Back home and busy but not with beeeees

After our time in Sydney it was time to return home to recharge and to reacquaint ourselves with friends and family. Also there was the opportunity for the Educator to return to educating. 

Back to the gym on Thursday. Nice to be back but do I ever have some catching up to do! My sore back has slowed me a lot but the good news is that it is improving and even better is that I no longer have to manage 250 hives of bees. 

Good news also was the light rain (6 mm) that fell during the day which is the first steady rain since we returned from Canada. It is very dry on the South Coast coming into what could be a very "firey" summer. When we returned home we had quite a lot of washing to catch up with and as fortune would have it I am the washerman so away I went. 5 loads later I had reached the bottom of the wash pile, hooray, isn't wash day a fun day?

Friday afternoon was a lot more entertaining. First Melissa arrived, closely followed by Julie's brother John and wife Jan then, most importantly, the Educator arrived. Friday evening was spent chatting, eating (nice new eggplant dish), drinking and watching footy, all while planning for tomorrow's birthday party.

Next morning a quick breakfast then back to the gym.

Don't understand why, but others seem to enjoy exercise more than me......
 












After our physical exercise we thought it was time for a break. 

Hmmmmm but we had a party to prepare for and it was an important one. The whole team, including our visitors, launched into action, supplies were purchased, jobs were delegated and a party was prepared. What was on the menu for this party? It was a birthday so a cake was necessary and as it was a warm day in paradise (Narooma) we had decided on a barbie. Nothing more suitable to have than snags (sausages) and in this case we chose Kanga Bangas!!!!

Now who was the birthday for? 

None other than my Mum.

We were joined by family and friends for what was a great afternoon. 

As the successful afternoon and the mountain of dishes came to an end we retired to the safety of the lounge room and to a relaxing evening of chat with a bit of football mixed in.

Totally different focus the next day as our attention shifted to the back yard and what was a vegetable garden in years gone by. This is where John, Jan and Julie shone as they dug, weeded, pruned, kept us fed and essentially brought the backyard to the point where if we can get some rain and keep on top of the weeds and keep the birds at bay we should reap the benefits.

Next week will see my return to the apiary and I can't wait!!!!!!!!!! 

Manly Vale

Somewhat of a break for the “Back Yard Beekeeper” this week.
Instead of making a start on breeding queens or weeding and planting the vegetable garden it was a return to Manly Vale.

Well according to Robbie Burns quote “the best laid schemes o' mice an' men aft gang a-gley”. This was the case for us this week. There was an important reason for us leaving Paradise (Narooma) for Sydney and it was to spend final time with Julie’s Dad.

Doug has been a wonderful husband, a fabulous Dad, a grand Grandad and a great Great Grandad and apart from all those a good bloke. We all owe him a lot! What else do you need to say – nothing!!

Before leaving Paradise we had enough time to continue the weeding and start some planting –corn, potatoes, carrots, beets and basil. If we get some rain and can beat the birds/ rabbits/ bandicoots we may move towards some self-sufficiency or at the very least we will eat vegies that are fresh and unpolluted in any way.

Bees seemed to be enjoying a great start to spring with Spotted Gum still flowering and the honeyflow being helped with the spring blossoms from Pittosporum and River Peppermint. Swarming may be a problem but I’d prefer to deal with too many bees than too few. One big bonus will be that conditions that lead to swarming are also ideal for queen breeding but more of that in coming weeks. Swarming may be a problem if I managed to move a hive or two to the Manly Vale backyard.

A nice bonus with our Sydney trips has been the opportunity to see our kids. This gave a welcome break from more trying times and seeing Jeff back in the huddle with a football team again added to the pleasure. Maybe next year his results will be slightly better, none the less it’s good to see that he can remember how to play.

Returned home after a stop at Bendalong where we were entertained by the locals.

Back with Apis Mellifera

This blog was supposed to begin the week after we arrived back from our trip to Canada and the United States!  

Hmmmmmm!!

Oh well better late than never!!!

Now I'm not travelling to New Orleans, Louisiana, or to Memphis,Tennesee, or to New York, New York to Gravenhurst, Ontario,or even to Dildo, Newfoundland. But I am back living in the most spectacular seaside town on the Island Continent! 

So what is this "Bruce's Backyard Beekeeping" blog going to be all about? That is a very good question! Maybe over the next few weeks or months or years we may find out, but then again maybe we may not!!

Readers (if there are any) and (maybe) the Blogger at some stage may work out what is happening. But then again maybe it's about the journey. Whatever it's about I will enjoy writing it and if people enjoy reading it that's good.

Now why is the Blog titled Bruce's Backyard Beekeeping. 

Hmmmm, I'm called Bruce, I have a backyard and in my Backyard I have some of these!!!

Now is this blog going to bee just about apis mellifera, heck no, it's going to be about anything and (almost) everything!!! Mind you that's a pretty good beehive you're looking at and indeed it's going to my first breeder queen!!!