Visitors

Les Broux, La Vienne, France.                                  8th July 2013

Suddenly this place is crowded with “foreign” bees – they have even taken up residence in the chimney of “their” house.  Not surprising they are hurrying to find somewhere to live as it is really late to be setting up now;  its past the summer equinox and the days are getting shorter.  I can begin to think about easing down on the egg laying.  At the moment though all our efforts must go to keeping the temperature in the hive correct.  Cannot have the brood overheating. 

Les Broux Bees Correspondent – back after a short break

Bees at home in our chimney (blocked off)

The last couple of days have been such a mixture of garden, bees, office, sport and all in a heat wave – 38° C, it was 31° C at 6.30 last night.  I’m not complaining, but it does mean you have to totally rethink what you are going to do.

Sunday morning whilst Tony was at Paul’s having some more “hands on” time, I put the last coat of paint onto the trellis and then popped over to Fay’s to pick up the bait box we had left with her.  Tony is hopeful of attracting the bees from the chimney (have to try!) so he wants to put it up on the wisteria frame in plain view and line of sight from the chimney.  Tony had a great time with Paul, although the plan to split the hive they had looked in on Thursday (where they found queen cells) they found they were too late and they had already flown.  But they were able to do a lot of other work, including setting up the hive with the bees from Mike and Emily’s.  I looked at the pictures on Paul’s Facebook page – quite amazing.  The combs are the opposite to the ones we collected  in that they were built between the tiles and the plasterboard – size/depth being governed by the rafter depth.

Bait box – in the wisteria – some interest?

Back together and got the bait box up on the wisteria before settling down to watch the Andy Murray – Djokovic game – and what a game it was.  Amazing tennis, tenacity, nail-biting tension and outstanding result.    Kept popping out to look at the chimney and the bait box and got quite excited at the activity around the box on the wisteria.  Tony was worrying that the swarm in the chimney could be from one of our hives;  we will have to wait until we look in the hives to see if that is the case.  Hope to do so Monday, depending on time and the weather.

White currants – know they are ready – the birds have been at them!

Did a little in the garden, picked some of the black currants and the white currants but it was SO hot; decided to leave it till the morning.  The cherries are almost there and the gooseberries are lovely – eating them off the bushes!  Felt completely drained by the heat – how they managed to play such outstanding tennis on centre court with it even hotter than here I do not know.

Purple and Green – penstemins & geraniums

Monday was a something and nothing day.  No activity around the bait box first thing – easy to see from the bedroom window – so as Tony suspected, just taking the bait honeycomb he had put in there.  The chimney bees seem settled – we will see if we get inundated with bees in the house once the brood emerges – not bad at the moment.  Tony worked away in the workshop making another brood box and a couple of supers (just in case the bait works) and I got on in the office and then went with Kate to visit the clients with “Poppy” the sans permis motor car, to give them a valuation on their property.

External view of the trellis

Trellis from the inside

I got back and we put the trellis in place and I tied up the roses and did a little bit in the shadier parts of the garden.  Decided to eat down in the summer kitchen and enjoy the evening which we did.  That was after I had been out to purchase yet another electric strimmer.  I cannot handle Tony’s big petrol one, so it seems each year I purchase an electric one for me.  Last year’s worked for about half a season, then kept throwing out the plastic string in a knotted bundle stripping it from the bobbin.  Seemed to be a gearing (plastic) that had worn and could not fathom out how to replace it (if we could still get the parts!) in this throw-away world.

So the other month I purchased another, this time the cheapest I could find.  After about three sessions with it, the “string” kept breaking off inside the bobbin, necessitating removing the whole head, taking the bobbin out of the cover, slipping the plastic sleeve off, finding the end, re-threading it and putting it all back together.  Happened more and more frequently.  Finally the whole head fell off.  I can remember noticing it in the grass (I had carried the machine back to the shed without realising it had fallen off).  I’ve put it somewhere safe!!  We have clients in the morning, so I wanted to strim up the drive and the edges in the front just to make the place look more inviting when they drive in.

Could I find the head;  of course not.  So into the car and off to the builder’s merchants, D.I.Y., garden store where I purchased it to get another head.  Of course they were out of stock, surprise, surprise – so I brought another strimmer (a bit beefier this time) and ordered the head.  In France whenever you order something it is always “around 15 days” for delivery.  It is a moveable feast and I don’t expect it to arrive quickly.  No problems I will then have two machines!

Back home and a quiet evening sitting in the shade of the trellis and roses, enjoying the beauty around us.  We had taken a look at the “girls” but they did not seem to be especially active although there were a few dead bees close to the hives.  Could be a sign of hard work.  It is really tragic to think that they wear out their wings foraging and sometimes die because they simply cannot get back into the hive, just run out of flying ability.  Talk about dedication to the group as a whole.

Tuesday morning I will get up early, clean the office (you may notice housework does not really figure in my life very much), then when it is still cool, but not too early for the neighbours’ sake; strim the drive and front beds.  Tony will then cut the grass.  At least with this heat it should slow down on the growth front.  Once the clients have gone out with Kate, Tony an I will take a look at our “girls” to see if the chimney bees are family or visitors.

Tony & Paul – practical

Tony helping Paul

Les Broux, Wednesday 5th July 1995.  Sun

Collected Jane (from Spain) and Joan (her friend) from the coach in Poitiers at 7.0 am. {Eurolines coach from Grenada – Paris – London}  14 hours from Grenada.  Spent the day talking, picked some more cherries and bottled them in Brandy.

Thursday, 6th July 1995,  Sun

Tony worked on the kitchen.  I took Jane and Joan to Jarnac to see Heine where Jane did exchanges as a girl.  Went round Courvoisier and then for a boat-trip down the Charente – good day.  Marianne{sister} has injured her thumb and don’t know if they will be able to come on Saturday.

Friday, 7th July 1995,  Sun

Visited Civray market in the morning and then home to B & C for lunch.  There were in fine form and Joan and Jane seemed to enjoy their company.  Went to the bar in Nuiellet for a super meal at 55 francs a head.  Very good evening.  Very hot.  Beans growing!

Sunday, 8th July 1995.  Sun

Tony took the two J’s to Poitiers to catch the coach.  I worked on the house – sat in the garden in the afternoon.  Marianne and Keith arrived about 4.30.  VERY HOT.  Tony watered the garden from the citern tank with bucket and rope.  About 5′ – 6′ deep.

During the year 1995 we had 32 weeks of visitors – all were welcome and great fun to “show off” Les Broux to.

For some reason I am having problems loading the images to add to this blog.  So will publish and try again later – so do catch it twice, they are good pictures!  OK now.