Lord Of The Strings

Each year when we wrap the beehives for winter, part of the process is to tie twine around the hives to secure the tar paper. Hubby likes the string anchored with a bow line knot and two half-hitches for quick untying in the spring. Tying that bowline has always eluded me...especially since we are usually working in freezing weather with cold clumsy fingers. This year was mild and the light bulb finally came on over my head. Eureka! Here's my bowline knot:
And here's how it goes around the hive.
We got them all done in jig time.
When we got home, I got out the Ashley Book of Knots - a veritable enclyclopedia of knot tying which I've had since my macramé phase long ago. We won't say how long ago, but the $9.98 price tag on the front of this 620 page book is a bit of a clue.
Next year I plan to surprise hubby by asking if he'd like a Bowline Bend, Bridle, Cringle or one tied on the Bight. Surely that will impress him more than my twisted version of Tolkien: One String to rule them all, One String to find them,One String to bring them all and in the darkness bind them...
Safe wintering, bees; we hope those knots hold!