HRH - A New Palace

Earlier this Month I posted that Our DD's Bees needed a New Queen. The Hive would not have survived much longer without one so it was a matter or urgency.

Another matter was the state of the Hive Boxes.

These are the original boxes which are now 5 years old and the gap in the middle Super was big enough for the Girls to start using as a "Back Door".

Time to replace them.

And what better time than when a New Queen is in Residence!

A Couple of Coats of Good Quality Paint and some New Clips (instead of the old Ratchet Band).

And finally I am able to install the Pitched Roof I bought 2 Years Ago!

Now comes the delicate job of Moving the Girls to their new Boxes.

One Frame at a Time -

Checking each one Carefully for signs that the New Queen had been accepted by the Hive.

I have never seen anyone quite so excited at the Sight of Grubs!


The Queen is Laying and it is all looking Good.

So there you have it -

A new Palace for a New Queen!

I must admit it DOES look a lot better and will last for many years to come.


In the mean time we will get a few more boxes and Frames ready for when they are needed.

And just because you have read this far...

Meet "One of the Boys"

This is a Drone Bee - He is bigger than the Worker Bees, with larger eyes and does not have a Sting. 
Their Only purpose in Life is to mate with the Queen and when his job is done the Girls will Kick them out of the Hive!

Laura's Cake

My DDIL's Sister is getting married (second time around) and asked me if I would make her Wedding Cake. This is something I was more than happy to do.

Only problem  - She has asked for a "Naked Cake".  As far as requests go this one is NOT my favourite

Do not be fooled into thinking that this is an "EASY" cake to make- There is NOWHERE to hide!
Layers need to be perfectly level, sides straight and just the right amount of Buttercream.

Making this one even more complicated - The Bride wants FRESH Flowers to be added on the day.
So I find myself handing over a Partially finished Cake...

 .. not knowing what it is going to look like on the Day was a Bit nerve-wracking


Saturday Night I received a Photo from DDIL

Not too shabby if I must say so!

I wish them all the Best for their Future.

Pollinator Week

Bees are Pollinators. So are Butterflies, Native Bees, Bugs and Beetles.

I finally got around to assembling my 'Native Bee' Hotel.

They are made from the off-cuts and leftovers from Flow Hive construction and are a Limited release each year.

It has made a nice addition to my Pollinator Garden - All I need now is some "Tenants"!

As I went to write this Post I discovered that this week (10 - 17 November) is Australian Pollinator Week where we are encouraged to pay a bit more attention to the work these Insects do for us.

I was dismayed to discover how many of these Beautiful Creatures are verging on extinction.

  

If you have time I encourage you to Check out this Link to the Australian Pollinator Website and read about the Green Carpenter Bee Conservation Project.

Remember Them

I watched an animated movie the other night and it's message was 

"If just one person remembers me - I will live on"

When I was a Child, My Father told me that he had an Uncle who died in the Great War.

It must have made an impact as years later I looked for and found him.

Today I honour him by remembering him.

"Lest We Forget"

It's Showtime Again

Each November I volunteer to demonstrate Cake Decorating to the Children that attend the Arts and Crafts Pavilion at the Whittlesea Agricultural Show.

Sometimes we are distracted by roving entertainers or the glimpse of a beautiful Quilt on display.

This year the view outside was not one the organisers wanted...
The 'drought breaking' rain could have at least waited until Monday!

I did feel for the Vendors and those with rides for the Children as they were looking very miserable with no customers.

On the upside (for us) bad weather brings the Visitors inside the Halls and we have plenty of people to talk to.

This year the Show was celebrating its 160th Anniversary

 and the Theme was "Generations"

We were given a Mould (made from Gum Paste with extra hardener added) from which we made Faces. Creating appropriate Character by Sculpting and adding Age appropriate Hair before finally applying "Makeup" with Flower Dusting powders.

We did have the occasional request (read "I Challenge you") mainly from Tween Boys to create a Caricature of themselves.
Which we promptly obliged - anything to keep them engaged.  After all some of the best Cake Decorators are Men!

Mainly the Children were enthralled seeing a formless Blob become "Someone"

And then promptly devoured it in a single mouthful!

HRH - Queen Bee

DD's Bee Hive needs some maintenance, but at the moment there is a more urgent problem.

The Girls swarmed and DD has not observed any evidence of a New Queen.

One had to be urgently acquired and currently they are hard to find.

Thursday, I received an excited phone call from DD.

"We have found a Queen!"

Only problem is, they were a 3 hour drive away from home on the way to a well earned extra-long weekend adventure.

Collecting Her (and attendants) from the Beekeeper was easy enough - but,

DD was concerned that the Hive may not survive much longer without a Queen.  It was time for me (and DH) to "Suit up" and deliver HRH into her new home.

I wish I could say it was a painless manoeuvre but sadly not - seems I need my own gloves!

Not a Gardenia

I thought it was a million years ago but in actual fact it has only been just over 12 months since this major Backyard renovation started.

Today I went delving into my archived progress photos looking for a Before Shot of the Path between our Garage and House, (finally finding one that was actually taken of the Neighbours Cat.)

All the plants here unfortunately, had to go - including my Gardenias.

I will miss the shade of the Maple but not cleaning the leaves out of the Gutters or slipping on them on the path, and the fact it got burnt every time the Sun shone.

The Tree roots were also in the Storm Water pipes which had to be replaced along with guttering and some rotted boards on the Garage wall.

(This photo was taken exactly 12 months ago.)

I had raised the Gardenias from Tube Stock and they were a beautiful fragrant "Hedge" at the start of the Path.

So, we decided it was worth the attempt to Save them.  We lifted them and placed any that came up roots attached into Pots.

I planted annuals in the spot and they looked great for DS#2s Engagement Party.

And the pots with my precious Gardenias sheltered under the trees over winter.

All but one Survived.

But....

Flowering happily under the Trees

That is NOT a Gardenia

It is much more Precious -

My long lost 'thought it was dead' Vireya!

I remember it came out in its root ball and just got dumped into that Strawberry Pot - no special attention at all.

Now all I have to do is work out what I did right and not kill it with kindness!!!!