Archive for May, 2010
A Great Day Out
Yesterday I persuaded John to take a rare day off and we headed to Oxford to watch our daughter row in the Oxford 8s. After all the glorious weather Becky had booked a punt to take us on the River Cherwell - it was raining all day - even the chap at the boathouse said we didn’t have to go just because we had booked! Not to be deterred we continued - it was very peaceful - eating our picnic in the rain on the punt! Next stop was the Thames where we watched Becky and her team head for the start of the race. Eventually they floated past, having ‘bumped’ early in the race and not needing to row further! They were very pleased with the result and we had enjoyed our day out.
The Bees have Arrived
Great excitement - Michael arrived with a hive of bees on Sunday morning. Fortunately I had just finished serving breakfast so I quickly donned my suit and strolled up the paddock to show him their new home. He quickly unloaded the hive, complete with super - in his shirt sleeves! The guests thought they could see an angel in the field!
Later on Sunday afternoon my friend, Sandra, arrived so we could have a proper look at the bees. Gingerly we removed the super and surveyed the mass of bees inside the hive, all working happily. That was enough for our first foray into the world of beekeeping! We are hoping to open the hive again this evening to see if we can find the queen!
No commentsSpring is here
The harsh winter played havoc with Richard’s swing seat so it has been undergoing some major repairs. However on Sunday it was returned to its idylic location over looking Neen Savage. The cows all look pleased to see it back!
Sunday was also my first attempt at real beekeeping - a neighbour rang to say there was a swarm so I rang someone else! Fortunately Elizabeth was happy to come and collect it so I donned my suit and went along to learn. It was a great experience, not easy - as the bees had all clustered around a gatepost in a hawthorn hedge. It took over an hour of coaxing to get them into Elizabeth’s travelling box and away!
No commentsBee Keeping
My new life as a beekeeper came a step closer when I attended the practical session run by LDBKA. Unfortunately the weather was a bit changeable but the bees behaved impecably and my suit got its first outing! The next step is my own hive which should be arriving towards the end of May. This will consist of a new queen and nucleus of bees and the aim will be to build up their numbers so they are strong enough to survive the winter and hopefully extract some honey this season - that will be very dependant on the weather!
