This is a photo-heavy “catch you up” post. If you click on the pictures, you will be able to see a larger image.
Toward the end of winter, we had some de-construction done in preparation for major renovation of the underground house. More to come on that…over time.
The foyer
We painted equipment for expansion of the apiary and we installed 8 new hives. Happily, all of the queens in the new packages were accepted by the workers.
Newly painted woodenware for the apiary
Preparing the woodenware
And, then, there were ten
Bees in flight
We are making mead. We are tasting it with friends and family before its time and it is good. I have, also, tried my hand at rendering beeswax. We plan on sealing our corked mead with the beeswax.
Honey wine
Bees wax
Spring arrived and the bees are flying to collect pollen and nectar from fresh new blossoms. Snakes are warming themselves on hay bales. The goldfish are coming to the surface of the pond. Toads are singing and mating and there are spiraling strands of eggs at the waters edge. There are so many glorious signs of spring!
Honey bee on deck with maple pollen
Snugglin’ snakes
Goldfish (aka heron food) in the pond
Honey bee on snowdrop
Ginkgo is growing, getting into all kinds of mischief, and learning to swim.
Ginkgo can swim!
The garden tasks march forth with seedlings in the house, hardening off in the cold frames, planting spinach and kale and cabbage out in the garden. Potatoes and onions are tucked in. The garlic and asparagus are growing. The peas, radish, beets, carrots, and arugala are sprouting.
Garlic patch
Ladybug on indoor Pac Choi seedling
The cuttings I took in the fall are showing life and I have a lot of transplanting and potting up to do. Kiwi, gooseberries, currants, roses, goumi, and blueberries.
Kiwi cutting
Paul proposed to, my daughter, Hannah under the apple tree and she said, “Yes!”
“Yes!”
Hannah and Paul didn’t just hang out kissing all day either (thank goodness!) They dove into some serious work: moving wood chips into garden paths, planting potatoes and raspberries, cutting wood, beekeeping, planting fruit trees,…and testing the mead…and, yeah, kissing.