Fall is a busy time at The Martin Hives!  As of the late summer/early fall, we've removed all the surplus honey from the hives (coming soon to a webstore near you!) and it's time to help the bees get ready for winter.  Making sure each hive has a minimum of 60lbs of food stores for winter is super important.  Nectar has stopped flowing so we have to give mother nature a hand.  We feed our bees a home made sugar syrup to supplement their natural supply of food.  I serve it to them hot and they seem to love it.  It feels like I'm out there filling feeders every day!  Sean was kind enough to shoot some candid photos of me feeding our most aggressive hive ever the other day.  Thanks, Sean!  So here I am... feeding the bees! 

The syrup goes into an in-hive feeder that holds a gallon of liquid.  The blue disc on the feeder is it's base.  

The feeder is then placed on the hive's inner cover.

The bees then have access to warm syrup without having to leave the hive.

Once the feeder is installed, we close up the hive and let them go to work!  They'll take the syrup from the feeder, store it in the cells in the hive and have it to eat all winter long.  

What a beauty!  My clients were relocating to Connecticut from New Jersey and had some fun needs and wants on their home buying list.  An in-law apartment or space to build one and an in-ground pool were on the top of the list.  We looked at quite a few homes that could have worked but "the one" ended up being this beauty in Broad Brook.  It checked all of their boxes and came with a bonus, new, detached two car garage!  Super happy to have helped this family find what they wanted and am already looking forward to next season's pool opening party! 

​60 Old Town Rd
#113
Vernon, CT 06066
2 bedroom, 1.5 bathroom
​$110,000.00

Last weekend I had the pleasure of attending the soft opening, members only, sneak preview at the Riverside Reptiles Education Center.  I'm so glad I signed up for membership early, because as it turns out, it does have it's privileges!  I was able to tour the all new center, check out over 50 species of reptiles and amphibians and watch an alligator feeding!  My favorite part though was being allowed to get a little handsy!  I pet a giant python, touched a turtle and stroked a salamander!  All under the supervision of qualified staff of course!  I loved looking at exotic species from around the world and learning about each one from the information posted by their enclosure or from a knowledgeable expert from the RREC staff.  

The Center is still technically "under construction" with new reptiles scheduled to arrive soon, a bug cave to be added and it looks like some of the turtles and tortoises will be getting their own outdoor space.  With critters and creatures coming and going from outreach programs there should always be something exciting to see at Riverside Reptiles.  I'm looking forward to visiting my new scaly friends often and to learning more about them each time I visit.  

To Brian Kleinman, his family and staff, thank you for bringing Riverside Reptiles to Enfield!  What a fun and unique experience!   

It's not too late to purchase a membership  or even tickets to the official Grand Opening events on Columbus Day weekend.  

After the grand opening weekend, they will be open daily from 10am-5pm. 

Meet Sean!  Sean is the latest and greatest member of my "Under 25 Club"!  He may even win the first place trophy amongst his peers in that club this year!  Sean has not only invested in real estate early, he invested in a multi family home that will produce income for him the rest of his life!  He's like an evil genius!  Sean was a good saver with good credit which made him extremely well qualified to buy his first home.  But it's still a tough market, even for the strongest buyers. He felt the sting of defeat in a few multiple offer situations, but stuck with the process, stayed positive and eventually won "the one".  All things in the right time for the right reason and I think Sean missed out on a few others so he would be ready when this one came along.  It's a beauty!  Now he can move in and start saving for the next one!  Congratulations, Sean!  I'm looking forward to seeing you and Lucy around town!  

I love sending and receiving mail.  So imagine my delight when I stuck my little hand in my mailbox the other day and found this little package with my new favorite mask inside!  One of my longest and dearest friends was back-to-school-mask-shopping (wild times we live in!) and thought of me.  I'm so grateful to have thoughtful friends like her!  Small and random acts of kindness are everything right now!  I don't love wearing a mask, but I do love making a statement and I'm getting all kinds of compliments on this bee mask!  Thank you, Jennifer, I love you!  XOXO.  

Get your own at:

Sweet Stella's Boutique
Longmeadow, MA
​sweetstellasboutique@aol.com
(413) 519-3473

​Mortgage interest rates are incredibly low so it's a great time to buy!  Housing inventory is also incredibly low so the competition will be tough, but don't let that scare you!  Have you thought about buying but are not sure where to start?  The infographic above outlines the process in simple terms and if you have ANY questions about the home buying process I'll be happy to help!  Please reach out!  Understanding the steps and working with a competent team of supportive professionals (REALTOR, Lender, Attorney, Home Inspector, etc.) will give you the confidence and the competitive edge you'll need to successfully navigate the market today. 
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How do you know if you have a boiler or a furnace?  A boiler heats your home with hot water, sending it through pipes in your baseboards or radiators.  A furnace heats your home with hot air blown through vents in ceilings, walls an/or floors.  Both need annual service to maintain safety and efficiency.  

As beekeepers, my husband, Sean and I are members of the Hampden County (MA) Beekeepers Association or HCBA.  Because we live on the border of CT and MA the HCBA was the closest proximity beekeeping club for us to join.  We started beekeeping in 2011 after going to the "bee school" the club teaches every year.  Beekeeping is tricky business so having the support of the club and some local beekeeping mentors was EXTREMELY helpful when we first started out.  It still is. So if you are thinking about becoming a beekeeper, I highly recommend finding a local club and asking about any classes, lessons or mentoring they may be able to offer.  Our club meets monthly, normally at a hall in Chicopee, MA and more recently on Zoom.  But there is one thing you cannot get in a classroom and especially not on Zoom... hands on experience!  This year the HCBA was able to establish it's first ever dedicated educational beeyard.  Here our most experienced members have set up hives to help club members of all beekeeping skill  levels.  They can show you everything from beginner basics like the difference between a worker bee (female) and a drone (male bee) all the way to more advanced beekeeping techniques like making splits or grafting queens. 

I love attending bee club events and chatting with other club members about their beekeeping successes and struggles.  I'm so glad we have this beeyard now so we can all learn even more by actually doing!  Big thanks to Mark, Nate, Dave and Billy getting this all set up for our club to enjoy!  See you all at the picnic!  

Local business spotlight!  You all know I love to see highly motivated, self-employed people doing their best work because they are motivated by passion.  Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on Pretty Painted Hair!

If you are in the Southington, CT area and would like some fantastic highlights, please check out my girl, Jennie Georgiades at The Network!  She is super sweet, super talented, super dedicated to her craft and her clients all rave about her!  Please visit her website for more info by clicking the photo above, or follow her on Instagram by clicking the photos below.  

Jennie Georgiades
Balayage Specialist
Pretty Painted Hair located at The Network
409 Canal St.
Southington, CT 06479