I'm never sure if we're commemorating Guy Fawkes et al trying to blow up Parliament, or being foiled... Either way I'm not doing much commemorating, sitting as I am in the horrible cross fire of very loud BBC 6 Music and very loud Strictly Come Dancing, both vying to drown out the noise and stop Maisie going in to a horrified, crazy barking collapse. Mike's taken the boys to South Park for the fair & firework display, which will probably make them deaf but very happy. Speaking of which, Sylvan had his follow-up hearing appointment, following years on from the dodgy ones he had as a baby. It was funny to be going to the hospital with just him, and touching how much of the routine he's picked up from coming with Arthur: solemnly presenting his appointment letter; offering himself up for inspection; the big-eyed hope and expectancy of choosing something in the shop afterwards.
I've put the bees to bed for winter now, barring a little extra weather proofing that's needed for the hive that has a base for a roof*. They stopped taking syrup from the feeders so I've taken them off, and when they're in winter mode proper (at the moment the weather's so mild they're still flying) I'll move them to better positions for the coming spring.
* the hive where there was a queen cell on a super frame that hatched while it was put to one side and I was inspecting the brood box. Queeny must've fallen to the ground and instead of finding her way in to the hive found her way to the bottom of it, where her faithful workers built exquisite wild comb for her, only to be discovered some 4 weeks later by me, trying to combine colonies I had assumed were queenless. They've still got their wild comb, which I'll try and get a picture of before I dismantle it in the spring. Here's a picture of how it looked when a friend's bees did a similar thing:
They build the comb exactly east-west, facing south. It was figuring out the size and importance of that little gap between the combs, the bee space, that led to the design of modern hives to harvest honey.
2 comments:
The more I learn about beans (nearly entirely from you ;)), the more they put me in awe and puzzle me at the same time!
Did you get results at Sylvan's hearing appointment? My gut feeling says everything is alright (his pronunciation is soo good now, would be hard to achieve with impaired hearing), but than I know that gut feelings don't count very much, of course (and unfortunately...)
Off to my mum's with Jonathan - we'll be early at the station to enjoy a good look on all the trains a pasttime which certainly sounds vaguely familiar to you :)
xxx
Hannah
PS: I'm back Sunday night and (best conditions, though not essential) am alone Tues-Fri morning - will try and remember to put my Skype on, maybe we'll finally get the chance!
heyup missus, hope bees are finally all warmly tucked up in their little bee beds. i do enjoy your reading your blog, don't very often but then catch up on a month or two when I suddenly think ah elly I wonder if she's written stuff! rubbish about pants unfeeling nurse (not that she didn't feel your pants obviously....) much love to you and all of the lovely boys in your life x
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