Bee Removal From a House -The Easiest Way

Bee removal 2

Bees are a way of life here and like many things we were initially freaked out about when moving here (have you seen the rats?! haha) we have taken them on as a learning opportunity. We love bees and all the work they do. They pollinate so many of our beautiful flowers and fruit trees that there is no doubt that we want to help them as much as possible.

Tropical gardens flowers
Some of the beautiful flora we grow here

Pomarrosa flowerFlor de Pomarrosa

Bilimbe flower
Our first bilimbe flowers!

Berry thingsA wild currently unknown tree with beautiful red berries (anyone venture a guess?)

However, we really don’t want them to be living inside our walls. I wasn’t too surprised when I walked past the shed and saw a few bees entering the drain area of the wall. I knew exactly what was happening. We have had so many bees building homes in the cavities of the wood house that this was kind of expected. We have in the past hired people to come and take the bees away. And some people will use poison, but there is one other way to get the bees out of your house without actually touching them or harming them! And it is by far the easiest and cheapest!

Cassie and Kitty crop
Kitty and I are on a bee safari!

Bee time
Britton (and Kitty) getting down to bzzzzness

Cover yourself so that the bees can’t sting you and then just simply open up the cavity and walk away! In one day they will be gone. Bees need to have protection on both sides, so if one side is open, they will have no choice but to leave. And that is exactly what happened with this hive.

Bee time hiveIEmpty cavity
Lots of bees! And then one day later they are gone! Easy peasy!

The next level in this game would be to actually handle the bees and put them into a beehive where we could then harvest some of their honey. But for now we are pretty proud to be able to do this ourselves! We’ve come a long way since our first house bee hives!

Here’s a funky fun video of this easiest of bee removals. (Check out 2:45 for a close up of all the bees)

 

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How to Make a Floral Crown Head Wreath

For our gig at the Beach House, since it was the Saturday before Easter and it was at such a tropical locale with thatched roofing and tiki torches, I decided to make floral wreaths, crowns and leis as part of the costuming for the band. There are a variety of ways to do this and I made a few types.

Girls in flowers
Three of the floral head wreaths for the show

Materials needed:
Floral tape
Floral wire (or other wire)
Wire cutter
Various Flowers and Leaves/Vines
Needle/Thread
Bobby Pins

wire head wreath wire
Wire that I wrapped in floral tape found at a florist shop

All of the flowers and plant material I just collected from around the property.

Basket of flowers
Basket full of the goods

Some of the head wreaths like the one I wore were very light because they were mainly made out of bougainvillea and taberna flowers. Because of this I was able to actually just use a woody vine and attach the flowers, ferns and leaves to it with the floral tape.

Beach House
Strong enough for some heavy-duty dancing! (Notice Britton AKA Mr. Von Funk has his lei in his afro)

For the heavier head wreaths like the one little Isabella wore that featured shell ginger and Caitlin’s that featured a canna flower I used the thick floral tape covered wire as the base and then used a thinner wire and floral tape to attach and hold the large flowers and leaves.

The final, easiest method of floral crown is to simply make a smaller version of a lei and have it rest on top of the head. For a lei/soft wreath just find some flowers and/or greenery that you would like and string it with the needle and thread like you would popcorn garland.

Floral head wreath
So simple that this one was strung by this little darling four year old!

You can add ribbons and other touches as desired.

Another type of crown that I made was just to take some heavy stemmed fern leaves and wrap them around the heads of the guys. Some of them I made into a circle that was attached in the back with the floral tape, others I just attached to their hair with the bobby pins. It gave a great Roman Emperor look.

Fern crowns
Kevin and Dave with fern crowns!

These were such hits at our show that I had random people asking if they were for sale! I wouldn’t mind making and selling these occasionally for weddings and such. Ideas, ideas!

Singing starsIt was a fun, floral night and the Rincón Continentals rocked it


One of our original surf jams! She Hit Me

 

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Rincón Continentals on Fire!

Our band, the Rincón Continentals, is really coming into its own lately. We are starting to transition from just a fun side hobby into something really legit. We are booking more and more gigs, writing more songs, finishing up the editing of the recorded song, No GMO, preparing for a music video and working out the interpersonal stuff that just happens any time you are involved in any group of people.

Casa Hines crowd
Lots of love and support in this community!

Our most recent amazing experience with the band was the other night when we played at a fundraiser for a lovely woman, Toni Lopez, who is battling cancer. It was held at the Casa Hines mansion and there was an incredible turn-out of local Rincoeños there to raise money and support her in her journey. The whole community put a lot of positive vibrations her way!

Rincon Continentals Casa Hines 3
The Rincón Continentals playing live at the Casa Hines Mansion (thanks Daisy for the photo!)

Rincon Continentals Casa Hines
A movie-perfect night!


We rocked it! I don’t think we’ve had that much excitement and energy ever. It was a fantastic feeling! 

Our next gig is this coming Saturday at the Beach House bar and restaurant. Not only does our band have crazy musical talent but our drummer Tiki Rob just happens to also be a professional graphic designer! See what I mean by this little cove of artistically talented people here in Rincón? Here’s our flyer.

Rincon Continentals at Beach House

I also put together a short promotional video of the Rincón Continentals. As we get more video footage I’ll be able to put in even more. But at least this give you a bit more of our look and feel. We have been described as sounding like the B-52s (which makes sense if I sound like Kate Pierson) and a little like Jefferson Airplane too. We say we are a groovy mix of funky psychedelic reggae rock with a surf twist that is high in energy, fun and original music and interpretation.

We recently started a Facebook page too if you’d like to check us out, here: The Rincón Continentals.

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An Art Show and Beach House Party

Lately we have been making great strides at the cabin. The siding is finished, electrical is 3/4 installed and the covered awning has begun. It’s looking really good.

Colorful cabin
Cabin progress

We have also been going out and having a lot of fun at various events and functions. The other day we went to Casa Hines to see one of our artist friend’s art shows. Rincón has an awesome community of artists here. Rincón has been called little Hollywood by some, but it is also sort of a Bohemian village of artistic talent as well.

Cassie Bruce painting
Me and Bruce Burt with one of his beautiful nature-inspired paintings

Casa Hines
Sunset at Casa Hines

Cassie Jill
With the wonderful Rincón artist Jillo

Luis Britton Roberto
And owners of the fantastic hidden jewel Villa Orleans -Luis and Roberto. Roberto’s nature-surrealistic art is now on display at Galeria Exodo

We also recently went to a beach house birthday party where our band, the Rincón Continentals were asked to play a set.

House party
A birthday party at a beach house (photo thanks to Squid)

Rincon Continentals Party
Band playing under the palm trees (thanks Daisy for this great capture)

Caitlin Cassie Isabella
Fun under bright lights -Caitlin, me and Isabella

Life is so fun. So much like a dream. One minute we are hob-nobbing in swanky locales with friends and local celebrities and playing music under palms trees and the next we are hunting down rats, nailing up boards, rescuing baby chicks, picking fruit and cleaning off turkey poop. And we enjoy it all. I love that I just never know exactly where the next adventure will take us.

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