FitSugar

Roundup: Busy Bees

CasaSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:00:00 -0700

I may hate to find moths in my kitchen, but when it comes to bees, those little striped insects can do no wrong. That's why I'd gladly decorate my house with bee wallpaper, stock bee glasses in my cupboard, and sweep curtains back with bee curtain holders. Of course, it's probably due in part to the fact that I'm the daughter of a beekeeper. Bees are also thought to represent a happy, well-organized life, and satisfaction in love. Who can argue with that?

To see some of my favorite bee home accents, read more.

Casa Quickie: Keeping Bees Away From Your Pool

CasaSugar — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:00:02 -0700

It's hard to enjoy your endless Summer if bee stings come hand in hand with taking a dip in your pool. But bees have many uses for water, including drinking and using as material to build hives. So, unless there's another source of water nearby, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll be making a poolside visit. According to the USDA, bees will forage any open water source, so the only way to detract them is by making the water unpalatable. You can do so by filling a spray bottle with a mix of 1/4 cup of dish soap or vinegar and a quart of water, and spraying bees that are at your pool. This will eliminate bees as they forage on water, and prevent others in the colony from learning about your pool's location.
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How-To: Say Welcome Home to Honeybees

CasaSugar — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:15:27 -0700

Are you worried about the frightening and mysterious rate of death in honeybees? If so, you're not alone. In the past two years, almost a third of the United States' beehives have disappeared or been destroyed, and no one knows quite why. But you don't have wait until all the data is in to do something about it. By planting trees, flowers, and plants that naturally attract bees, you can make your deck, patio, garden, or backyard a haven for honeybees.

Here are some things to remember: If you plant a variety of flowers and plants, you will have a greater chance of attracting honeybees. Also, by choosing native plants, you will be using plants that are naturally adapted to your home's region and weather conditions. If you're worried about getting stung, I can reassure you that honeybees will not try to sting you unless you slap at them. My dad's a beekeeper, and even when I've helped him move hives or sat within five feet of a buzzing, busy hive, I've rarely been stung. (By the way, to take the above photo, I was within four inches of this busy little fella, and he never wavered from the job at hand.)

For a list of plants that can help you make your home bee-friendly, read more.

This list, from The Daily Green is more than enough to get you started!

Annual Plants and Flowers Asters, Calliopsis, Clover, Marigolds, Poppies, Sunflowers, Zinnias
Perennial Plants and Flowers Buttercups, Clematis, Cosmos, Crocuses, Dahlias, Echinacea (Purple Cone Flower), English Ivy, Foxglove, Geraniums, Germander, Globe Thistle, Hollyhocks, Hyacinth, Rock Cress, Roses, Sedum, Snowdrops, Squills, Tansy, Yellow Hyssop
Garden Plants Blackberries, Cantaloupe, Cucumbers, Gourds, Peppers, Pumpkins, Raspberries, Squash, Strawberries, Watermelons, Wild Garlic
Herbs Bee Balm, Borage, Catnip, Coriander/Cilantro, Fennel, Lavender, Mints, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme
Shrubs Blueberry, Butterfly Bush, Button Bush, Honeysuckle, Indigo, Privet
Trees Alder, American, Holly, Basswood, Black Gum, Black Locust, Buckeyes, Catalpa, Eastern Redbud, Fruit Trees (especially Crabapples), Golden Rain Tree, Hawthorns, Hazels, Linden, Magnolia, Maples, Mountain Ash, Sycamore, Poplar, Willows

Etsy Find: Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish

CasaSugar — Tue, 20 May 2008 09:15:43 -0700

Reeled into a great local sale a few weekends ago, I treated myself to a pair of small Rae Dunn dishes that read "EAT" and a larger one with a chartreuse border, perfect for serving up cheese and crackers for a party of two. They've since become a favorite possession of mine. So, I was ecstatic to come across Rae Dunn's pottery in Etsy. This Rae Dunn Little Bee Dish ($25) is also fit for a bit of Brillat-Savarin and apricot compote, but would dole out a bar of lavender soap in the bathroom equally well. If bees aren't your thing, perhaps a little chicken, pig, or crown dish or her "Home Sweet Home" plaque would be more your speed — they're all solid, handmade, and one of a kind.

Got Seasonal Allergies? Eat the Local Honey

FitSugar — Wed, 16 May 2007 17:15:00 -0700

Honey is all the buzz. Not only does it taste like summer, but it has some amazing qualities that help your body.

It's antimicrobial because of its high sugar content, so it's great for treating cuts and burns to prevent scarring. You can keep a jar in your medicine cabinet for years - it's slightly acidic, so it never goes bad.

I've also heard that honey can be used to treat seasonal allergy symptoms. In order to understand why, you need to know how honey is made.

Honey bees (the female worker bees) travel from flower to flower, drinking nectar, and storing it in sacs in their little bee bodies. Then they buzz back to their hive and use their "honey stomachs" to regurgitate and ingest the nectar a number of times until it is partially digested. They then store the nectar in the honeycombs, fanning it with their wings to evaporate the water, and turning it into the thick sweet honey we know and love.

The reason it may help with seasonal allergies, is because honey contains a bit of pollen from the plants. So if you eat the sweet treat that is made by bees in your area, the honey will often act as an immune booster, reducing your allergy symptoms to the local flowering plants. It's a good idea to take 2-3 spoonfuls each day for several months prior to pollen season.

Fit's Tips: Eating local honey works for some people, and may not for others. It's a folk remedy, with no scientific research to back it up, but if you suffer from seasonal allergies, it's worth a try. If it doesn't help with your sniffles and sneezing, well at least you're getting vitamins B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc. Honey also contains antioxidants and vitamin C. All that and it tastes good too!

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