Today's most significant event was that both Whiffler and Wilson were booked in at the Vet's for, hopefully, minor operations. Wilson is to be castrated and Whiffler is to have a growth removed from his lower lip.
We dropped them off shortly after ten o'clock, and 30% attempted to conceal her nervousness by proffering lots of information and guidance, including offering her views on the order in which the dogs should have their respective procedures. It was fairly obvious that the Veterinary Nurse dismissed that suggestion without a moment's consideration, and probably gave a sigh of relief, once I had ushered 30% out of the surgery.
A few errands in Astwood Bank and Redditch followed, before we headed home for lunch.
In the afternoon I set to bottling a couple of batches of honey. It has been selling really well, and I estimate that we have sold around seventeen or eighteen jars in the past fortnight.
Whilst the honey was slowly liquifying, I grabbed my beekeeping equipment and headed up to check the hives.
I started with Hive #1, which was requeened on Wednesday, 26th June. I worked my way, slowly, through the frames in the brood box and was soon rewarded with the sight of the new queen scurrying across the comb. I could see patches of young larvae, which indicate that she has been laying for five days, at least. Hopefully the hive will be back at full strength in the next few weeks.
Hives #2 and #3 were also doing well. Both queens were spotted and the quantities of brood are increasing nicely in both colonies. I walked away from the inspection delighted with how the colonies are performing.
Failing queens have the potential to lead to colony loss, but I have managed to make the right decisions at the right time* and this has resulted in three queen right colonies.
After finishing with the bees, we headed up to the Vet's to collect the dogs. The operations had gone well and we drove our two mildly stoned mutts back home. They settled reasonably well, but we know, from experience, that it will take a day or two until they are back to their normal selves.
So that was it for Monday. The only other achievements were that the honey got bottled and my little Guzzi was booked in for an MOT test on Friday.**
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* There is also a considerable helping of luck. We have had fabulous weather recently, and this has, no doubt, helped the virgin queens in Hives #2 and #2 when it came to successful mating flights.
** I also mentioned the possibility of getting my CBR 600 recommissioned to the Workshop owner... more on that at a later date.
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