Im obsessed with musical genres, OBSESSED. I love how a new “wave” appears out of nowhere and you see it and say WHOA that’s incredibly stupid but so cool!
Folk is dead, man. Now its “rural-wave”, bro.
Rural-Wave, just like this Bon Iver track that Ive been enjoying over and over again, all month long. #soft folk?
BON IVER, Holocene by izzybusybee

MPB by Gold Panda

Just in case your not sold….

Lykke Li: Sadness Is A Blessing (Gold Panda Remix) by Gold Panda

I may or may not have a Queen Bee that is named, (in fact they are all possibly named) there may or may not be one named Lykke. Just sayin……

Wrapping up my weekly Hive Report to Salish Lodge….we never discussed it in the provided services negotiations but I knew I would do it and I figured they’d dig it, which they do. Listening to Vile, Pavement and National along the way…
Here’s a bit:

Hive 3:
Robust! is the first word I wrote in the Moleskine after wrapping up this hive check. The bees are out of control in the best way possible. Massive brood stores, some honey stores and the Queen, well she was there alright….it seemed to me a victory lap as she paraded the grounds, stopping now and then to be fed by her attendants who only just wanted to hurry her along for more egg drops. Seemed clear to me though she had other ideas, like showing off her insane efforts and massive hatchery to the beekeeper. She is huge, I buy all my Queens with a paintmark on the thorax so I can find them easily in the Hive, her size has increased so much that the paint is stretched off; I am pleased.

I miss the Mountains….
That up there is the island I camp at solo every Spring, kayak out for a few days to sleep under the stars and listen to the owls.

Sonic Youth – Teen Age Riot (Cracks remix) by Cracks

Then and now, I like em both.

Japandroids:

Japandroids :: Wet Hair (Teen Daze Remix) by Beachtapes

Ive a fire built, im listening to local boy Robin Pecknold and im nursing not just a cocktail but also numerous bee stings. Bee Week has come and while not yet gone, Ive decided its been a major success. There really isnt much that can properly explain that special thing that happens during Beeweek, its so cliche of me to even say this but what the hell, its the only way I can describe it: Magical. Really. Its like that, really really cool. I have a stunning beeyard here on Alki and another gorgeous spot in the Mountains @ Salish Lodge, seen below. Salish Lodge was kind enough to commission a fence to protect the bees from any sort of imaginable skullduggery and they furnished locks on all gates that serve as entrance to the Hives, its really a cool setup that Im going to enjoy all Summer. The bees in every Hive this year started off really well, I put 30k in each Hive, fora total of 10 new Hives this year and a dozen overall, they say its a big jump and maybe thats true but Ive got the speed and desire for it so I wont be complaining. Some people have been busting my agates about going so big so fast, misunderstanding my intent with something more Napoleonic, its just another example of whats been readily apparant and increasingly annoying from the beginning: everyone knows everything about beekeeping and there arent many who will just sit back and listen without constant injection of opinion. One of my favorite terms is tofu-toughtalk, reserved always for that one guy who never has the juice to back up his own words; im starting to use the term barstool beekeeper more and more. Not just for the bar rats but really everyone who knows more than you and wont listen to anyone tell them otherwise. Anways, this is a fools errand to cogitate upon so Im dropping it for now.
Now that things are quieter than before and everything is settled down, I have more time to man the Helm here, looking forward to blogging alot more than I have been. Right now though its time to refresh the vodka and enjoy the fire on the couch, in the semi darkness. Im alone, its absolutely quiet here besides the ubiquitous music and for the first time in months I have nothing to do. I just wrapped up a brief press release for Shipwreck Honey and once I hit send I realized I was caught up. What a feeling, I dont know how the hell I made it through the first quarter this year, its been insane for me.
Heres a few shots of the weekend and also a toast to you: S’lainte, friends.

Its going to be one hell of a ride this week; it begins now.
Ski season ends Sunday, honeybee season begins the following Wednesday and still-secret contracts get signed somewhere in between. If your savvy, theres an internet leak that tells all but it aint from this operation, not yet at least.

Heres’ the new Kurt Vile video for Jesus Fever, he is playing Seattle very soon.

Things are a bit noisy tonight @ Castle Hench.
Music is just awesome.