the perfect tasty start to a day, and with all the nutrients packed into one yummy glass - a day that starts with a smoothie is bound to be a good one!
Every once and awhile, you're cruising along in life and then the wind blows...a new view enters. That is what just happened to me with My New Roots - it shook up my world, in a good way.
