What did you do in the Apiary today?

[Sutty]

we went into a shop in Dinard to buy a baguette and a rotisserie chicken and I inadvertently asked for a spit roasted prostitute.

We're they able to supply one?

I remember as an early teenager on holiday in France with my parents my father trying to ask for washing up liquid in the local shop. They looked puzzled and then rooted under the counter until I corrected his French when they laughed at gave us some.
It turned out he had asked for something to wash his bladder - but they were getting him something!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

We're they able to supply one?

the face of the girl behind the counter turned from puzzlement to verging on tears, I then realised what I said so switched to the good old english default of waving my arms around and speaking very loudly in sais

 

[Macbear]

I was - it's why I and a few others gave it up, I hate chanting by rote, even fast approaching my fifty eighth birthday the times tables gets me into a blue funk - one of that group went on to be a language teacher, and another did carry on with a few other languages (German definitely) but became a pharmacist.
I still look back with fondness on my Latin lessons, Mrs Adams was a really fun teacher but was on the verge of retirement, was head of the sixth and the latin was just a 'sideline' and still stuck to the form of latin teaching that she learnt during the great depression.
In fact my moment of glory came during our honeymoon near Mont St Michel when SWMBO wondered what the big inscription on the abbey wall was about (it was in French and Latin) and I managed, using my cursory knowledge of the two languages to give her a pretty decent translation.
Unfortunateli I messed it all up the next day when we went into a shop in Dinard to buy a baguette and a rotisserie chicken and I inadvertently asked for a spit roasted prostitute.

After 3 years of rote chanting, translating weird sentences about effeminate farmers loving tables and the antics of a Latin master who had a punch up with an older pupil in the classroom I was forced to give up Latin. I was unlikely to get an O-level at grade 1 or 2 and excluded from the course along with most of the rest of my year. Thankfully, other subjects didn't do such creaming off, and I scraped through French - just as well as my eldest daughter is married to a lovely French man, and I'm able to make myself reasonably understood when I visit. I did read translated Greek classics whilst in Primary school, which stood me in good stead when studying Shakespeare and Chaucer for A level [at a much more civilised sixth form!]
Thankfully, learning to keep bees has never involved chanting or weird content. Drones are definitely male and the rest of the colony is definitely female so my simple mind is not as confused... and the sweet taste of success...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thankfully, learning to keep bees has never involved chanting or weird content.

haven't done any of the BBKA 'qualifications' then?

 

[Moobee]

haven't done any of the BBKA 'qualifications' then?

What is Latin for matchsticks?

 

[Garry R]

What is Latin for matchsticks?

Crown boardii nil liftus uppus.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Moved these from here



To here

 

[pargyle]

Moved these from here

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To here

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I hope Stan is well insured - I'm banned from working at height these days (or at least not getting caught up a ladder !).

 

[JamezF]

I hope Stan is well insured - I'm banned from working at height these days (or at least not getting caught up a ladder !).

I was just wondering where the hard hat, hi-viz vest and safety harness were

James

 

[Penninetrader]

I recall as a youth reading the magazines in the barbers while waiting my turn for a haircut. One of the young ladies in the centre spread was allegedly from the Mediterranean and the caption said she was a Greek baring gifts.

You have a good memory.

 

[Erichalfbee]

I hope Stan is well insured - I'm banned from working at height these days (or at least not getting caught up a ladder !).

We have a cold spell and they needed moving before Stan gets his knee done.
There were a few noses poking out of the entrance but I opened it up, a few looked out in the 3degrees and went back to bed

 

[JamezF]

We have a cold spell and they needed moving before Stan gets his knee done.
There were a few noses poking out of the entrance but I opened it up, a few looked out in the 3degrees and went back to bed

Do you have snow? My daughter reports snow falling in Cardiff and my brother tells us it's even settling in Clydach (the one just west of Abergavenny).

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Do you have snow? My daughter reports snow falling in Cardiff and my brother tells us it's even settling in Clydach (the one just west of Abergavenny).

James

Reports of snow from SWMBO's office in Merthyr Tudful (she works from home Tuesdays) also had reports of snowfall in Swindon from a colleague travelling to London and a fair bit of snow in Bicester (girl I was in school with) we have a bit of sleet here and snowfall around Llandeilo.
Also my boss who lives in Yorkshire plans to build a snowman later.

 

[smallbee]

Now that we have the first proper cold spell (3 celsius today peak temps), I got curious and had a peek at two of my colonies through the perspex inner covers. Definitely starting to ball up now.

Weirdly, one of the two has visible honey up at the top of the hive, even in the brace comb between the frames and perspex.
But the other one I can only see empty cells at/near the top of the frames, although it still feels heavy when hefting it.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Do you have snow?

No.
But as an aside one of Stan’s daughters played full time in this last night

View attachment cfb03463-64e3-4ae8-a283-eadef70c45b0.mov

 

[JamezF]

No.
But as an aside one of Stan’s daughters played full time in this last night

Where's that?

James

 

[Erichalfbee]

Somewhere in Cheshire.

 

[The Poot]

Moved these from here

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To here

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Well done Stan.
The swarms next year will be circling the shed and saying “I’m sure it used to be here…it’s not a bee myth, honest!”

 

[Erichalfbee]

I said, “Well, that’s the last one we will be taking down from there.” The reply was, “We’ll see”