The Babies Are Here! Six Little Chicks!

I've been bugging my husband for about ten years that I wanted to get chickens. He resisted big time and I didn't want to do it without his agreement. So, as I approached my diamond birthday. I said, "All I want for my birthday are chickens." How could he not say yes?

This little girl is a Plymouth Blue. Shall I give the chicks pirate names?
She can be Bluebeard's Daughter or Bonnie Blue(beard).

More Photos from the Pirate Party! A Good Time Was Had By All!

Plenty of Pirates at the Pillagin' Pirate Tavern

Argh, Matey! The Pirates all be Restin' after Seekin' the Treasure at Parrot Island!

Cap'n Poncy Hawthorne of the Ragin' Cannon with her rival,
Cap'n Jack Blacksparrow of the Black Onyx. Who will reach the treasure first
 and be the richest pirate on the Ocean Main?

My birthday weekend continued on Sunday with a mystery murder party with a pirate theme. what a lot of planning went into it and everyone was there at the "Pillagin' Pirate Tavern" (aka the Woodstock Brewery). Every one had a pirate character and the costumes were as varied as the personalities. 

Thoughts on Turning 75!

celebrating with six of my granddaughters and my daughter, the photographer

Today is my birthday. My parents named me Mary after Our Lady's feast day yesterday for which I'm deeply thankful. And now, here I am, celebrating my birthday for the 76th time as I journey on toward the final goal. What comes to mind as I reflect on the past, the present, and the future?

Brood Check -- Thumbs Up for all the Laying Queens

Well we did our second Spring check just to make sure all the hives have laying queens and they do. We saw brood and young larvae in all three hives which means things are progressing normally. We'll check again in a few weeks when we will probably split the hives. We saw lots of colorful pollen: yellow rose colored and a few flower petals still being brought in. Lots of shiny nectar being stored!

When we were new beekeepers we tended to overdo the hive checks. Now we have a goal and once the goal is accomplished we butt out! Today's goal was to make sure we had queen-right hives and to reduce the four super hive to three if the fourth wasn't needed. There were plenty of empty frames in three boxes so we took off the top box which was all empty frames and will clean things up and get ready to make splits. That way we can prevent swarming and double the size of our apiary. Thanks "bee" to God that we came out of the winter with three hives all strong and healthy.

First Spring Bee Check -- March 5, 2022

We did our first bee check on Saturday, March 5th and were thrilled to see all three hives active after the winter. It's the first time we haven't lost at least one hive to the cold. Our purpose in checking (We don't like to bother the girls unnecessarily) was to make sure they had enough stores not to starve in the last few weeks before the Spring nectar flow starts. 

Two hives still had some hard sugar from the winter and other stores. The other had eaten all the sugar but had a heavy box with plenty of food. All the hives were active and full of bees, so we are in good shape for the start of the season. Yay! 

One hive was on a wood table that was slanting because the front legs are starting to rot. So we took it off the stand, Larry leveled the ground, and we gave the girls a more stable bench stand. The yard looks very spiffy!

Larry leveling the ground for the new bee stand.