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Wednesday, April 9, 2014

A Wuzzle Bee and Garden Art

No moto related content in this post, but I wanted to share a few pictures I took on Friday afternoon.

WUZZLE BEE 
(aka Huge Bumblebee, aka B-52s)

We had a spell of unexpected sunshine and I was out on the deck and noticed a huge bumble bee sipping up the nectar from a few flowers waiting to be planted.   I quickly jaunted inside to grab the camera and hoped he would still be there when I returned.  He was.  It looked like he was having his own little garden party as he buzzed along from flower to flower.  






GARDEN ART

A weekend or so ago we decided to re-vamp a shrub bed by the back deck.  A few plants died over the winter and the old white lattice we'd had hanging on a small pergola had seen better days. With a little recycle, reuse mentality and a few can of spray paint we got in touch with our creative sides.

An old steel trellised gazebo was dismantled years ago and we'd saved the corner panels.  We took the panels and spray painted 4 of the 8 different colors and hung them from the pergola, then planted some evergreen clematis at the base of the two posts.

Voila functional garden art........



I really should have tidied up a bit before taking the pics, but oh well.

We still have 4 panels left and we are now debating painting them and hanging them from the sides of the large pergola with the swing at the back of the yard.  A little continuity to the yard and also some privacy when the vines grow through them.

Has it been warm enough in your neck of the woods for any garden puttering yet?

We are forecast for clear and sunny skies this coming up weekend so I am hoping to get in a ride. Now is the time of year when we try to find enough time for all of our hobbies.

- Au Revoir

"Garden Party" - Ricky Nelson, written 1972
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30 comments:

  1. I really like the painted panels. It is a pretty nice look and will look even better when there are some climbing plants on them. And nice shots of the bee.

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    1. Glad you like them. Not sure if you remember how it looked with the white lattice, but this will be a bit better I think.

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  2. Very nice! I'm getting the yard in order too - just in time for the hubs to come back. He left two weeks ago and nothing says "I love you" like fertilizing the lawn right before you are gone for two weeks. Took me almost 45 minutes to mow the backyard! Love the colors - their; perfect back there :o) woof

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    1. Maybe Josh wanted to make sure you hadn't forgotten how to mow. Brad mowed last night too, I think that makes 4 times already this year.

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  3. Trobairitz:

    I like those pink flowers. The Big Bee is lucky to have so much eat. Those panels came out quite nice with those different colours. Your eyes are drawn to the Suzuki Blue but the Tiger Orange could be a bit brighter.

    Our grass is getting longer too, nearly time to call our gardener. It's supposed to be very warm and nice up here too

    bob
    A weekend photographer or Riding the Wet Coast

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    1. I chose the flowers because they kind of look like a daisy to me, but according to the tags they are a type of mum.

      Funny you thought of the bike colors, that wasn't even on our radar when we were picking rattle cans.

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  4. Tidied up what? Your garden looks mighty tidy to me!

    I don't like insects per se but I like bumble bees because they don't usually bite or sting.

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    1. After I took the pics we moved the canoe to the side yard out of the way and Brad mowed and there is stuff on the deck. You know tidying.

      I like the huge bumble bees, they are my favorite.

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  5. I love love love love love the garden! Color is really doing a good thing to me this year! Great idea! Thta bee is also humongous! We have Bumble Bees but this guy looks really large compared to that flower! That singer would be a huge hurty...

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    1. You can even see Basil hiding under a deck chair. He is the dark colored blob.

      I was watching you paint the purple shed, way cool. We aren't that bold with colors.

      The bee was about the size of the last digit on your thumb. They are the ones you hear coming from across the yard.

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  6. Boy... did I misspell in that response. Ok: "Thta" = that. "singer" = stinger. ughghghg...

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    1. I always notice my typos after I hit submit. And it is always on the blogs that have no captcha, so no chance to edit. Murphy's Law.

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  7. A busy bee is a happy bee!

    Great idea for the privacy trellis. I bet clematis is crazy happy in your part of the country. Of course, they need sun for their faces, but like their feet cool.

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    1. He was very happy. I think I could hear him singing. Clematis usually grow quite well around here. We have one in the front yard that did well even with our cold temperatures in December.

      That area of yard gets morning sun and afternoon shade as the sun comes around so we are hoping they'll be happy there. I've since planted some hosta bulbs in there too.

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  8. Brandy I may be finally riding but garden puttering is still weeks into the future.

    Nice recycling of the gazebo parts. It's quite pathetic that those made in China gazebos (we're onto #3) are basically consumables once the fabric cover rots from exposure to the sun. When I took our cover down last fall I judged from the condition that the gazebo would get recycled this spring.

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    1. At least you are back on two-wheels, that is something.

      Yeah, the canvas is what went on ours too, even though we'd bring it in during the winter. The last year it had torn in the wind so we left it out and that did it in. That was about 6 years ago.

      Maybe you'll think of something else to make with the parts of the gazebo. If not give them away, people will think of something to do with them.

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  9. Wow that is pretty! Love the pergola! Wuzzle Bees almost look friendly and snuggly, but that is just an misguided image, I was stung by one when I was wee and I have never tried to BEE friendly again. We are supposed to hit 18C this weekend, that's almost summer weather here, time to get out on the road again.

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    1. Brad likes to pet the big wuzzle bees. He is like the bee whisperer.

      Did you touch that bee inappropriately before he stung you? Kidding!

      I don't mind honey bees and the big bumble bees. I am not a fan of wasps or hornets, they can be downright ornery and aggressive around here.

      We are supposed to get up to 74˚F (23˚C) on Sunday. Fingers crossed for a riding weekend.

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  10. I admire the work but I am voting myself not a gardener. I am giving away my potted plants next week to a good home. They require more attention than a dog and I get less back. I shall walk and enjoy the industry of others; such as yours.

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    1. Some days I wish I wasn't a gardener. When I see so much work to do. The one problem with a little house on a big lot is there is always something to do outside, whether you want to or not.

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  11. good reuse of some old bits around the place
    and that bee looks friendly but from some replies it may not bee

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    1. Thank you. We try and reuse what we can.

      So far all the big bees I've seen have been friendly. Either that or I give off bee friendly vibes. When I was a kid I'd run from them, now I know they are just out to find the sweets.

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  12. I love the "garden art" and the close-up shot of the bee working along!

    You have a very nice yard area too!

    I am hoping to have a bit of a yard at my next dwelling when I move to a house again.

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    1. Thank you Deb. A garden area is nice and we love to play in plants, but it can take away from riding time too. Yesterday after coffee we could have gone for a longer ride (we rode to coffee), but came home and did several hours of spring clean up (first sunburn of the season).

      A lot of plants didn't like the 0˚F temperatures in December and so we pulled out a dozen or so plants and trees. Some 7-8 feet tall, sigh.

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  13. Great shots of the bee and flowers...were you using a macro lens? It must definitely be warmer there than I thought it would be, time to get out and ride, no doubt. Enjoy your garden, lots of work but pretty to look at. :-)

    Cheers,
    Curt

    Live Free. Ride Hard. Be Happy.

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    1. Believe it or not those were taken with my point and shoot Canon on the pin-hole or tin-type setting. I love that camera. I've had good luck with the Canons.

      Our weather has been unseasonably dry the last week or so. Temps in the mid to high 60's and we are supposed to see 75 today. Rains will be back Thursday.

      We rode to coffee yesterday morning and it was a little chilly. In the 40's.

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  14. My little garden is still under a bit of snow though it's melting quickly now that it has started to rain. I love your recycled garden art idea, it looks so cheery.

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    1. Thanks Karen, we were going for cheery. The yard needed more color.

      At least it is raining now and not snowing, soon your garden will peek through.

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  15. Great Wuzzle Bee pics! I really love the "new" yard art. What a fun decorative element. It always amazes me to see what a little paint can do.

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    1. Thanks Kathy. I managed a picture of a honey bee on apple blossoms at a plant nursery yesterday.

      You are really good with the paint, we just dabble a bit.

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