Spring Forward

I checked my seed trays that I had planted last weeks and was chuffed to find that lots of the them had sprouted. I was not so happy to find a small slug in amongst them and a bald patch where it had scoffed the tender shoots. The picked it off and dispatched it. I spread a load of pellets around but the next evening the tray was completely free of seedlings. Not a single one was left.

I was feeling under the whether so did not do much at the lottie on Saturday. I had to get some water based wood preserver as I was to get some new hive components the next day. I got a few paint swatches for H. And we had a chap come to look over a job for us. The price was not a shock but is a lot of money. We also had to got out the meet friends in the evening. That was a nice outing and we went back to theirs for some supper. With the clocks moving forward an hour on Sunday it made it a very late night. That was two in a row.

Sunday morning was a glorious, still a cold wind but with real heat in the Sun. I did the trailer run as usual. I barrowed a couple of loads of manure onto the Comfrey patch. That now looks neat and even under a dressing of muck. The Rhubarb is sprouting like mad. Not of course the one that is in the forcer but the ones exposed to the elements. The Gooseberry is sprouting it leaves and some of the Gladioli bulbs are pushing through. I need to make that flower bed soon.

After the trailer run I had to dodge of to my beekeeping supplier over near Coventry. Has was in good form. Mr H and I chatted whilst H had a look around the farm buildings and the chicken coops. Mr H rents farm buildings for his warehouse. He is usually good value and chucked in the free floor to boot. I confirmed my nuc order so that is something to look forward to. A "nuc" is short for nucleus. He told me a little more about the nuc supplier in Wales. Apparently the bees in the nucs are treated and certified as free of Foul Brood, Varroa and Noseama which is good. We talked of bees, of winter, of his growing business, of his hive supplier, of colony collapse and our hopes of this year. I went home happy with my deal.

Upon getting home I got changed and got the paint brushes and wood preserver out. The breeze was quite warm and sun bright in the back garden as I painted on the preserver. By the time I had finished the last item the first items were dry. I had a brew and by the time I was finished drinking my brew the rest of the items were dry. I stacked them up and took an inventory. I went in the shed and got out the frames and foundation. I made myself comfortable in the living room and proceeded to make up 22 super frames. It take ages to make up the frames but with the radio on and a glass of red wines and got through this tedious job. I popped the made up frames into the supers I had just painted and completed my inventory to include the stuff in the garage and the spares. I made up a list so that I could use up the spare frame parts to complete supers and to give me a number for the brood frames that are needed to fill out the new brood chambers. I need to get a couple the meta-posts and make up the new stilage at the Apiary. It is a short week because Friday is Good Friday and with two fencing competitions and my boss visiting it is a full week. Over the Easter weekend I have a bunch of things to do:
Plant Spuds,
Visit bee supplier,
Paint windows,
Bodge a retainer for the muck bin,
Plant seeds at the lottie,
Go out with H and Miss L,
Visit the Apiary
And worry about April 6th.

I might, if I am lucky, get a few minutes to sit down and "be" as H would put it.