Friday night and I want to get in a quickie for all the blog monitors out there. Two days of Sideliner program went very well and the room was pretty full if not SRO most of the time. Thanks to a huge bunch of beekprs for helping.
Typical meeting frustration--best weather and I am inside. Will change that in a bit. In the dark.
The drive down was long but not eventful. I took three days and stopped in Boston (GA) to visit the Bests, a beekeeping family from Michigan. There are also here at the meeting.
The new book is selling well, so this is good.
Had a great meal at Fish Bones across from the Hotel. Some of the best lamb chops I have ever had. Rest of the meal was average. Good company though. I have trouble paying $40 for a fish dinner when daughter Beth can pull something out of the freezer that is just as good and we know who handled it...
More will follow after the meeting is over.
Cheers!
Friday, January 15, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
"Give yourself the right to be happy"
George said that to me a number of years ago. And I wrote it in an essay I now have in my hands. It is something I wrote in the first part of the last decade—I found it today because of my resorting of the piles of stuff I have in my house. By hiring a housekeeper twice a month I have been forced to clean house myself. I wrote this when I was writing to feel better, to crawl through the fog I was in, and because I had co-founded a writer's group.
George and I had been in a show together and become pretty close in a short time period, as one often does in a show with a small cast. I was talking to him at a party, leaning against the granite countertop (in a kitchen with an acre of black granite), talking about each other's lives. I figured it was my job to listen to him go on about a failed eight-year relationship. Instead, George gave me a gift.
"Larry, give yourself the right to be happy," George said.
I stood dumbfounded for a second or two as it hit me: that I have made a mission of my life to help other people get through their crises, that I keep forgetting to be happy myself. Also, I have operated on One Day At A Time for the better part of a decade, and maybe for most of my adult life.
I thanked George for giving me a gift by saying that I should let myself be happy. In the following weeks I kicked the idea around. and wrote quite a bit—some of which I will likely share in future blogs. As I watch people I often wonder if they are happy. Others radiate happiness so much I am suspicious it is all an act. When I happen on some talking head on TV or listen on the radio, I often think that there are many unhappy people running our media and certainly our country. Then I turn the TV or radio off.
George and his ex-partner sold their house. George moved to Boston and that was the last I heard from him. Our friendship was brief but intense. It was open and sometimes a bit raw. But our friendship was honest, and since that talk in the kitchen, I have given myself the right to be happy. I know there are days I forget, and I get busy and don't look happy. But inside I am. Especially if I remind myself. Finding this pile of paper was like getting the gift from George all over again. Thanks George.
And if you see me smiling at you, smile back. I'm happy.
George and I had been in a show together and become pretty close in a short time period, as one often does in a show with a small cast. I was talking to him at a party, leaning against the granite countertop (in a kitchen with an acre of black granite), talking about each other's lives. I figured it was my job to listen to him go on about a failed eight-year relationship. Instead, George gave me a gift.
"Larry, give yourself the right to be happy," George said.
I stood dumbfounded for a second or two as it hit me: that I have made a mission of my life to help other people get through their crises, that I keep forgetting to be happy myself. Also, I have operated on One Day At A Time for the better part of a decade, and maybe for most of my adult life.
I thanked George for giving me a gift by saying that I should let myself be happy. In the following weeks I kicked the idea around. and wrote quite a bit—some of which I will likely share in future blogs. As I watch people I often wonder if they are happy. Others radiate happiness so much I am suspicious it is all an act. When I happen on some talking head on TV or listen on the radio, I often think that there are many unhappy people running our media and certainly our country. Then I turn the TV or radio off.
George and his ex-partner sold their house. George moved to Boston and that was the last I heard from him. Our friendship was brief but intense. It was open and sometimes a bit raw. But our friendship was honest, and since that talk in the kitchen, I have given myself the right to be happy. I know there are days I forget, and I get busy and don't look happy. But inside I am. Especially if I remind myself. Finding this pile of paper was like getting the gift from George all over again. Thanks George.
And if you see me smiling at you, smile back. I'm happy.
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Tuesday night dinner and talk
Sheldon and I agreed to meet at Zooroona Restaurant on West Main St. for an early dinner Tuesday night . This is a new place run by the Mandwee family from the Middle East, and who own Tiffany's Wine Shop. We shared an order of Baba Ghannouj that was top rate, with large pieces of eggplant (grilled) with diced green and red pepper in a garlic-lemon-molasses, and parsley sauce. With the Al Dar Zalata (greens, tomoto, cucumber, Syrian cheese and tosted almonds) we should have stopped there.
But he ordered the Chicken Kafta Kabob and I had the Tawook, white chicken, grilled and with a garlic sauce. Both were served on a huge plate with rice and grilled green pepper, tomato and onion. We finished it for lunch today, since he is doing some shipping for me as I travel here in bit. Service was great, and with an order of Iraqi tea with cardomon, we were out the door for $20 each. We decided that a single dinner item split between us would be enough with an Appetizer and salad.
It amazes me to find such a great place to eat in Kalamazoo, and pleases me that the area supports great places like Food Dance, Oakland Bistro and Bells.
The meeting at the Kalamazoo Nature Center went well, with an audience of half beekeepers and half people-interested-in-bees. Mother Nature brought on some light snow and a few people slid off the road, but there was a good crowd for the first week of January.
People want to know what to plant for the bees.
Beekeepers want to know who is selling Michigan-produced nuclei colonies this spring.
I can use more useful information on both topics!
But he ordered the Chicken Kafta Kabob and I had the Tawook, white chicken, grilled and with a garlic sauce. Both were served on a huge plate with rice and grilled green pepper, tomato and onion. We finished it for lunch today, since he is doing some shipping for me as I travel here in bit. Service was great, and with an order of Iraqi tea with cardomon, we were out the door for $20 each. We decided that a single dinner item split between us would be enough with an Appetizer and salad.
It amazes me to find such a great place to eat in Kalamazoo, and pleases me that the area supports great places like Food Dance, Oakland Bistro and Bells.
The meeting at the Kalamazoo Nature Center went well, with an audience of half beekeepers and half people-interested-in-bees. Mother Nature brought on some light snow and a few people slid off the road, but there was a good crowd for the first week of January.
People want to know what to plant for the bees.
Beekeepers want to know who is selling Michigan-produced nuclei colonies this spring.
I can use more useful information on both topics!
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
On the passing of Bert Martin and others
It was a 4-H event at Michigan State University a half-century ago. I was in the Natural Science Building for an insect identification contest, something geeky farm kids did then. We were in the general entomology lab under the supervision of Dr. E.C. Martin, known to all his friends as Bert. Events like this were part of the reason I majored in entomology at MSU, and eventually did both a M.S. and Ph.D. with Bert Martin in pollination research on pickling cucumbers for machine harvest, and on strawberries.
As my graduate advisor Bert Martin was a low pressure professor. We discussed research and deadlines and got to work. At the end of the day I often checked in and Bert would have a story or three to share with me. He liked to teach by telling stories, and he shared his experiences with researchers and beekeepers to make certain points.
Bert died last Sunday at 99. His wife Ronnie, a wonderful lady and MSU professor of textiles, survives. They retired to Green Valley, Arizona after Bert took his second retirement from USDA as program leader for the bee programs. Dr. Roger Hoopingarner replaced Bert as the Bee Specialist at MSU and kept in close touch with Bert. He reports that all of the family were able to visit in December.
I dedicated Increase Essentials to Bert, and he was pleased by that, sending me a typewritten note, the typescript covering the entire page. Nothing was wasted. Bert cared about a lot of people, and was passionate about beekeeping.
One of the other participants at that 4-H event was a kid from a neighboring county. His name is Clarence Collison, and he lived on his folk's dairy farm. Clarence and I developed a strong friendship, and we worked under Martin and shared an office. We were fraternity brothers and roommates. Our families vacationed together for several years and we have had some great times together.
Clarence's wife, Sally Collison lost her sister Sherry this week too after many years in adult foster care. It had fallen on Sally to care for her adult sister for many, many years.
Two other beekeeping friends lost fathers this past week. Joe Calme, along with his wife Nancy, had bees on the Farm this summer and have moved them to their farm in SW Michigan. Joe's dad lived in the same condo complex in Kalamazoo so they could be close. They had hospice care at home where he died surrounded by family. And Sheldon Schwitek's father died yesterday in Manitoba. Sheldon and I have become very close friends during the past few months, and he made two visits to Canada to say goodbye to his father. He knew this was coming and was prepared as well as anyone ever can be for a loss of a parent.
I have read that people wait (= hold on) to die until after the holidays or some other big event, like a birthday. From the experience of the past week I cannot argue with that comment. My mother, Dorothy Connor, died two years ago on the last day of January. She had just turned 93, and had been a number of parties and social events in her honor. What I have experienced in the past two years is that you really don't loose these people, for they are part of who you are and how you think. I still want to call Mom and tell her things, and sometimes I just say it out loud.
We loose people we love and respect, and life continues. We carry them with us, and somehow I believe they try to guide our lives, even if it just the memory of them that determines our path.
As my graduate advisor Bert Martin was a low pressure professor. We discussed research and deadlines and got to work. At the end of the day I often checked in and Bert would have a story or three to share with me. He liked to teach by telling stories, and he shared his experiences with researchers and beekeepers to make certain points.
Bert died last Sunday at 99. His wife Ronnie, a wonderful lady and MSU professor of textiles, survives. They retired to Green Valley, Arizona after Bert took his second retirement from USDA as program leader for the bee programs. Dr. Roger Hoopingarner replaced Bert as the Bee Specialist at MSU and kept in close touch with Bert. He reports that all of the family were able to visit in December.
I dedicated Increase Essentials to Bert, and he was pleased by that, sending me a typewritten note, the typescript covering the entire page. Nothing was wasted. Bert cared about a lot of people, and was passionate about beekeeping.
One of the other participants at that 4-H event was a kid from a neighboring county. His name is Clarence Collison, and he lived on his folk's dairy farm. Clarence and I developed a strong friendship, and we worked under Martin and shared an office. We were fraternity brothers and roommates. Our families vacationed together for several years and we have had some great times together.
Clarence's wife, Sally Collison lost her sister Sherry this week too after many years in adult foster care. It had fallen on Sally to care for her adult sister for many, many years.
Two other beekeeping friends lost fathers this past week. Joe Calme, along with his wife Nancy, had bees on the Farm this summer and have moved them to their farm in SW Michigan. Joe's dad lived in the same condo complex in Kalamazoo so they could be close. They had hospice care at home where he died surrounded by family. And Sheldon Schwitek's father died yesterday in Manitoba. Sheldon and I have become very close friends during the past few months, and he made two visits to Canada to say goodbye to his father. He knew this was coming and was prepared as well as anyone ever can be for a loss of a parent.
I have read that people wait (= hold on) to die until after the holidays or some other big event, like a birthday. From the experience of the past week I cannot argue with that comment. My mother, Dorothy Connor, died two years ago on the last day of January. She had just turned 93, and had been a number of parties and social events in her honor. What I have experienced in the past two years is that you really don't loose these people, for they are part of who you are and how you think. I still want to call Mom and tell her things, and sometimes I just say it out loud.
We loose people we love and respect, and life continues. We carry them with us, and somehow I believe they try to guide our lives, even if it just the memory of them that determines our path.
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Why Bees, Travel and Food?
Greetings Blogworld!
I think I set up a blog spot a while ago but then I forgot about it. Now I have a theme: Bees, Travel and Food. Other stuff will certainly appear on this blog with some hope that I will keep it going. Remind me to Blog.
From a serious viewpoint, I am an entomologist who works with honey bees and beekeepers—just which of these organisms is the more interesting creature to study will be a topic of future discussion. I have a book publishing business and I write for myself and for two trade journals serving beekeepers. However, I refuse to be All Bees, All the Time. There are other sides to my personal universe that need to be explored.
The travel is a part of speaking to beekeepers and putting on training events, often with bees. I like to teach new beekeepers. I like to teach beekeeping teachers. I like to teach beekeepers how to make queen honey bees and to breed honey bees. Lately that has become more interesting to more people, and I am happy to see that. Visiting different parts of the country is a benefit or curse of this teaching, depending on my mood. Most of the time I like to get out on the road and travel.
The Food part is part of all our lives. For me this blog is an excuse to dig out a manuscript I purchased at least twenty years ago. It is a revision of the first honey cookbook every written in the United States (as far as I can determine), and was published by a major book publisher. It is time to get this book out and share it with folks, and I decided that one of the focus points would be to print recipes here and ask for responses to them.
Here is my first recipe posting:
Soft Gingerbread
1 teaspoon each of cinnamon,nutmeg, cloves, baking powder and baking soda
3/4 cup boiling water
3/4 cup molasses
3/4 cup granulated honey (I am sure liquid will work just as well)
3/4 cup sifted flour
Mix all ingredients together. Beat 2 minutes or 300 strokes. Bake in 350 degree F oven and serve with honey-sweetened baked apple and cream. Freezes well.
—Juliette Elkon Hammelcourt, The Honey Cookbook.
The recipe does not indicate what shape pan to bake this in: cake pan, bread pan or in a flat pan. I guess we are just to know what to use! It does not say how long to bake this either, so you better watch it carefully or it may burn around the edges with all that honey inside.
Let me know if this is a thumbs up or thumbs down. I hope it is good and you enjoy it.
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