À Vendre!

Les Broux, La Vienne, France                                11th July 2013

“They came back again on Tuesday, much as we knew they were going to – but it has been so hot could not be bothered to make too much of a fuss – plus they were spraying this sugar solution around.  It was more important to groom those who were hit by it, and clean up and eat!  Anyway they seemed to be happy that we were all there and busy.  I’m still in charge of the No.1 hive (as they call it) and my subjects seem happy with the job I’m doing as “they” could find no evidence of my replacement being brought on.  That will happen one day I know, but for the moment all is well in my personal kingdom.”

Les Broux Bees Correspondent

Tuesday started according to plan and I was up early, cleaning up the office and toilet.  I even cleaned the windows, as the sun tends to show them up.  It was then a reasonable time so I used the new strimmer (great) and did the drive and border edges all at the top.  Tony got out the ride-on and cut the grass.  I even had time to pick some flowers.  Just after the clients arrived – Kate was working with them planning their visit route and what houses they were going to see –  more clients arrived.

This took me back to the days when clients were queuing up outside the office – they were truly crazy days when if you saw a house you liked there was no time to reflect on it – otherwise it would be gone.  Well those days have gone, in a way, thank goodness, although for our sellers it would be nice to have a little more activity.  The clients who arrived were in fact sellers.   They brought a ‘holiday’ home from us back in 2004, but now want to move on somewhere else.

Because the office is so small, I was glad to be able to take them down to the summer kitchen where we could sit with our cups of coffee and talk about what they have done and what they would like to do.  We also talked about the slowness of the currant market.  I have arranged to visit on Thursday to take pictures and see how things have changed and to give them a valuation.

Once all the clients had gone it was time for Tony and I to “kit” up and take a look at the bees.  We seem to have a settled colony in the chimney and no one interested in the bait box after all that excitement on Saturday.  We planned to look at the hives from right to left; i.e. No. 3 first (the latest small swarm) as we were a bit concerned about the general level of activity from this hive – seeming lack of.  Then the No. 1 hive, our first collection to see if they have lost bees to a swarm or if there any signs of queen cells etc. and finally No.2 or the Top Bar Hive with the first swarm we collected.

We went armed with the smoker – trying to remember the rule of 3, i.e. 3 ft or 3 km (when moving a hive of bees) – and smoke – wait 3 minutes – then go into the hive.  Tony had also prepared a light sugar syrup for the spray to distract the bees if they got aggressive.    The first hive was fine.  We removed the empty feeder, they had taken all the sugar syrup we left last time and took a look inside.  As far as we can tell it looks really healthy although still on the small side with only three combs built so far.  We took lots of photographs and we will ask about it at the bee club on Wednesday night.

No. 3 hive – comb 2 (centre comb)

We had no problems with this hive who seem to be very good tempered bees and happy to ignore us.  Then we moved onto the No. 1 hive.  Here we had left a super on with additional foundation combs into which Tony had put sections of one of the combs we removed the time before last.  Although there were some bees here they were not drawing comb yet.

We then lifted off the super and out them came, although not as many as before and even though one made a beeline for me and stung me on the hand through the glove! a quick spray with the sugar solution seemed to do the job quickly.  We took a look and there were certainly the same number of bees as before, so the chimney residents are foreigners.   Of the two new foundation frames we added last time they are drawing comb on one and the other already has filled cells on it – but there is room left in the brood box for them to expand into before they go upstairs.

This is quite a hard hive to manage, as they are still bridging between frames and Tony did not want to disturb brood too much so we did not lift out all the frames, but it seemed healthy.

New Foundation Frame from last visit.

No. 1 hive – 2nd new foundation frame

We then moved on to the TBH – our No. 2 hive.  When we took the lid off it was to find loads and loads of ants and their eggs.  Sorry ants, but I brushed them all off onto the ground around the hive.  Hopefully they will be able to collect them and find somewhere else to raise a colony.   This hive is doing really well, and is so good-natured hardly needed smoke or syrup at all.  They have built 8 frames of comb so far and are expanding those they started on one side of the frame only at first.  It looks a really healthy and vibrant colony.  Very encouraging.

Capped brood cells – not sure if the uncapped ones are brood about to emerge.

TBH mixture of capped cells – brood and food and new comb

The couple whom I am going to see on Thursday have a bee “problem”.  I remember it from several years ago when we had to find a beekeeper to come out and try to remove them.  They were settled in the top of the wall of the house.  Sam and Alison told me they were still there and do not present a problem for them.  I will take a look when I visit but probably not worth trying to take.  Might be a good place to site a bait box though.

Another early start to Wednesday morning.  This time to get some water onto the garden before the sun is fully up and on it.  Finally planted the last of the pumpkin seedlings (!) a bit late but they go on to the end of the year.  One row of runner beans doing well but no sign of any of the others I planted.  So more beans to go in later this week.  Back weeding the carrots.  Then had to head off to Chef Boutonne and the agency with the signed Compromis to be sent back to the buyers for the 7 days to take effect.  It is such a super system of purchase here.  (Another blog – to follow).

Then off to look at another house for sale.  This time Judi’s friend Mel (and our’s by association).  Mel wrote the super book “I’m Still Standing” which was part of one of  my earlier blogs.  Following publication her life has taken a huge leap forward and the business in the UK is expanding rapidly.  It is time to move on and to do that she has to part with her piece of paradise here in France.   I had never visited her house and it was even better than I imagined (knowing her and reading the book!).  When I arrived she greeted me with the news that Hameish who was her dog, but is now with Judi had suffered an accident the previous day, and was at that moment being operated on at the vets.

As you can imagine she was a little distracted and very concerned for both Hameish and Judi who was blaming herself for the accident.  Unbeknown to her whilst she was searching for her lost keys, he had got into her car.  It was over two hours later that she realised he was not under her feet at food time.  It was probably the hottest day so far and when she got to the vets with him the response was, 90% of dogs die from this;  we will see how he is in the morning.  In the morning, the veterinary nurse was greeted with a wagging tail and a dog on his feet looking bright.  At the end of the day he was not completely out of the woods as they were still concerned about his liver and kidney function and were keeping him in – but his prognosis is so much better than the day before.

Accidents can happen so easily and have such devastating effects, and when it is an animal you are responsible for the guilt burden is huge.

When we first had our goats in Borden they lived in the shed in the garden and were only taken out and staked in a safe area.  One day they got out of the shed, not sure how, obviously one of us had not closed the door properly, but they ate from the rhododendron bush in the garden.  This is truly poisonous to goats.  Because of the number of their stomachs they cannot vomit – if they eat rhodendrum they do – it burns the lining of their stomachs.  We rang the vet – “ring me again if they are still alive in the morning”.  Complete panic set in – and we then rang a goat-keeping guru who lived near.

“Bottle feed them warm milk with melted lard, coffee and brandy in it and keep feeding them”.  We did, all night, and cleaned up as they vomited it back up – but by the morning they were still alive and fine.  I think it is the inability to explain to them that what you are doing is for their sake.    I am so glad that Hameish is the fighter he is and hope he makes a good recovery.  He is due to stay with us while Judi is off on her “trip” to visit the family in Sweden come Friday.  He will get a lot of fussing here.

Bee club last night and it was as good as last time.  Paul really does conduct the meeting well and so much interesting information comes out.  I just feel like a sponge at the moment willing to absorb as much about bees that I can.  One of the members (not there last month) is an ex-client and it was nice to catch up with him again.  We were very involved with him and his business at one time, as he designed and had built the dis-mountable exhibition stand that we used for many years at the property exhibitions in the UK.  I knew they were into horses (the house and land they purchased was for them) but he has taken up bees in the last two years and studies with Paul (Small World Syndrome).

Anyway he is interested in making a Top Bar Hive and so Tony and he are planning to make one together.  They both want to build it with an inspection window – which I think is a really great idea.

Off to see Sam and Alison’s house today and another ex-client who has moved further south and decided to sell her first house in France.  Busy and hot day ahead.

Mel’s piece of “Paradis”

Classic French Dining Room

Les Broux, Sunday 9th July 1995  Sun

Spent the day around the house and garden.  Very hot indeed.  Ended up gong for a walk down the road at about 10.0 pm. – a bit cooler.  All the plants are growing.  Covered over the brassicas with pots.  Tony knocked the hole through the kitchen wall for the extractor fan.

Les Broux, Monday 10th July 1995  Sun cloud (storm at night)

Very close.  After the chores went to Cognac this time to Remy Martin and then on to Jarnac.  Nice lunch on the way in Rouillac.  Watered veg garden from the tank.  Tony lost the bucket and had to go down the ladder.  Dramatic storm at night.  Ants in guest bedroom.  Kittens everywhere.