A Pretty Restful Day ...

 Except for the fact that we had taken my walker out of my car and forgotten to put it back. OOps! We got to my massage appointment and it was an "oh no" moment. Hubby helped me stagger in and down to the rest room, then back to sit down and wait for my appointment time ... but then, when he went out to get my book for me to read during his appointment, found an old cane that I used to use, which did help although I am much unsteadier than I was. At least I had something rigid on one side, and a human on the other! We don't intend repeating the experience - hubby put my walker back in my car as soon as we got home!

We didn't go down to the property today, but hubby has gone dumpster diving on the building sites that gave me permission to do so. His last trip, Monday, gave us some sweet pickings: chipboard/asb sheets (2, nothing wrong with them and not even parts, these were 2 complete sheets!), some 2" x 4"s, a very nice shelf length plank, and some odds and sods. Very useful! Brunel has gone with him, it's Bru and daddy time.

We took those pieces over yesterday, and took Lightning to have mummy/daddy time. While we were there, we watered the fruit trees with the soaker hoses that hubby has now rigged up. It's all progress, it may be slow but it's slow and steady, and starting to come together.

The bees, wow! Hive 2 is thriving, they are going to town doing all the stuff bees do.

The pic is from the back side, so hive 2 is on the left. Hubby had taken the water trays off to clean and refill. Hive 1 is slower, but they are working hard and starting to get it together after the messed up start.

They are definitely the calmer of the 2 hives, the bees in Hive 2 are more aggressive in ways. Mark has to suit up to do anything major with them.

They are busier at the front of the hive too, whereas (with less bees) Hive 1 is a lot slower.  They all seem happy though, and that's all that matters. Happy and healthy. They do all seem to be going all over the property and we do have flowers in bloom (roses) and the brambleberry bushes are ablaze with lots of blossoms. There's going to be some awesome picking there!

I'm trying to think of how to make a sugar-free jam (since Mark is now on insulin).  I found one recipe that is just berries, lemon juice and chia seeds, so that's one option I may try. I can freeze some but methinks I'll have plenty to share!

My bee homes for the wild bees came today so we'll take them down tomorrow evening and set them on 2 trees in different areas. Methinks they'll be happy too!

Look Who's Nesting In Our Creek!

We were out at the property today and look who has made a nest in the creek area!

Having seen a mama and goslings earlier, elsewhere, I'm hoping this one will hatch babies soon. It'll be lovely to have them wandering nearby. I don't need to intrude, I can watch from afar.  I just love that I'm being blessed with beautiful blessings like this, over there.

Hubby's bees are doing good; he added more frames to the hives as they are working hard at what bees do. I'm happy they've settled in and like where they are at. We've prepped a lot of plants for them to have a variety of places to get nectar. We want happy healthy bees.

Jel and Mark swept and mopped some more of the building, it is time consuming but we are making headway with getting all the clay dirt out. Still a ways to go before we will be able to say "c'est finis" but every bit done is a step towards not having a mucky floor.

Jel had brought over 2 friends who are going to hunt the hogs for us and get rid of them, so that they don't tear up my veggie plots or the orchard. 

All in all, it was a good day.

Plantings, Plantings And More Plantings

 We've been busy, taking advantage of the nice weather and going over to the property to get things done. So many dreams to come true, but for now, one step at a time, one day at a time, and adding to the garden space. 

Hubby planted the gladioli bulbs down by the creek netween and either side of the 2 calla lilies (that he discovered were actually 3 as there was another a short distance away). That should look very welcoming when they are all in bloom.

Yesterday, I pot planted a grapevine and 2 plum stumps (saplings), well watered in seed starting mix ... and the pots are composting ones so there's no real transplanting to be done.  Once they start growing we can just plant the pots in the ground. Today I had another order delivered, 2 plums and a kiwi, and have done the same. I need to get a couple more kiwis, and then will need a pergola/lath house for them to vine up. Hubby is going to work on the grapevine supports this weekend so's we can get all our grapevines transplanted along it, in a row.

We checked the bees yesterday and both hives are doing fine.  The one is still busier than the other, but the other is doing well, so we are happy (and so are they!).

Hubby's also been moving mulch from the piles and using them to fill in ruts along the driveway, and to cover some of the red clay before we get rain again and end up with mud, mud, mud. He's putting some  up the front where our ground is uneven and where we'll be adding soil and planting the rose bushes soon. 

Just so many places for it to go, and so much to do and he's just one person.

Yesterday, as we were leaving, we saw the little stray mama dog. She was a bit skittish but we both stopped and spoke to her, and we'd left food out for her at at the barn. I just wish she'd be on the property when we are there.

We'll be heading over again later, after we do the school run, amd my grandson and Miss Lily will be coming over to hamg out with us for a little while.

So, We Are Still Learning!

So, despondent about our bee loss, I called the Carolina Bee Company   to try to see what we may have done wrong and if our depleted hive stood a chance at survival, and were given some awesome advice ... and learned something we didn't know.

It seems that, when you have 2 new hives (or more) close together, that one Queen may give off stronger pheromones than the other, and that bees from the other Queen may just decide to migrate to her hive rather than stay in their own. Apparently, it's called "drifting". Hmmm, who knew! We hadn't had that problem last year as we only had the one hive.

The remedy, since neither Queen is yet free of her "box", is simply to steal a frame or two, from the now overloaded one, and then seal the "weaker" hive for 3 days so that the bees cannot come out of that hive, and they - apparently - will bond with the Queen in there and strengthen that hive.

So that's what Mark did.

When he opened the tops of both hives you could immediately see that - yes - the one was definitely overloaded, as you can see in this pic and the other had no frame activity going on, as you can see in the pair together, in the pic below. 

Mark suited up since the stronger hive was the aggressive one on Saturday, with the bees that actually chased him! Today, though, they were actually quite docile and well behaved so he really needn't have bothered. We're just glad that the man at the Carolina Bee Company was able to help us remedy what had been a very distressing situation for us.

Mark also planted my one Calla Lily down by the creek near the one that is already there, and we have Gladioli bulbs that we're going to put between, and either side of them, to add some colour (and bee food) down there.

I ordered 2 wild bee houses to put up near the house, so that the Carpenter Bees, bumble bees and wild bees all have places to stay as well. I could probably have made them myself but easier, and possibly even cheaper, to buy.

I guess, soon, I'll have to look for some gourd bird houses too.

I love how things are coming together over there.

At home, this morning, the great grand-puppy was ill with diarrhoea so I had to dose him up with some Probios and a pill from the vet. He has a very sensitive stomach so I'm so careful with his food but apparently, last night, his mama gave him some pork off her plate ...poor baby paid dearly for his treat but is ok tonight and much happier for feeling better.

Not A Good Bee Day

 Today we went to check on our bees and hive one was devastating, so many dead bees, only a few trying to eat their way through the wax box to free the Queen. It's very sad, there are maybe only 20 bees in there. We don't know why, but obviously it will be a weak hive for awhile, if it survives, because there are so few bees trying to do the work. I'm just praying they survive and thrive, I hate to see this happen.

Hive two was a hub of buzz-iness, looking very healthy and settled in. They seemed happier, too, as nobody was interested in buzzing Mark while he changed their sugar water. Yesterday, they were the aggressive ones that chased him and hive one had been the happier friendlier lot.

Mark put together another planter for me, and I planted some bulbs he had bought. I don't know how they will do, they seemed very dry to me. We shall see. Everything else is flourishing, and the clematis - I swear they've grown another couple of inches since yesterday!

This evening, I've been propagating gardenia and rosemary cuttings. I hope they take. I didn't have much success with the last batch that I did, not sure why as I've usually got a pretty green thumb.

My computer has started acting up, the battery won't charge (and - of course - now the batteries are locked in) yet runs ok off the cord but at 0% battery. UGH! I'm going to have to take it to Geek Squad at Best Buy tomorrow and have them put me in a new battery, I guess.

That's about it for now, I'm done. Lying on my bed, relaxing, and may well be asleep within the next hour. Blessings all.

We Have Our Bees!

We finally have our bees, and they are settling into their new homes. Hubby drove to Travelers Rest to The Carolina Bee Company, to get them. It was a hot day, so they were a bit rambunctious, and the second box was def more agitated than the first.

They chased Mark and one stung him on the forehead. We left them for about an hour, after he put their sugar water in, and they had quietened quite a lot, and were going in the hives. 

He doesn't have a problem working with bees, and some had got out in the truck while he was driving them "home". The first box was calmer and just buzzed around him gently, as he did what needed doing.

They were slow coming out at first.

Then, once almost all of the first box were out, they started crawling around the open hive. While they did that, Mark popped the sugar water into their water tray, and then put that on top of the hive and then put the cover on. He expected the second one to go as easily, but they were not happy, and were fussing from the get go, and chased him off a few times. We left them to settle and figure out that their Queen was in her hive, and to go in there with her. Even then, when Mark went back to add their sugar water tray, and pop the cover on, they still weren't happy with him invading their space.

Amazing how 2 lots of bees can be so different.

We set the hives up between the orchard and the creek.  Mark had mowed in the area yesterday, between the rows of fruit tree saplings. We brought over 2 troughs from our house, and I've ordered 6 hummingbird vines, so I'll plant 3 in each and then let them grow up and over the chain link.

Up at the front porch, the clematis in the planters (attached to the entrance arch) have sprawled even more. They are entwining themselves around the wire frame, I'm excited to see how they will look in a few weeks.

I love how everything is coming together. God is so good!

A Productive Day

Today we got quite a lot done. 

Hubby got his bee area together, inside an old chain link enclosure that we had.

We're going to find some honeysuckle, or something similar, to plant so that it runs up the sides and will add some protection from winds and night time marauders who might fancy some honey. Methinks when he picks the bees up, on Saturday, that they will be quite pleased with their new home. We aim to please!

He also started mowing but ended up running out of gas, no worries, tomorrow he'll get on and do some more. There's plenty still to do ... about 6 acres of our property is grassy. Probably 2-3 acres is the creek and marsh.

I was thrilled to see that my peas have already started sprouting.  

As far as my beans ... 2 tiny shoots popping up, one bottom left and one near the top on the right hand side.

Out front, the clematis (that I planted in the side bases of the outdoor archway) have started winding their way around the supports so they are happy in their new home as well.

I transplanted one of the air purifying plants that needed a bigger pot, watered all the others, watered all the outdoor plants and felt very content today.

Tomorrow, we'll take some more spider plants over, and I'm going to plant some rosemary cuttings (my last batch all failed to grow) and take some more gardenia cuttings to pop in water to try to get rooted. Hubby will take the gas can, and mow some more.