I've Added Dani's Good Eating/Sustainability Blog [F]

It's Her work blog regarding all issues of sustainability. Look in my Link Section.

Picking Blueberries Under The Influence [C,L,F]

Saturday, July 7th
We have a blueberry picking party planned at The Farm of Eric & Lori at 11AM. First I need the drain in my neck removed and a quick looksie by a doc. The surgeon made "small" incision for such a deep extraction. The drain is a little tube to allow drainage and prevent swelling. Which is bad. Dani was told if I swell up to get me right back to the Hospital.

i wake up feeling 100% better than the day before. we hope into the car and out out to G'town. It's Saturday so we have to wait outside of the Closed ENT clinic for the surgical resident to stop by while on rounds. Doogie Howser and pals stop by. For Surgical Residents they are very nice. Kind of like your average joe. They were complete opposites of every post-doc/resident MD I've dealt with...including the pricks I worked with. The dude removing my drain was talkative, friendly, and a little nervous. It was very refreshing.

It almost matches the surgical scar on the other side of my neck.

Off To The Farm
We head out of DC after a stop off to CVS. Having a hard time keeping the bandage on my neck. I leave behind the Percocet and replace it with extra strength Tylenol. Fuck that crap. It's exactly 24 hours since I came out of surgery. While driving I notice something not quite right. I'm feeling kind of fuzzy. I stare at cars on the interstate. I lose focus a little bit. "Fuck! I'm still fucked up from the surgery!" I look at Dani. She's sleeping. I start thinking:

"Should I turn around? I hate this. It seems like everything gets fucked up by me. We had to cancel a camping trip this past weekend b/c of me. I was so looking forward to getting back out. We're half way there. Fuck it. I just need to focus."

I tightened my grip on the steering wheel, and concentrated. we would continue on. Honestly it wasn't that bad. I never drive after a few drinks but that's what it felt like. Impaired, not drunk.

But apparently feeling 100% better didn't bring me up to 100%. Ugh. Relativity sucks sometimes.

We get to the Farm. First ones there besides Loris friends. The others would show soon. Full party:

Eric & Lori + 2 friends
Lauren
Asa
Laurens bro Jordon & GF (little help?)
Tina & roomie
Sarah
Zoe & Cate
Dan & Friend

Sorry for the incomplete list, my "editor" isn't being very helpful right now. Seems anxious for some reason and I suck with names.

Pickers

we start picking. It's Hot. the sun is beating down on us. I have a bandana wrapped around my neck to keep the bandage in place. I notice I'm not so.........coherent. I'm acting tipsy. I get confused over a conversation at one point. At least once. I can't pick for long. I wonder if anyone can tell? Man they fucking dosed me for surgery. We break for Lunch. Lori had prepared a few lasagnas and a vegan pasta dish. It was quite the impressive spread.
More Pickers

Afterwards I still feel loopy. It's suggested I stay behind. I try and fight but I'm really enjoying the chair on the porch. Their cat Lucy is hanging out next to me, purring. this is nice. I go inside and find a bed. This is really nice. Sleep comes not so easily but comes non the less. At some point Dani wakes me. people take their cut of the blueberry loot and say there goodbyes.

We hang out, have a beer (antibiotics be damned) and leave. I feel better than my earlier "100%". No way was I gonna drive back if i felt like I did driving in. I wasn't looking so good maybe, but my cognitive abilities seemed to be completely back. Over all it was a beautiful day. Spending the day before our One year Anniversary on the Farm we got married on was very pleasant.

1000AM Friday, July 13th
Gotta go

Honey Collection [L,F]

July 3rd.

Damn That was cool! For a brief recap: Dani and her friend Lori started to keep Bee's in '05. They started with 2 hives. The main source of pollen in that area is Tulip trees - which bloom May-June. It takes at least a year before you can harvest honey. If all goes well. Bee Keeping ain't so easy. They've lost hives to "swarming" and winter warm ups.

Swarming - The hive, for a few reasons, to leave. A winter warm up - the hive uses up resources. temps drop again and the hive starves.

This summer was the first time they've been able to collect honey. You can only collect honey from a healthy, robust, 1+yr old hive. And so they had one. I didn't have my camera with me. Dammit. Got some later photos with Lori's camera. But basically they remove a frame from the hive, brush the bees off and move it to a secure location. We took six frames and moved them indoors. They were heavy but it didn't seem like much. While inside a bee had discovered a way in. The bee had to be "taken care of". Otherwise it would have gone back to the hive and we would have been swarmed. We also noticed bees congregating by an open, screened, window so we had to close it an suffer through the heat.

They are an amazing animal.

First you have to cut the wax sealant of the honeycomb with an electrically heated knife:



Then We put the frames in an Extractor and crank an arm - the honey comes out through centrifugal force.. I looked in the extractor after we cranked. didn't seem like much honey. The frames were incredibly light compared to when we put them in but it still didn't seem like much. Then we opened the valve and let all the liquid gold pour out:





Four frikken gallons from 6 frames! It was one of the neatest things I've ever been a part of. I wonder if maybe I could do it for a living. Or a partial living. Maybe. Full Bee album:


Bees

What an Exciting Week! [C,L,F]

Saw my (new) Surgeon on Monday. Seemed a little concerned about where the Lymph nodes were. Gonna try and take a bit out and see what pathology has to say.

Tuesday we extracted Honey for the first time from the hives. That was awesome and I'll try and post a full report later.

Wednesday......we drank

Thursday I had an Interview with one of them there soulless contract agencies. Who knows where that will go

Friday I have surgery at 0730

Saturday we pick blueberries.

I can drink for 38 more minutes...