I’m very glad I had such a relaxing winter because spring has sprung and we are very busy!
The laying hens were moved outside and that was a terrific blessing because I will tell you that the smell is not so yummy indoors. We still have broiler chicks inside and I am counting the days to get them o-u-t! It was so pleasing to see the laying hens enjoy their new environment and waddle-waddle as they scratched and pecked, and it will be a happy day when we start getting our own eggs again!
Daffodils are popped up all over the place, and my husband brushed off his tractor for some more outdoor work.
This is the year we get to plant a very large garden. It looks overwhelming to me but I am envisioning lots of squash, corn and tomatoes this year (I know….but I have to keep dreaming!), and a goodly amount of sunflowers. Sunflowers are a summer staple, aren’t they? Unfortunately my starts were a complete bust in my greenhouse this year so we’ll see what I can get going directly from seed and from starts I’ll need to buy (ouch) from the nurseries.
The ducks love the turned over ground! Grubs and bugs yummy yum! Handsome (our male one winged duck) is so funny; he watches over his girls but he never ever attacks the dog unless the dog has turned away to leave. Like, “oh ya, buddy?! Yeah, you just head on out, that’s right..!!” All show, no substance! Little does he know that this spring a lot more ducks will be joining his little parade. And maybe a few geese, too.
The Big Fun Thing today was installing a new hive of honeybees. My first hive was put together for me; this time I had to do the whole deal by myself! It’s a little crazy driving home with a caged box of 10,000 honeybees in the backseat. I just mentally kept talking to the drivers around me (“hey you! I have a bazillion BEES in my car! Whaddaya think about that?!”). I actually stopped by the market on the way home, too. Cuz I was cool, yeah, that’s it.
So I prepped the hive with a neighbor I invited over to help and watch. He has kept bees in the past so it was nice having him near in case I lost my nerve. And check out the wonderful new space my husband made for me! Weed cloth and gravel topped, and new electric (AKA “stay away, you black bears, you”) fencing. It will be just lovely not having to go in and weedeat around a hive full of several tens of thousands stinging insects that want to come out and check out what *that noise* is.
I opened the package and pulled out the queen cage. I was really bummed that (1) there was no candy cork so I would have to release her myself (because I suppose I needed the additional challenge) and (2) she wasn’t marked, so it’ll be really hard for me to find her later. But for a moment, anyway, I held her in my hand!
It was time to let them all out! It wasn’t that easy! I had to keep *shaking* and *tipping* and *smacking* the box to get all of the bees out into the hive. But I did it! And not one sting! This was the first time I’ve worked without using gloves, and I felt like I definitely had more control. It was a weird feeling to watch honeybees crawling all over me, though, checking me out. I was confident and purposeful, but they definitely have my respect!
I was so proud of me! Here is my souvenir! And I hope (hope hope hope) that this year, I’ll get a good honey harvest.
Happy spring!
Wow, I am so impressed! I started out confident with my two hives, but I never had the courage to go bare-handed, especially with one ill-tempered hive. But then if I had been courageous, maybe I would not have dropped the super with the big klutzy gloves on….they really did NOT appreciate that!!! And then I did not appreciate the aftershocks…Aunt Crys
Oh my!! (googly eyed over here!)