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SwarmTree-SwarmTallTree
Friday was suppose to be good.. comfortable.. it was sunny, clear, I could see the crisp skyline of Oakland and The City. The Golden Gate Bridge posed perfectly as the framing to the Pacific. I was computing, seriously computing. Sitting on the deck, legs up, shades on, computing furiously getting THIS site back into working…
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Cleaning The ACBA Observation Hive
Observations in cleaning a vertical ‘observation’ bee-hive. This particular hive is located in Oakland, California and belongs to the Alameda County Beekeepers’ Association (ACBA). *note the lack of required protection when interacting with the hive. No smoke was used and only a few veils were necessary to use.
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ACBA Observation Hive Cleaning Party
This 10 minute video features ACBA club members cleaning the club’s observation hive on monday morning. The hive is situated inside with an opening through the wall to the outside. Inside the hive there sit 4 vertical frames sandwiched by plexi-glass. It’s quite an interesting set-up. As the video shows, a more regular cleaning is important to…
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Seeking The Queen-Bee
The sun peeked out this afternoon after a solid week of rain and we decided to open up the hive and see how the bees are adjusting to the move. By external observations I’m seeing the bees return with pollen, previously orange, I found this lady with white pollen. I wonder where she was playing? Unfortunately, after…
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Bees!
Check our photo album for first days. Our New BEES! This one’s named Kira… and so is this one… We’ve acquired the beginnings of our beekeeping adventure, including the adoption of a small, yet ‘strong’ colony. Here’s the story & what we’ve got: 2 deeps, 2 supers, inner-cover, telescoping top, screened bottom, ‘waste-tray’, stand, strap, 20…
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The Basement Build – Episode IX
Episode IX is focused on the installation of our beautiful second hand oak floor.  It’s remarkable to see how much closer this whole project appears to be finished with just the addition of flooring. I think now my back and knees are both ready for a little break.  I was also hoping this whole process would end…
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Yard Berries
Found on the slope of our Berkeley/Oakland yard, they looked unique. Black/Dark Blue in Color, Soft, Sweet-Neutral Taste – Not Bitter, Many Seeds Within Each.  Low Lying Bush – No Thorns. What is it?
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GC24WVY: Stumped on Panoramic
The Short of It: At a peaceful corner of Panoramic, where blackberries grow their ticket, and foxes find time to den. Here the quiet begins. So stop at the stump and sign your name and perhaps to rest for a bit. Then continue north on who’s road is the same, to the Rectangle in the…
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The Basement Build
Finally a post about the progress on our new space. The basement! Started way way way back in 2006. Then it was just a clean, cement floored, spacious, basement where no one went unless they wanted to do laundry. AND NOW. It’s a dirty, saw-dust floored, cluttered, basement level where no one goes unless they…
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GC24WVY: #110140199 Panoramic
* UPDATE: Still there – but listed under GC24WVY as multi-cache.  Update posted here: GC24WVY: Stumped on Panoramic A.K.A. Rectangle In The Pavement. Cache is a magnetized nano. Enjoy this nano cache along the Panoramic Hill Climb – A set of 300+ stairs that take you to the top of Berkeley & Oakland. BYOP Here it is…