Turning the corner... Shortest Day

[Erichalfbee]

Some good stuff here
http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/december-solstice.html

 

[bontbee]

The weather will do what it will - but at least the days are drawing out.

The evenings have been getting lighter for about 10 days now, though the mornings have been getting darker. Still, I don't care which end of the day brightens, all that matters is that the sun has started getting higher. I am about to light the candles and we'll have our solstice celebratory dinner

 

[oliver90owner]

And, apart from the quarter days (leap years) to keep things adjusted close to regular, there is yet another correction (every 400 years) when the leap year is missed off the calender to make a further fine adjustment. Happened in 2000.

Our clocks are now standardised very precisely (even the velocity of light in a vacuum is a fixed quantity) as the second is now fixed to the period for a given number of oscillations of a fixed colour of light.

Complicated? No, just helps connecting all the Physics together, so everyone uses the same, very precise, standard for the time period of one second.

 

[BeeJayBee]

I was taught that winter begins Dec 21st and lasts until March 21st, when spring starts. Winter has only just begun.

Goes to show how people are taught different things.

I was taught that winter is December, January and February and the other seasons follow in three month chunks.

I'm just glad that the days will start getting longer now, even though it'll most likely get colder.

 

[REDWOOD]

Winter is coming

 

[REDWOOD]

I seem to remember a thread earlier this year about it is going to be a bad winter because of la la la la .....I'm still waiting, perhaps I'm too long in the tooth to listen to mumbo jumbo, now I just look out of the window.

 

[oliver90owner]

So much for turning the corner! Yes, Spring is around the corner, but my bees are firmly nestled in their winter clusters at the moment.

We are now fast approaching thevernal equinox, and al, that has gone is gone. Now awaiting a period of good weather for them to really get going. Patience, around the winter solstice, has once again proved to be the quality most required by the impatient.

 

[Chriszog]

And the OSR has started to come into flower around here!!

 

[madasafish]

Too true. I expect snow in Jan/Feb/Mar so I am delighted if it does not happen...

It would appear so far my claim (Prediction is too strong a word) was correct locally.

No doubt we'll have snow in April and maybe May or even June.. It has happened before here...

 

[Cussword]

The sun is beating down here. Although, when I stepped outside and saw a brass monkey scrabbling around in a bunch of dead leaves.

 

[Millet]

It would appear so far my claim (Prediction is too strong a word) was correct locally.

No doubt we'll have snow in April and maybe May or even June.. It has happened before here...

4 years ago a week into April the snow was that bad we had to bring all the lambs back into the sheds, i went through 3 sets wet clothes in the process.

 

[Into the lions den]

No doubt we'll have snow in April and maybe May or even June.. It has happened before here...

Oh yes......its far from over, and I am both amused and horrified at the folk being fired up enough to go through broodnest this early, and even claiming they are into expansion and already with new seasons drones. What are they looking for? Why? What can they do about it anyway?

Sounds like a high peeing competition to me. One that is amusing to most experienced folks.

Bees flying strongly at 5 and 6 C? Unless its a cleansing flight or orientation then I don't want that kind of bee....lots of flying about for little gain, accelerated burn out, and management difficulties to follow. I have some very black local bees, and even they don't waste much time and effort when there is little to get.

However...back to the quote......in 1984 our first cricket match in June was snowed off and all was white. That was on the Sunday, and by the Wednesday a high had moved in and we were in the first days of a heatwave that lasted for 10 weeks. It was a very good season, though the heather did well it could have been better, as the latter part of the harvest was lost to drought.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Oh yes......its far from over, and I am both amused and horrified at the folk being fired up enough to go through broodnest this early, and even claiming they are into expansion and already with new seasons drones. What are they looking for? Why? What can they do about it anyway?

Sounds like a high peeing competition to me. One that is amusing to most experienced folks.

Bees flying strongly at 5 and 6 C? Unless its a cleansing flight or orientation then I don't want that kind of bee....lots of flying about for little gain, accelerated burn out, and management difficulties to follow. I have some very black local bees, and even they don't waste much time and effort when there is little to get.

Well said that man!

 

[charlievictorbravo]

I have not seen bees flying here for over two weeks. When it's been sunny, its too windy. When it's calm, it's been too cold and when it's warm, it's been raining - on some days it was raining, windy and cold. I'm just hoping things start to warm up soon but a lot of the early forage has been ruined by cold, wet and windy weather.

I've just made a small batch (2kg) of Finnie's pollen patty in case the bees are pollen deficient when the weather does finally starts to warm up. The tricky thing is to decide when to put it in one or two hives so that natural pollen collection follows on from the patty.

CVB

 

[Poly Hive]

Bugger the weather get it on it will do far more good in the long run than the little bit of harm. I put it on in driving rain at times. Not to mention frost and snow.

PH

 

[BrianO]

Well very apt, up at Apiary today all 7 colonies out flying bringing in some pollen, weather improving from today on high pressure and 11/12 degree temps should give them a boost.

Forecast here good up to limit of precast which is Tuesaday next.

As for going through brood boxes ... Madness. Wouldn't dream of it untill warmth next month

 

[Erichalfbee]

Well, tomorrow it's sunny all day, the wind is forecast to be 8mph (after todays 45mph gusts)the Japanese willow is just opening and there is Gorse further up the hillside

 

[BrianO]

Ditto here on cusp of Willow bursting ...

Just watch national forecast...Better than thought forecast for 13/14 degrees next few days. At last warmth...

Who knows what will follow but a few days of this will bring out the Dandelion , which is already appearing.