Greetings from the soggy, icey, snowy, windy Pacific Northwest. I and my neighbors emerged this afternoon to gather downed branches, patch roofs and check beehives. Today's temperature felt balmy. While rising air temperatures are melting our mountain snow pack and causing widespread flooding along rivers and streams, thankfully, I am one of the fortunate Oregon residents to have avoided any serious damage from ice, wind, or floods thus far. The warmer temps gave me an opportunity to check on my two hives. When I moved to this five-acre farm in July, I located them in a spot that seemed fairly ideal--southeast exposure but sheltered from east winds that roar through the Columbia River Gorge in winter, shaded during late afternoon sun by a large barn, access to a small agricultural valley. I placed them on concrete blocks that sat on gravel. However, this is moist property in a state that received nearly twice its normal rainfall. Their gravel base is water logged. Today's inspection reveiled some mold on a number of the frames in the bottom supers and piles of bodies on the bottom board. I've relocated them several feet to the west inside a horse stall (no horses). I cleaned both bottom boards and took out frames that looked nasty. I am hoping any stragglers will find their way to their new location, but expect to search for a huddled band of adventurers tonight and pop them back inside the hives. I think their situation is much improved, but I would like to know about further feeding. I've used both inverted jars of syrup and interior trough type feeders, but given this year's extreme wetness and the problems it is causing inside my hives, I'm thinking I'd do better with dry sugar. Can any of you advise me on how best to provide this? I could mix patties of shortening and granulated sugar but I've read somewhere that beekeepers sometimes provide granulated sugar alone. What can you tell a rubber-booted neophyte about appropriate bee-dining during monsoons? Marcia Sinclair Gresham, Oregon [log in to unmask]