Last Day to View Live Beehive Sculpture at the MoMA

Today is the last day to visit Pierre Huyghe's Untitled (Reclining Nude) at the Museum of Modern Art. I went on Monday to see this sculpture in person and it is a beauty. The sculpture is located in the sculpture garden on the first floor of the museum. I love the sculpture garden, it's a great place to get a cup of coffee and just soak in the art around you.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Aug 18, 2015 at 11:03pm PDT

I loved this sign that they had on the door right before you enter the sculpture garden. I must say, the beekeeper in me got super excited to see the colony!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Aug 18, 2015 at 8:42am PDT

The live colony of bees is meant to be the women's head and brain. The hive and sculpture is placed under a tree in the center of the garden. Can you see it? Look closely. The tree really hid it well, if it wasn't for the sign on the door, I would imagine some people would have missed this piece all together because you couldn't really tell there was a beehive under the tree unless you were looking for it.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Aug 17, 2015 at 11:24am PDT

Here is a closer view of it. The bees were so calm. There were a few flying around but mostly they were tending to the hive. I am so proud of the MoMA for taking the initiative of having a live bee colony on the premises of the museum's garden where visitors can see it up close and personal. In an urban environment like New York City, it's difficult to see a beehive this up close unless you know a beekeeper or know where beehives are located. As a beekeeper in Brooklyn, I have had many people complain about my bees being in close proximity to neighbors and the street. But honeybees for the most part are very docile. I know that some people are allergic to bee sting so it does concern certain people. However, honeybees won't sting you unless they feel like the hive is being threatened in any way, so as long as you keep a good distance away from the hive, they won't go after you.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Aug 17, 2015 at 12:29pm PDT

Here is a closer look of the sculpture. I was so impressed by it. It really is so beautiful how the honeybees created the wax comb as a perfect oblong head. It was beautiful. I wish this piece could be a permanent sculpture at the museum. See it today, it's the last day! Here is a link about the sculpture.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Aug 17, 2015 at 1:53pm PDT

The Queen is alive!

We're more than half way done with this beekeeping season and things are going as well as can be. Here we are inspecting the overwintered hive.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 25, 2015 at 4:02pm PDT

At our last inspection, I didn't see any brood, and was so worried that the hive could potentially be Queenless. But, I was so thrilled to see that the Queen is alive and laying perfect brood! Look at this gorgeous deep frame of brood. It's so lovely. We were literally jumping for joy because I feared that the Queen had died. But she is alive and well and doing awesome.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 26, 2015 at 7:04am PDT

Not only is the hive doing exceedingly well, they are making gorgeous frames of honey. Just look how beautiful these frames of honey are! I am getting so excited to harvest! I can barely wait!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 26, 2015 at 7:27pm PDT

At my second hive, the other Queen is also laying well! We found lots of perfect brood!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 26, 2015 at 12:29pm PDT

Here's a close up of one of the frames. The pollen on the bottom looks amazing, and they have capped honey on top. This is beautiful.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 26, 2015 at 5:51pm PDT

Even Oscar the kitty was in the beekeeping mood! He's not afraid of the bees at all!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 27, 2015 at 4:01pm PDT

Where's the Brood?

So during this weekend's beekeeping session, I am completely bummed because I didn't see any brood in the hive. I'm fearing the worst, that either I injured the Queen at the last beekeeping inspection, or she may have swarmed. At the last inspection, I saw frame after frame of brood, so this is heartbreaking.

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 15, 2015 at 3:27am PDT

I did see brood inside the split that I made, so I decided to recombine the split to the original hive. In the split I saw 2 swarm cups and a supersedure cup empty, so a virgin queen was born and has mated. Hopefully, the hive will take to this Queen and she will be productive as the last one.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 14, 2015 at 8:57pm PDT

Despite all the disappointments, there was some good news, in the honey super there are 3 frames of honey! I can't wait until there are 10 frames of honey so we can do a harvest!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jul 14, 2015 at 6:36pm PDT

The bees are doing well!

Two weeks ago, I visited the beehive and it's looking amazing! I arrived at the first backyard and was blown away by the pretty garden! It is so lush and green!

Lilies are now in bloom!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 27, 2015 at 1:51pm PDT

The hydrangea are also in bloom! Isn't this so pretty!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 27, 2015 at 4:07pm PDT

The bees must be so happy living here. The beehives look great nestled in the flora.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 27, 2015 at 2:25pm PDT

At the second beehive location, the hive is doing extremely well. The Queen is laying perfect brood! I found 3 boxes full of brood, she is such a prolific layer!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 28, 2015 at 4:52am PDT

And the top box has frames of honey! I think we shall be able to harvest honey soon!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 28, 2015 at 8:28am PDT

Since the hive is very full, and I saw signs of swarm cells, I decided to split the hive and move some new larvae frames into a new box. I also added some honey frames. With any luck, they will raise a new virgin Queen and this will be a new colony!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 27, 2015 at 8:30pm PDT

The original hive looks like a skyscraper compared to the new box!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 27, 2015 at 9:34pm PDT

I'm so excited with how well this hive is doing! I can't wait to do the next hive inspection!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jun 28, 2015 at 6:56am PDT

Forgot to Post This Beekeeping Day

I have been so busy this month, that I forgot to post this beekeeping day! Last month, on my birthday, I went beekeeping. I was so happy to see that one of the Queens have been laying lots and lots of brood! This makes me super happy!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 30, 2015 at 4:19pm PDT

The hive was super active. This is how the hive looked after I inspected it. The bees were flying around.

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 30, 2015 at 11:36am PDT

I love these bees! They are so docile! Really happy bees, and very mellow. Which is quite lovely.

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 30, 2015 at 5:01pm PDT

At one of the beehive locations, the roses are in full bloom. Isn't this just gorgeous??

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 31, 2015 at 10:12am PDT

I just love filming these bees in slow motion. I can watch this footage for hours!

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 31, 2015 at 12:06pm PDT

Honeybees in Iris Heaven

Last weekend when I arrived to do a hive inspection, I was so blown away by how pretty Emily's backyard looked. There was a sea of irises and allium blooming! So pretty!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 18, 2015 at 4:33am PDT

This is my favorite time of year! Isn't this just stunning! I just love spring flowers, and they best thing about bulbs is that they naturally split, so year after year, more and more bloom! Look closely, you can even see bleeding hearts blooming too!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 18, 2015 at 1:43pm PDT

I brought our dog to beekeeping for the first time. And she loved it. Valentina spent the day exploring the backyard.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 18, 2015 at 9:09am PDT

Valentina, was loving the backyard. Smelling all the flowers. Finding sticks. She even got pollen on her little forehead. She is the cutest!

The alliums are so pretty against the lush green!

The beehive looks amazing! I added an additional honey super box on top of the beehive. I already saw evidence of them making honey!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 18, 2015 at 12:28pm PDT

I was using a feeder on this hive, but since there are so many flowers in bloom now, there is no longer a need for a feeder. I removed the feeder and found that the bees have made some burr comb to fill in the space. It was very pretty! I removed all the burr comb.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 18, 2015 at 5:36pm PDT

It was a perfect beekeeping day. Can't wait to see how the season progresses! Hope to get a good honey flow this season!

Naturally friendly products

I'm a huge fan of eco-friendly and natural products. As a member of Influenster, I was sent a package of Hello Products.

The first thing I noticed when I opened the package was that the packaging is absolutely beautiful! It's bright and modern, and my first thought was, this looks cooler than ordinary toothpaste and breath spray! It's so pretty, that I would definitely leave these on the counter of my bathroom vanity! Inside the package was a toothbrush that is made from 50% recycled materials. Pretty awesome. The toothpaste has safe ingredients. It is all alcohol free and is free from artificial sweeteners, and dyes. Love that. And the flavors were so interesting and different. In my box was Mojito Mint and Pink Grapefruit. It tasted like a yummy drink and it cleans your teeth! Score!

My favorite product in the box are the breath sprays. I've been keeping them in my purse for the on the go instant fresh. They are amazing! hashtag instafresh!

disclosure: I received these products free for being a member of influenster in exchange for an honest review.

Springtime in New York City

Spring in New York City is something special. The blooming trees, the spring bulbs, all the blooms put on a show. This street in my neighborhood is just gorgeous with the flowers starting to bloom over the road. So pretty.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 23, 2015 at 3:10pm PDT

But the cherry blossoms are the star, it's just spectacular how beautiful these blooms were at the park. It just took my breath away, wow.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 2, 2015 at 2:03pm PDT

I take a walk through the park near us almost everyday, and it always have some surprises. Today I spotted these pretty bleeding hearts. I love this plant. The foilage is a little boring, but then it has these incredible flowers. Just stunning. Spring is quite easily my favorite season. I just wish the blooms lasted longer!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on May 7, 2015 at 4:11pm PDT

Beautiful Day to Beekeep

I love beekeeping this time of year because the magnolia tree where my beehive is located is in full bloom! When I arrived to the beehive this past weekend, I was overwhelmed with how beautiful this scene was.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 11:46am PDT

I did a hive inspection of the overwintered hive and the Queen is laying really well. Perfect brood pattern. My only concern was that on the left there looks to be two supercedure cells forming. I didn't remove them and let the bees do what they do. If they decide to replace the overwinter Queen, I will let them be, to see what they do. They know more about the health of their Queen than I do.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 6:41pm PDT

Here is a closer view of the brood. You can see that there is larvae in those Queen supercedure cups.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 8:40pm PDT

I moved the brood box to the bottom and put two more boxes above it to allow the Queen to go up and have plenty of room to lay eggs. I really love how the blooming tree looks next to the beehive.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 8:16pm PDT

Here is a video of our other beehive in slow motion. I could watch this for hours.

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 3:24pm PDT

The bees were building a lot of burr comb, so I removed all of it. I'm so happy the hives are doing well! I'm still feeding the bees sugar water because we are still waiting for the neighborhood to start blooming. Look forward to the next inspection!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 25, 2015 at 10:13pm PDT

Installing a new bee package for 2015

Two weeks ago, I went over to my friend Amy's house to check on her beehive. She installed a new bee package on her rooftop hive and it was looking good. Her kids help her beekeep too! I love that. Teaching a whole new generation of beekeepers!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 12, 2015 at 11:59am PDT

Then I went over to my hives to install a new package since one of our hives did not survive. My friend Amy picked up the bee packages from Beehive Barn in Cranbury, NJ. This year, I decided to do the gentle install of the bee package instead of pouring the bees out of the box.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 12, 2015 at 5:16pm PDT

To do this, you remove the Queen box and put it in between two beehive frames. Then you leave the open bee package box next to the frames in the deep. The bees will come out of the box to find the Queen. This is a more gentle way of getting the bees out instead of pouring them out of the box. Here is the Queen at the top of the Queen box.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 12, 2015 at 6:45pm PDT

Here is the hive all installed! In 3 days time, I come back to check that the Queen bee is released from the Queen box by her attendants. They will eat the sugar plug to let her out. We named this Queen George Lee. Long live the Queen!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 12, 2015 at 8:29pm PDT

First day of beekeeping season 2015

On April 4th, it was finally warm enough to open up our hives for the first time this season. I was so nervous to see if any of our 3 hives survived. At the first hive, I didn't see any bees flying in and out of the hive. This is always a bad sign.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 4, 2015 at 10:27am PDT

I unwrapped the hives only to find frame after frame of dead bees. The whole hive of frames had mold. And on this frame you can see all the bees clustered together trying to stay warm. Moisture and mold killed these bees. I feel so sad. All these frames along with the honey went into the garbage. I don't want to reuse frames that have mold on them. It might be diseased as well and I don't want our new bees getting sick from it.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 4, 2015 at 11:48am PDT

We decided that we were going to purchase a new package of bees to install into this hive. Then I went to our other beehive location. I saw bees flying around and already knew that this was a good sign. One of the two hives in this location had survived the winter! What a relief!!

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 4, 2015 at 3:20pm PDT

I was smiling, grinning actually from ear to ear. This makes me sooooo happy! We had a really harsh winter with lots of cold days and snow. So to know that this hive survived is pretty amazing! Here is another video of a closeup of the hive.

A video posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 4, 2015 at 5:50pm PDT

I moved the hive back to it's original location and removed all the tar paper wrapping. So happy to see the bees flying around!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Apr 5, 2015 at 7:07am PDT

Frozen to Death

I received an email from my beehost yesterday and it was extremely bad news. This past Sunday, it went up to 47F degrees. And some of the bees ventured out of one of our beehives. But unfortunately, they were unaware that it's actually winter and snow on the ground.

 

 The bees became disoriented and could not find there way back to the beehive. These warm spells are the worst because they get tricked into thinking it's spring and so they will come out of the hive to forage and look for food. But with the snow all over the ground, they become confused.

Seeing all these honeybees frozen, trying to get back to the hive makes me so sad and want to cry. I feel heartbroken. I really hope there are enough bees inside the hive to keep the Queen alive. I almost can't wait until the end of next month to open the hive and see what's going on inside.

More winter to come

So the groundhog saw it's shadow and so we are to expect 6 more weeks of winter. The park down the block from us still has lots of snow from the last 2 snowstorms, so the thought of more snow is a little depressing. I long for sun and warmer days and spring flowers. Actually, I long for days of above 32F temperatures so some of this snow can melt. Hopefully soon. One can hope.

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Feb 1, 2015 at 11:46pm PST

Recycling Christmas Trees

After the holidays, I always feel a little sad about all the discarded Christmas trees. I feel sad that this once thriving tree was cut down to be enjoyed inside for a few short weeks. I was in Carl Shurz park the other day and saw that they were recycling the old Christmas trees by turning them into mulch to be used within the parks grounds. Every year the city parks department organizes a Mulchfest where the Christmas trees are collected and chipped into mulch. It's great that the trees are reused in this way, giving them a second life. And it makes the park smell so amazing with pine everywhere!

A photo posted by Mimi (@meemsnyc) on Jan 18, 2015 at 1:51pm PST