Invasion of 100,000 Bees In Mason

You can see the photos of the bee-keeper removing some of the estimated 100,000 honey bees here

It was a beautiful, sun-drenched Sunday afternoon in our sleepy little community, but somewhere else, a mass exodus was taking shape. Apparently, at a hive some distance from here, something happened and nearly 100,000 honey bees swarmed into the area, taking up residence in a neighbor's lilac bush.

One of the neighbors who witnessed the arrival, said it sounded like a 'woo wooo woooo-deep droning sound' and the sky way black as they came in. 'It was like that movie', he said, and he called to his wife to close windows and doors..not knowing where the bees would settle. They ended up only 30 feet from his front door and the man stood in awe and shock at what he had just seen.

One of the other neighbors happened to know this local bee-keeper from Holt, so he got on the phone and asked for assistance. The elderly man arrived in a white sub-compact car, with two hive boxes in tow and little else and set about collecting the drones. It is unclear if the queen was found, but I am sure that was not the primary objective.

After about an hour, or so, the gentleman loaded his bees into the little white car and headed off to Mason, where the bees would find a new home, among his others.

Thanks for a GREAT Season, Detroit Red Wings

The Pittsburgh Penguins got the job done this evening, taking Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals by a score of 2-1. I'm not going to pretend to be a fan of the Pens, but Captain, Sidney Crosby and his team simply outplayed the Red Wings, forcing this pivotal game in Hockeytown.

You can bet the guys savored this win, too, because last year, it was our beloved Winged Wheelers who celebrated in Pittsburgh. And, in the long playoff schedule these teams play, the strongest of the two left standing get to dance with Lord Stanley's Cup. Most notably, NHL Commissioner, Gary Bettman announced that Pens' Captain, Crosby was the youngest Captain to hoist the Cup for their team.

Regrets? I can think of one Detroit Red Wing who probably has a little bit tonight. Marian Hossa defected from the Penguins after being defeated in the Finals last year, saying he wanted to have a chance to lift the Cup. Will he be back next season? Hmmmm, I wonder myself. And from what I hear, a few other Wings may not be back for 2009-10.

Among them, 47 year old Chris Chelios, who is rumored to be heading to Anaheim for a season of helping the younger members. This makes sense, since he has a home in L.A., but what about Netminder, Chris Osgood, who had a less than stellar season? His playoff performance certainly redeemed him a little bit, but at 36, is it time for him to move on? Let me be clear, I do NOT want him to leave, but Ken Holland constantly has his eye on emerging talent-and how long will he keep Osgood and hold the new guys at bay? Ty Conklin seems ready to step up and Jimmy Howard is patiently awaiting his chance.

With the campaign over, you can bet Holland and Company will be looking at the older Wings closely. With the depth of the team, he doesn't have a lot to worry about, but the next few days should be interesting.

Hey, it was a great year. No sour grapes here....just sincere thanks to my Detroit Red Wings for giving us one whale of a ride. Sure, a parade down Woodward would be better, but we will have to wait until next Spring to see if we make the cut once again.

And so, this is my final hockey posting until the fall....so Thanks, guys. We had a GREAT year and it was a pleasure to join you in Hockeytown three times this season. Enjoy your summer.

Heroes

Well, you knew when you entered this blog zone that I tend to write about things that are important to me. Sometimes you might be interested and sometimes not, but I can assure you I am ALWAYS interested in my topics of discussion.

This photograph contains four of the most important people in my life. Each has their own special place in my heart, but I want to talk about one person, in particular, from this photo. Because, you see, if it weren't for his kindess many years ago, the job I have enjoyed since November of 1996 would have never been possible. By the way, this guy is Carl (K8YHH) and he is at far right....lookin an awful lot like he wants to go fishing. ;-)

So anyhow, let's go back to 1995. I had been involved with Amateur Radio for only a few months and ol' Carl and I met at something called a 'Shack Attack'. In the Ham Radio world, this is a gathering at someone else's home, in their 'shack', or room of radio operation. It allows newly licensed folk, like I was back then, to meet the owner and tell tales amongst ourselves. This is quite a lot of fun, especially for newbies who want to see what the other guy has for radio gear.

That day, we were at 'The Nipper's QTH' (home) in Okemos and we enjoyed hearing about Bob's HF exploits using QRP....this is 5 watts or less of power to make contacts worldwide. Yes, I said worldwide! There are even some enthusiasts that make contacts worldwide on less than 5 watts and that is called QRPp. You would have to hear it to believe it, but Bob was well on his way (at the time) to getting into the DXCC Honor Roll.

And so, at some point, Carl and I struck up a conversation amongst ourselves and I learned that he was a GM Truck Driver. Being a driver myself, my first instinct was to tell him to keep me in mind if they ever were hiring. I mean, we're talkin' about a life-changing job here....LOL. Well, Carl called a few months later and had me get a resume to him ASAP-if not sooner. The result was, quite simply, incredible. I got the job and it has been life-changing for my entire Family.

I believe I've done a good job at my place of employment these past 12 1/2 years. I can honestly say that I have given them a good days' work for a good days' pay, too. And with the poor economic situation in the USA, things have changed dramatically at my work place. Many have been permanently laid off, many more have been indefinitely laid off and now our pay and benefits have been dramatically cut.

Now, don't get me wrong. I know there are others in far worse straits than those of us who still have jobs. Homes have been lost, Families have been decimated by the decline and I am thankful that we've had nearly 13 years of a good-payin' job. God has blessed all of us a great deal and now it's time we tighten our belts and reassess the job market.

But the purpose for my comments tonight is simply to say, 'Thank You' again to Carl. No need to apologize, or feel badly, because I and everyone who took a job with this company knew what we were stepping into, when we accepted employment with them. It's never easy to see something this good go away, but I have lived well and my Family appreciates the good things we've had all this time.

As for my beloved Detroit Red Wings....I will be ready to enjoy Game Four tomorrow night at 8pm on Versus. The Wings lead the series 2 games to one and it's not going to get any easier. Two great teams with two hungry Goalies.....nothing could be better! GO WINGS!!!

The Stanley Cup Finals...Our Trip to Game 2

I know, this is not a normal photo to begin my commentary on the latest from Hockeytown, but I wanted to share a story and also to say 'Thank You!' to a relatively new friend. But how DO you say thanks when you are given an opportunity to not only take your kids to their first NHL game in the regular season, but also Game Two of the Stanley Cup FINALS??? I don't know either, which is why I asked. The first guy in this photo is Tim (foreground) and I genuinely appreciate the opportunity to go to Game 2 and his generosity.

Now, let's talk about Game 2 in Hockeytown. It begins with the assortment of over-the-edge Fans we got to see, while waiting to enter the Joe Louis Arena on Sunday evening. I compiled a nice photo album, so go take a look at some of these characters, as well as some great pics from the trip.

The Detroit Red Wings are now just two wins away from their twelvth Stanley Cup. They did the work tonight in Detroit, defeating those pesky Penguins from Pittsburgh 3-1. It was the second game in as many days and it was the same score, too! But, despite being banged up and exhausted, our beloved Winged Wheelers found a way to put a choke hold on Sidney Crosby and Company. The Wings now lead the Finals 2 games to none, as they head to Pittsburgh for Game 3 on Tuesday evening.

Wings' Netminder, Chris Osgood was superb in goal tonight, allowing one goal on 32 attempts. Penguins' Goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury was not so lucky, as he was pulled for the second consecutive game. It seems as though the Red Wings have his number, but we'll see what lies ahead on Tuesday night.

Also for the second night in a row, Wings' newcomer, Justin Abdelkader, scored a goal. He was recently brought up from Grand Rapids to replace some injured teammates, but he has certainly found a niche as a support player within the organization and he's making a case for returning full time in the 2009-10 season.

Adding fuel to the fire, Rookie defenseman, Jonathon Ericcson (who watched the Western Conference finale from the dressing room Wednesday night after having his appendix removed) slipped one past Fleury. Valteri Filppula also split the pipes for the Wings.

What's exciting to me, aside from being there, is seeing the supporting players step up and make a difference. The Detroit Red Wings have built a solid core, but they have the added benefit of this expanding base of support, as well. They are arguably the best Detroit Team I have seen-and that's saying something!

And while I'm soapboxing, let me add my voice to the chorus being heard in Detroit (and elsewhere) these days. At this point in the playoffs, I think it's safe to say that Goalie, Chris Osgood has made a huge bid for the Conn Smythe this playoff season. This, despite a mediocre year and a bit of struggling. He's answered the call, he's motivated his Team to excel on every level and he has shown he has what it takes to be a force to be reckoned with. The Wings are fortunate to have Osgood and I would like to think he will be recognized for his efforts, for this season, as well as last. Oh and I haven't even talked about the fact that he is two victories away from his fourth Stanley Cup!

Tuesday night, from Pittsburgh, it's Game Three. GO WINGS!!!