Ordered my Bees

[dirts]

Its that time of the year.  We get them from California and the chances of getting Africanized genes is diminished.  The one year I had one hive in my yard and it produced 22 quarts of honey.  My bees love all the Linden trees in the city besides maple and tree blossoms,clover,dandolins,flowers wild and domestic.  I always suggest to people to plant linden trees.  The perfume eminating from the blossoms in the spring is like the finest french perfume similar to lilacs.  As soon as I smell the first blossoming trees I add the honey supers on the hive.
For those that live in colder regions I tell to plant Service berry trees for wildlife.  My son once gave me one for a gift and I didn't appreciate it until I got laid up and sat on the front porch.
After the young robins leave the nest every robin, grosbeck, crackle, finch etc. raid that tree until all berries are gone.  I love to watch the robins grab a berry and jump of the branch and put all their weight on the berry til it breaks free. Sometimes I'll have up to 10 robins in the tree at once.

[iggygiles]

You are lucky to have the wildlife Dirts. The U k has lost about ? its bird population in the last ten year or so and it is becoming a real worry. Bees are also in decline, it is said that whatever is happening to the kill off the wildlife may also be affecting us humans but taking longer. When I visited my Mum and Sister in Australia a few years ago, it was always a source of joy to me to listen to the dawn chorus. You mention the African influence in your bee hives, well when I was a lad, living in Rhodesia I was once caught up in a swarm of angry bees and had over 1,000 yes 1,000 stings and somehow survived.    Iggy        

[dirts]

Iggy that is one experience that I just shudder at the thought.  I always appreciate the wildlife.  When I go fishing in my kayak every day is a successful trip.  I took my son down the Wisconsin River right from town.  David is Downe Syndrome and bought his own Kayak.  We saw eagle, osprey, otter, muskrat and I even floated to close to a blue heron that was froze and trying to be inconspicuous.  The loons were vocalizing and they swam under our Kayaks.  A few painted turtles on logs.  This was a late trip so the multicolored leaves reflected of the mirror surface of the river.  I'm so looking forward to the ice melting off the lakes.  And after listening to your descriptive I appreciate what I have more than before.  2 yrs ago I worked as invasive species specialist and went to all the boat landings to instruct and inspect boats and trailers.  I traveled on my motorcycle to all my assignments and besides that I got paid.  What a fantastic summer. I saw alot of beautiful sunsets and one afternoon I sat by a small dam that overflowed into a creek for four hours.  Some landings I just sat and listened to the White Pine talking as the wind blew through their tops.

[tux_linux]

nice! I like that. There is nothing better than a fresh bun with honey and a pot of coffee on an early Sunday morning.
My wife doesn't understand why I need 3 different honeys in the kitchen. But that is like jam, they all taste different!

[dirts]

My Grandmother lived in Sebring Florida and one of the most memorable treats that I can remember was the Orange blossom honey she got from the neighbor beekeeper.  We poured it on our raisen oatmeal and sprinkled it with wheatgerm.  Her house was surrounded by citrus groves.  Every day I check the workers coming into the hive to see what color the pollen is and how much are they bringing in.  When they start storing honey the smell eminates from the hive.  No wonder bears tear hives apart, but its not for the honey theirs more protein in the larva.
This is Chris Hansen hes our local club president and full time beekeeper.  Hes got some nice pictures of packaged bees, pollination of apple and cranberries and recovering a swarm.You can even see the solar powered electric fence for bears. 

http://www.hansenhoneyfarm.com/gallery.html