Men DOING ... anything but sex

[Bookishleigh]

I don't know, they seem to be smarter than me every time I try and catch some.

It's only because they're slippery fuckers.

 

[haha_on_me]

Very nice indeed!

Thank you, that means a lot to me.

 

[haha_on_me]

Love this...I somehow missed this in the kilts thread...must have blinked.
Thanks for posting twice.
LOVE this thread. LOVE.

Hahaha thank you, you have to keep a tight eye on threads, some things fly right under the radar.

 

[haha_on_me]

^Want. Do. This. Now.^

We.can.but.have.to.break.the.ice.in.the.creek.first.

 

[talikat]

I'm a pretty lousy bow hunter, but here I am with my wood Bear recurve:


I'm much better with a crossbow. Here's my gear (a Reflex crossbow and climbing stand):

I've never hunted with a bow, I'm a rifle gal. My cousin does though, he's got the touch. I do love watching hunters with their bows though, it's fascinating.

Thank you!

 

[talikat]

I prefer my crossbow, only because I always got busted with my bow. As soon as I drew the string back, I would be seen, especially with the wood bow, because you have to be within about 20 yards. The crossbow also has a sight, and it's pretty much point and click, so even if you're shivering cold, you can still shoot straight.

Mmm hmm, me too, I would only try a cross bow if I attempted a bow.

 

[RockyMountainMan2]

House painting....well I got some paint on the house lol

 

[desireunbounded]

I'll play. Does playing with my 'sword' count?

 

[suckonsimon]

Man's date in Paris developing nicely

 

[suckonsimon]

This man has just made his annual report to 'BeeBase' administered by the UK government Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
And so this little run of pics:

Searching for 'the lady' - a recently mated queen laying well but as yet unmarked

Found her! entrapped, she's at the inner rim of the circle at 5 o'clock, part hidden, but see how she is longer than all the other bees

Dotted now with white non-toxic paint on her thorax, her head hidden under another bee. Now I can manage her colony with greater ease, as we need to know where the queen is, before any manipulation of the hive.

See her long abdomen, in which she has stored the millions of sperm from the fifteen or so drones who will have joined her on her mating flight. She will use it to fertilize each egg after she has laid it, one sperm at a time. through mid spring, over 1,000 eggs a day. Quite a Lady!

 

[FelicityJohns]

This man has just made his annual report to 'BeeBase' administered by the UK government Department of the Environment and Rural Affairs.
And so this little run of pics:

Searching for 'the lady' - a recently mated queen laying well but as yet unmarked

Found her! entrapped, she's at the inner rim of the circle at 5am, part hidden, but see how she is longer than all the other bees

Dotted now with white non-toxic paint on her thorax, her head hidden under another bee. Now I can manage her colony with greater ease, as we need to know where the queen is, before any manipulation of the hive.

See her long abdomen, in which she has stored the millions of sperm from the fifteen or so drones who will have joined her on her mating flight. She will use it to fertilize each egg after she has laid it, one sperm at a time. through mid spring, over 1,000 eggs a day. Quite a Lady!

Such fascinating creatures.

 

[haha_on_me]

Great photos! I was wondering if you marked the queen to see her better.

Beekeeping is important here in the U.S. because the colonies are all collapsing due to urban sprawl, pesticide use and other pollution. You are totally getting me amped about starting some new hives this spring. I just don't want to sink hundreds of dollars into it and fail again.

I agree, I have been clearing a part of my pasture so I can sow clover, and start a few hives myself. Thank you Simon for sharing.

 

[FelicityJohns]

Great photos! I was wondering if you marked the queen to see her better.

Beekeeping is important here in the U.S. because the colonies are all collapsing due to urban sprawl, pesticide use and other pollution. You are totally getting me amped about starting some new hives this spring. I just don't want to sink hundreds of dollars into it and fail again.

It's true, I've noticed a dramatic decrease in the number of honeybees out pollinating on my property in the last few years... scary because this is orchard country. Lots of yellow jackets and carpenter bees, but the honey and bumbles are declining.

I've been very happy to see a big increase in hives as my neighbors take an interest. I've several allergic people in my family, so don't keep them myself, though do occasionally get the opportunity to help a cousin with hers. I hold the smoker. Woo hoo! lmao

 

[talikat]

This man has just made his annual report to 'BeeBase' administered by the UK government Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
And so this little run of pics:

Searching for 'the lady' - a recently mated queen laying well but as yet unmarked


Found her! entrapped, she's at the inner rim of the circle at 5 o'clock, part hidden, but see how she is longer than all the other bees

Dotted now with white non-toxic paint on her thorax, her head hidden under another bee. Now I can manage her colony with greater ease, as we need to know where the queen is, before any manipulation of the hive.

See her long abdomen, in which she has stored the millions of sperm from the fifteen or so drones who will have joined her on her mating flight. She will use it to fertilize each egg after she has laid it, one sperm at a time. through mid spring, over 1,000 eggs a day. Quite a Lady!

Awesome photos Simon, good for you!!

 

[suckonsimon]

Great photos! I was wondering if you marked the queen to see her better.

Beekeeping is important here in the U.S. because the colonies are all collapsing due to urban sprawl, pesticide use and other pollution. You are totally getting me amped about starting some new hives this spring. I just don't want to sink hundreds of dollars into it and fail again.

I hear another reason for collapse of colonies in North America is the widespread practice of trucking hives hundreds of miles to pollinate large scale agri-operations such as the California almond orchards, where a single crop growing mile upon mile needs pollinators for just two weeks and when the blossom is over they must be shipped on to the next crop in flower perhaps two states away. Static hives, in range of a plethora of flowering species throughout the season within a two mile radius, is by contrast a bee heaven. The combs juggling onto each other on a truck journey inevitably distresses the colony.
As to marking, there is a colour code system to denote the year of the queen's birth, useful for beekeepers with scores of hives. For me, I can keep that information in my notes and so I have just the one [white] and not cheap marker for the purpose.

I agree, I have been clearing a part of my pasture so I can sow clover, and start a few hives myself. Thank you Simon for sharing.

Be sure you sow white and not purple for honey bees, as purple clover is best suited for bumbles with their longer tongues.

I think more than half of my bees' forage is trees: Sycamore, Willow, Holly, Horsechestnut, all the fruit-bearers of course, and - magic when the weather comes right - Lime [Linden] for which they go absolutely crazy; such a tiny insignificant flower with an abundance of nectar if the night has been warm enough. A lovely beekeepers' term for a nectar bearing tree: "An acre in the sky".

 

[haha_on_me]

I hear another reason for collapse of colonies in North America is the widespread practice of trucking hives hundreds of miles to pollinate large scale agri-operations such as the California almond orchards, where a single crop growing mile upon mile needs pollinators for just two weeks and when the blossom is over they must be shipped on to the next crop in flower perhaps two states away. Static hives, in range of a plethora of flowering species throughout the season within a two mile radius, is by contrast a bee heaven. The combs juggling onto each other on a truck journey inevitably distresses the colony.
As to marking, there is a colour code system to denote the year of the queen's birth, useful for beekeepers with scores of hives. For me, I can keep that information in my notes and so I have just the one [white] and not cheap marker for the purpose.


Be sure you sow white and not purple for honey bees, as purple clover is best suited for bumbles with their longer tongues.

I think more than half of my bees' forage is trees: Sycamore, Willow, Holly, Horsechestnut, all the fruit-bearers of course, and - magic when the weather comes right - Lime [Linden] for which they go absolutely crazy; such a tiny insignificant flower with an abundance of nectar if the night has been warm enough. A lovely beekeepers' term for a nectar bearing tree: "An acre in the sky".

White clover, got it. I have small orchard, so it'll be nice for the bees to help.

 

[suckonsimon]

White clover, got it. I have small orchard, so it'll be nice for the bees to help.

Taking account of the flowering season of your fruit, and of the white clover which is likely June to September [in these parts - might be different where you are], taking into account the flowering season of other good forage within a two mile radius of where you propose hives, you might plan some planting of other species to fill any gaps in the seasons. I have an excellent book [British Isles specific] which gives the flowering season of all the really useful species with star rating for bee interest and honey value. Be worth looking online or for books for your region which offer that sort of information.

 

[haha_on_me]

Taking account of the flowering season of your fruit, and of the white clover which is likely June to September [in these parts - might be different where you are], taking into account the flowering season of other good forage within a two mile radius of where you propose hives, you might plan some planting of other species to fill any gaps in the seasons. I have an excellent book [British Isles specific] which gives the flowering season of all the really useful species with star rating for bee interest and honey value. Be worth looking online or for books for your region which offer that sort of information.

I'm in the farmlands of the U.S., there is always something blooming here. There is even a Sugar Bush on the next road behind me.

 

[suckonsimon]

I'm in the farmlands of the U.S., there is always something blooming here. There is even a Sugar Bush on the next road behind me.

Sounds good for them bees!

 

[numeniusa]

Your bees are beautiful, Simon. Such a precious resource - if the pollinators are gone, we're in serious trouble...

 

[numeniusa]

How about a hot bath and a massage, followed by a long fuck in front of the fire?

Ooh, yes.... *shivers*

 

[desireunbounded]

Great photo! Do you study martial arts? I've been getting into Aikido. I like it for the meditative aspect, and it's less about hurting people and more about reactions to aggression.

Yes, sir. Shaolin Kempo. My instructor also teaches Aikido and bleeds that into our training. We are also involved with an outside group doing some Daito Ryu Aiki Jujitsu which is some amazing stuff that takes decades to get right. Even softer than Aikido. It's crazy when you throw someone with a small flick of your wrist and say, "That's it? I didn't even do anything." In most of Kempo, you know you've done something because you feel it; in Daito Ryu, the lack of feedback is preffered. It's a wonderful juxtaposition to our regular training and actually permeates it in such a way that our Kempo techniques become softer and more effective.

 

[suckonsimon]

Here's a gif from video I shot of me making kindling in the old truck tire this weekend.

Hey xianpeters, fine action!
And, er, I see you use a tree stump as the base ...

 

[hotcpu]

Soup's On

Just set the big pot of beef soup on for simmering ... now on to the cornbread for a great meal on a Icy Winter night ... made enough for a small Army!

 

[hotcpu]

Yum. I see beef, okra, snap peas ... what else?

Potatoes, blackeyed peas, corn, diced tomatoes, carrots .... all my food groups in a bowl