Honey Bees vs. Yellow Jackets

Now, I can't really say anything bad about yellow jackets as that creature is the mascot of both my brother and niece. Yellow jackets are often confused with honey bees but they act in much different ways. Here's are some (tongue in cheek) ways you can tell the difference:

Pollinating flowers? Honey bee
Eating raw meat? Yellow jacket
Found close to bee hives? Honey bee
Found close to your picnic? Yellow jacket
Lives in a hive? Honey bee
Lives in a strange grey blobby thing? Yellow jacket
Fuzzy legs in the back (for acquiring pollen)? Honey bee
Non-fuzzy legs in the back? Yellow jacket

Both yellow jackets and honey bees are of great importance to the world. Yellow jackets eat pest insects. Honey bees make honey but also play a critical role as pollinators. Here is an interesting story about honey bees. Our neighbor on the next block has several hives and sells honey (how's that for ultra local?) and I am happy his hive is doing well. I am also happy to say that we have many of the bee friendly plants and trees on the list. How about you?

Clutter Battles and How to Win - Part 3

While this is Part 3 of a 3 part series, this particular post is only semi related to the two previous posts. What I want to share is not something I learned at the "50 ways to leave your clutter" presentation by Katie England. Instead, I wanted to share something I found it on one of my favorite blogs, rebecca's pocket. It is a post that compares permaculture zones with organizing your home. If you are on the A, Assigning an appropriate home, step of organizing, read the below article first!
Cultivating your home: Permaculture zones for getting things done

Forget Killer Bees - What about Killer Cell Phones

This was an extremely disturbing article about the potential connection between cell phones and the decline of bees. Check it out at http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/wildlife/article2449968.ece.
Any thoughts?

Sugar Snap Pea Tee Pee

Here is a great thing about my marriage. I will say something like, "I really want to create a bamboo tee pee for the kids where we grow sugar snap peas up the bamboo." And voila! Here it is:

It is very well designed. W just has the skills to makes things happen! We got the bamboo free from our next door neighbor whom is "bamboo rich" (thanks Colleen!). The whole family participated in making the soil ready for planting, planting the sugar snap peas and watering. I cannot wait until we can hide away inside. I think the whole family will fit...we shall find out this summer!