I know this is kind of gross, but it's just part of spending a lot of time in a cold ocean. I'll post a couple of photos later, but I mainly took video. The boys splashed around in the river and then went in the ocean for awhile at Moonstone. I got to surf for awhile and so did Loren. Happy found some doggy friends on the beach.









I posted one of the clips from lighting fireworks off at our house. Matt, Amie and Acacia came over to light them off and then we met some new neighbors that came over to help us. I've been saving these fireworks for awhile because they're all illegal and from Washington, but I finally realized that if there's any safe place to shoot guns, have oversized bonfires or light off illegal fireworks, Fieldbrook is it.

I also procrastinated for too long and I think my queen swarmed with some of her girls. The hive appeared to be really healthy, but after destroying the swarm cells, I realized I couldn't find Stella or any eggs. Tons of larvae, pollen and honey but no queen. I hadn't added a hole at the top of the hive like Bryan recommended and the weather was hot. I'd also left the entrance reducer on while I was gone. I guess they decided it was too crowded and hot and split. It isn't the end of the world. I ordered a new queen and there is plenty of time to get the colony large enough to last through the winter. I doubt I'll get much honey, but I'm not really concerned about that this year. I just want them to survive. Next time it seems they are overcrowded, I'll do something right away and I'll never take off the swarm cells unless I've verified a queen and eggs are present somewhere in the hive.

Here's some footage of the plaza too.