What did you do in the Apiary today?

[drex]

Mild and first sunshine for weeks, so went and hefted my 3 hives. 2 flying, 1 nothing. Had a look through clear crownboards. 2 had moderate number of bees milling around. The dead one, plenty of stores, no brood, no bees on comb, about 20 dead on the floor. Queen not amongst them. Abscond, or queen failure? All hives had November vape and were alive then.

 

[Nannysbees]

All five hives flying today Emir was right, daisy was just cwtched up

 

[hemo]

Walked to the local shops today and on the way home nippedin to check a pair of hives in an orchard. Both hefted, very heavy with two fingers and the both of loose clusters up the top.

 

[Wilco]

Popped insulation onto a hive which hadn't got any, topped up feed for some mini nucs.

 

[Curly green finger's]

Your wintering a few min nucs will first time ? How are they fairing?
What type?

Popped insulation onto a hive which hadn't got any, topped up feed for some mini nucs.

 

[JamezF]

Had to have a bit of a tidy up in my home apiary since the wind and rain has stopped temporarily. In places water is running out of the ground and there are bits of broken tree branch all over the place.

James

 

[Wilco]

Your wintering a few min nucs will first time ? How are they fairing?
What type?

Did one last winter, three this year, there were four but one dwindled in Autumn so I presume weak/queen failure. They're looking ok at the moment, one quite a bit emptier than the other two so we shall see. They're in Warnholz mating hives.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Sunshine can’t believe it !
Put some fondant on a nuc and took the top off one colony. Handful of bees in the middle.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

did the vaping/hefting round at the home apiary all colonies out in the bright sunshine and all hives still heavy (in fact at one apiary yesterday, some still felt almost screwed down) even the nuc

 

[Murox]

checked the farm apiary, hefted, all good and flying in the sun. Other out apiary higher up also looking good, visual check under the lid as none were flying.

 

[Goran]

Returned home few days ago. Today just walked to see hives since cold snap came and today temp was around 5C. At the moment snow mixed with rain.. I must admit, I like my God forgotten province more than there where we were in France ( like in a hive, all are rushing and heap of stuff buying in malls like there is no tomorrow.. Here when we go to shop, we don't buy much.. When we returned home and had late lunch at home my wife and I had same thought - all on the table we eat was what we produced.. From one side we seem to others poor but we don't need much..

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I must admit, I like my God forgotten province more than there where we were in France ( like in a hive, all are rushing and heap of stuff buying in malls like there is no tomorrow.. Here when we go to shop, we don't buy much.. When we returned home and had late lunch at home my wife and I had same thought - all on the table we eat was what we produced.. From one side we seem to others poor but we don't need much..

I remember chatting to my grandmother one day (been gone 20 years now) and she was telling me of when they first got married (1938), they lived in a little cottage up on the mountain that could only be reached by foot or horseback - no electricity just a coal fire and an oil lamp. Every Thursday, when my grandfather came home with his pay, they would sit at the table and count it out, putting money aside for rent, oil and coal, food for the animals and then work out what food they could afford to buy that week. then said "in over sixty years of marriage, those were the happiest days I can remember"

 

[Goran]

Today..

 

[Garry R]

I have found in life that there seem to be certain phases money wise in adulthood.

1. Worried if you are going to have enough to get by

2. After 20 years, comfortable - with bumps in the road.

3. Helping the kids (now jump back to somewhere between 1 and 2)!

4. Worried about having enough and planning to take it with you! The government will give you no help on this one!!

Funny how 1 and 3 retrospecively were the most enjoyable

As someone once said "I came into the world with nothing and it seems as if I have most of it left."

 

[elainemary]

I remember chatting to my grandmother one day (been gone 20 years now) and she was telling me of when they first got married (1938), they lived in a little cottage up on the mountain that could only be reached by foot or horseback - no electricity just a coal fire and an oil lamp. Every Thursday, when my grandfather came home with his pay, they would sit at the table and count it out, putting money aside for rent, oil and coal, food for the animals and then work out what food they could afford to buy that week. then said "in over sixty years of marriage, those were the happiest days I can remember"

My grandad and nana were the same. My dad had the wages but always gave mum an allowance. Bring the eldest I never heard them argue ever, she would go to the ‘mafia’ as my dad called it , the WI AGM in London and he would pull out his wallet and ask how much she wanted. Happy days

 

[JamezF]

As someone once said "I came into the world with nothing and it seems as if I have most of it left."

"I started out with nothin and I still got most of it left" is the title of one of Seasick Steve's albums

I'm facing going back to somewhere near #1 (do not pass "GO", do not collect £200) at the moment as it happens. Need to find a job after slobbing about for a year or three, but I'm not sure I can face going back to doing IT stuff unless it is a job that really interests me or is something that genuinely directly benefits "real people" (which ultimately ticks box one). Or I find something else entirely to do, which could well be interesting, but computers is all I've done for decades and I'm a bit short of ideas.

We are at least ticking off some of the last of the major "parental responsibilities" with our youngest now done with school and passing her driving test (today!).

James

 

[Goran]

While I was in France, I walked around in one small town " sightseeing" and at one moment one young " man" 18-23 years by the look talked to me in his speedy french something I didn't understand ( he was sitting on the curb with dog with leash and some teen girl beside all decent dressed and dog joyfull). I said please on english - he said " please give me money to eat". I was surprised to see beggar with dog.. Nor him nor the dog seem invalid to be uncapable to work, I just open palm toward them and walk away..

 

[Nannysbees]

Vaped all five hives yesterday, cold snap today, my favourite weather cold and sunny, lovely to wrap up warm and walk

 

[Sutty]

While I was in France, I walked around in one small town " sightseeing" and at one moment one young " man" 18-23 years by the look talked to me in his speedy french something I didn't understand ( he was sitting on the curb with dog with leash and some teen girl beside all decent dressed and dog joyfull). I said please on english - he said " please give me money to eat". I was surprised to see beggar with dog.. Nor him nor the dog seem invalid to be uncapable to work, I just open palm toward them and walk away..

Years ago I passed a beggar, complete with dog & cardboard notice sitting cross-legged outside the local mini-supermarket. I ignored him.
The next customer to come in announced "the beggar outside has just got up and hailed a cab!". I feel very sorry for the truly homeless but the best way to help is to give to a reputable charity.

 

[Anduril]

Years ago I passed a beggar, complete with dog & cardboard notice sitting cross-legged outside the local mini-supermarket. I ignored him.
The next customer to come in announced "the beggar outside has just got up and hailed a cab!". I feel very sorry for the truly homeless but the best way to help is to give to a reputable charity.

2 events, first one in Paris a beggar came to each outdoor table of a restaurant asking for money. In my limited Welsh (my wife is 50% English, 50% Welsh) I spoke to him and he just walked away with a puzzled look on his face. Second time in Estoril in Portugal a deaf mute handed me a piece of paper (usual grunt to mimic the mute) in many languages asking for charity money for the deaf and dumb. I just said in English I'm a tourist and only donate in my country. It must have been a miracle he spoke back to me in English.