After a summer of hot spells and storms, it appears that autumn is fast approaching. The bees are much quieter and having to deal with wasp raids as well as ejecting drones who sadly don't get to spend the winter in the hive, having done their duty. The new growth on the plants that I cut back a few weeks ago is deep green and hunkering down ready for dormancy, and the annuals are covered in seed pods, ready for collection. Ten chicks hatched and struggled to cope with the heat a few weeks ago, but 9 are now in their new home under a lamp - I kept one chick back as I wasn't sure it would thrive; tucked under the feather duvet of mother hen means it will be warm and spoilt rotten.
Plums, damsons and apples are becoming ripe and ready to pick, eat and preserve. Having found a good jam recipe
here I'm looking forward to trying it out on this small haul from a friend's garden.
It's always handy to keep a bee skep in the boot of the car!
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