Scotsmists Take on Life!!!!!! And everything else :-)

[kered]

Good luck with the wine Iris.

We used to make wine and lager in the past - be warned though, they ARE lethal, more potent than the shop bought ones. My favourite was elderflower and elderberry, they were really nice.

 

[Scotsmist]

Fancy Elderflower, as we have tonnes of trees near us. My friend made Elderflower champers last year, BUT,,,,haha..there is a but! One night, they heard this funny hissing noice from the garage...lo and behold all the bottles had popped!! haha...dont think they used decent stoppers so we didnt get to sample any of it!!!!!!

Was talking to my friend on the train this morning and she is SO excited about it, as she is going to make it with me! Although, I do think it is a bit faffy!! mmm.....dont like things that take too much time like that...so she can do the faffing about and I will do the growing ;-)! Think that is a good deal, dont you ! haha...

Rhubarb wine,,,,so much rhubarb and only so much rhubarb crumble one can make...so, gonna try this first!!! ;-)!!

 

[JanD]

Sounds like a plan Iris! It IS a lot of faffing though so best leave that to your friend

Hope you're okay today xx

 

[Scotsmist]

Yes, ok today.....although rather hungry..haha...just mentioned that on your post serves me right for getting up late and then running out the door with toast (on a plate) I may add and eating it in the car!! haha...i never do that, but I did today as bed sounded better at 6:30 this morning!

BEES COMING TOMORROW, BEES, COMING TOMORROW!!! AROUND 8-9PM!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

 

[JanD]

'Cited for you ... wouldn't be my thing but I can appreciate how you feel xx

 

[Scotsmist]

how did you get on with your mum and her 3 appts?

 

[MiniB]

You sound a lot more upbeat today Iris, so glad, nice to have the "real" Iris back. Can't wait to find about your bees tomorrow, I would be petrified!

 

[Scotsmist]

You sound a lot more upbeat today Iris, so glad, nice to have the "real" Iris back. Can't wait to find about your bees tomorrow, I would be petrified!

Thanks Bev...still the same struggles, but I try never to let it get me down for any length of time..life it far too short I will get it back at some point, I always do!

I am a little scared if I am honest, but after seeing them in the observation hive the other day, I am not so scared. But I must confess I wont really be going up to the hive, not till I am insured...and at the minute only OH insured ! so, stay well back, but I am excited at the whole process. Probably wont get any honey this year and THEY COULD SWARM, which means the colony dies! So, it is all a bit hit and miss to be honest....

 

[summergurl]

What does that mean iris, they could swarm? and all of em die? how does that happen?!!!!!!!!! am i just being a bit bimboish here?!! x

 

[kered]

Fancy Elderflower, as we have tonnes of trees near us. My friend made Elderflower champers last year, BUT,,,,haha..there is a but! One night, they heard this funny hissing noice from the garage...lo and behold all the bottles had popped!! haha...dont think they used decent stoppers so we didnt get to sample any of it!!!!!!

Was talking to my friend on the train this morning and she is SO excited about it, as she is going to make it with me! Although, I do think it is a bit faffy!! mmm.....dont like things that take too much time like that...so she can do the faffing about and I will do the growing ;-)! Think that is a good deal, dont you ! haha...

Rhubarb wine,,,,so much rhubarb and only so much rhubarb crumble one can make...so, gonna try this first!!! ;-)!!

It is a load of work, so I agree, you grow the produce and let your friend make the wine. The end product definitely does make it all worth it.

I just love stewed rhubarb with yogurt or even in my porridge. I would stew loads of it and freeze it in portion sizes - or is rhubarb one of the fruits that doesn't freeze very well, like pineapple?....does it seperate?

Yes, ok today.....although rather hungry..haha...just mentioned that on your post serves me right for getting up late and then running out the door with toast (on a plate) I may add and eating it in the car!! haha...i never do that, but I did today as bed sounded better at 6:30 this morning!

BEES COMING TOMORROW, BEES, COMING TOMORROW!!! AROUND 8-9PM!! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Excited for you Iris , although I too would be a little nervous.

'Cited for you ... wouldn't be my thing but I can appreciate how you feel xx

Absolutely.

You sound a lot more upbeat today Iris, so glad, nice to have the "real" Iris back. Can't wait to find about your bees tomorrow, I would be petrified!

Thats two of us :8855:

Thanks Bev...still the same struggles, but I try never to let it get me down for any length of time..life it far too short I will get it back at some point, I always do!

I am a little scared if I am honest, but after seeing them in the observation hive the other day, I am not so scared. But I must confess I wont really be going up to the hive, not till I am insured...and at the minute only OH insured ! so, stay well back, but I am excited at the whole process. Probably wont get any honey this year and THEY COULD SWARM, which means the colony dies! So, it is all a bit hit and miss to be honest....

Does it cost a lot of money to buy the hives, the bees and everything else that goes into setting it all up?

What does that mean iris, they could swarm? and all of em die? how does that happen?!!!!!!!!! am i just being a bit bimboish here?!! x

Bimboish - love it Tan :8855:

 

[JanD]

Tan - if you're being bimboish - so am I! LOL! xx

Survived all the appointments thanks Iris - Mum needs a cataract op now - we knew that but now it's confirmed ..

 

[Scotsmist]

What does that mean iris, they could swarm? and all of em die? how does that happen?!!!!!!!!! am i just being a bit bimboish here?!! x

Of course you are not being bimboish..love that word!!! haha...I didnt know all this till a few weeks ago.

Lesson 2 What can happen is that the Queen flies away..now, if she does that, but we are hoping she doesnt, but it happens..and quite a lot....the other bees WONT stay in hive (colony) without her, so they swarm, (big black cloud of 40-50,000 bees comes to mind)...and they are gone!!!! Or else the bees that are left will die....
We are suppose to have another hive just incase this happens, BUT one hive costs around £600 and we just couldnt stretch to a second one and Tunc wont get a second hand one..very particular about where his bees live! So, we are just crossing toes and everything else that all is ok.

Lesson 3.
You can clip the Queens wings,,which is something that happens a lot, and we were going to do this, BUT from speaking to one of the beekeepers the other day he advised us agains it, because if the Queen flies off, then she will basically fly and then fall on the ground next to the hive and then all the bees will follow her and really, you dont want swarms too close to people! So, no wings to be cut!!!!!

I tell you, it is fascinating stuff.....but I think it will be more work than we are expecting.....but hopefully worthwhile!

Very valid question Tanya..and one I wouldnt have been able to answer until a few weeks ago!

It is a load of work, so I agree, you grow the produce and let your friend make the wine. The end product definitely does make it all worth it.

I just love stewed rhubarb with yogurt or even in my porridge. I would stew loads of it and freeze it in portion sizes - or is rhubarb one of the fruits that doesn't freeze very well, like pineapple?....does it seperate?

Rhubarb freeezes wonderfully Mary! I am just too lazy..well, I never seem to have time to do ths, but I should really as I love rhubarb!



Excited for you Iris , although I too would be a little nervous.



Absolutely.



Thats two of us :8855:



Does it cost a lot of money to buy the hives, the bees and everything else that goes into setting it all up?

Hive £600
Suit £150
Bees £175
And that is just to start....he has bought lots of other bits and bobs and feed as well as you need to feed them with some sort of syrup when they are young!
Membership and Insurance..
All in all, not much change out of £1k!! So, need to produce a hell of a lot of hoeny!
Although, hives are an investment apparently!!



Bimboish - love it Tan :8855:

Tan - if you're being bimboish - so am I! LOL! xx

Survived all the appointments thanks Iris - Mum needs a cataract op now - we knew that but now it's confirmed ..

Thanks Jan, saw your other post and replied too ;-)!! At least you know she needs the op now, and hopefully she wont have to wait too long. My ex mother in law had it done and she said it was so quick and painless! Amazing what they can do nowadays.

 

[JanD]

Thanks Iris - interesting stuff re the bees etc - never knew any of this ... find it interesting tho' never thought I would!

Cataracts ... Another interesting (?) fact. The optician said with life expectancy extending all the time, these days we can expect that MOST of us will need at least one cataract operation in our lifetimes ... now there's a lovely thought! xxx

 

[summergurl]

Love it Iris! I love to know little random facts like that!
Can't believe it costs that much though!!!
So if they all stay in the hive and produce honey how much honey would they make? Is it like they'd only make one batch of honey a year or something? x

 

[kered]

All these questions on bees now....lol, I am interested too.

What is the life expectancy of a bee and what is the life expectancy of the Queen Bee?

 

[Scotsmist]

Thanks Iris - interesting stuff re the bees etc - never knew any of this ... find it interesting tho' never thought I would!

Cataracts ... Another interesting (?) fact. The optician said with life expectancy extending all the time, these days we can expect that MOST of us will need at least one cataract operation in our lifetimes ... now there's a lovely thought! xxx

snap, I never thought I would be as I had always been so scared of them!!
Oh, lovely thought indeed Jan. I hate anyone playing around with my eyes, hence why I dont wear contacts. I just coulnt faff about with them and I hate putting eye drops in! So, perish the thought, but I suppose to be able to see clearly would be worth the hassle!!

Love it Iris! I love to know little random facts like that!
Can't believe it costs that much though!!!
So if they all stay in the hive and produce honey how much honey would they make? Is it like they'd only make one batch of honey a year or something? x

I know, expensive or what! So, now you know why honey (the proper stuff, not with syrup added) is expensive!!!
You have to put in, what is called FRAMES, and we have space enough for 22 frames I think it is..we should produce a good few kg....not sure of the exact amount, will find out for you roughly!

I think you normally collect honey around Sept, before Winter sets in, so why we dont know if we will get anything as they usually start around April and with it being June, we may just be a little too late. but it is all a learning curve I suppose.

My next quest for OH is to rear Queens! As this is a good business opportunity, but he isnt so keen at the minute, but I am, as at £175-£250 a Queen, it is a good investment!!! But, not sure what to do; he will learn on his course...

All these questions on bees now....lol, I am interested too.

What is the life expectancy of a bee and what is the life expectancy of the Queen Bee?

Queen Bee around 3-5 years. although some say only 2-3 years!

worker Bee is 4 to 6 months in the winter but only 28 to 35 days in the spring and summer.

Drone (which is the unfertilised male, that the Queen mates) is about 90 days!

 

[summergurl]

wow so the bees that are in the hive with the queen arent alive for long then!!!!! But yet she still swans around like the owns the place hahahahah

 

[Scotsmist]

wow so the bees that are in the hive with the queen arent alive for long then!!!!! But yet she still swans around like the owns the place hahahahah

No, poor things and they work themselves to death really as all they do is fly, clean, fly, clean, keep the Queen happy !!!hahah

 

[Scotsmist]

Queenie arrived last night folks! For those on FB, you know already and seen the photos !!

Wonderful, but they were very active indeed!

When Rob, the bee guy brought them they were in a "nuc" box, all tied up...the box was so noisy, you could hear the bees buzzing around and it was very warm in there too!!!!!!

When they were let out, well, they went everywhere. Tunc was covered....said it was the best feeling ever seeing and hearing them all over him!! aghhhh...MAD OR WHAT!!! haha..

Anyway, as Rob came down to the allotment (where I was hiding)..haha..they were following him! One went into my hair, well,,,FLAPPER!! Understatement of the year...I panicked..but then again I didnt have a suit on, maybe if I did I would have been alright....mmmmm....need to buy one!

Anyway, poor Ted, the farmer got stung 4 times. They only sting if they are being threatened, but Rob explained last night that the reason they did was because they were tired, and aggitated from being locked up for so long, and disorientated...

This morning Tunc says they are fine and quite placid!

Our place was a hive of activity (heheh) last night, with people coming into the allotment to see, etc! It was really nice...not often you see 3 men in white suits walking around I suppose !!

So, all settled now and hopefully just a waiting game!!!!!

I am tired today though, really tired and we didnt eat till 11pm!! I was so worried about Ted (84 yrs old) being stung that I insisted that we go and visit him at his home around 10pm! then I got very faint and dizzy...think might have been excitement, warmth and hunger!!

So, today is a fuzzy day...and I feel fat becaues I ate so late and I ate Indian!!!!!! My dress is tight...mmm.....methinks action is needed urgently! Need to stop messing around and get to grips!

Sorry folks, another saga you have had to read through...maybe I should be a writer!! haha.

Hope you are all having a lovely day..weather again is marvellous!!

 

[MiniB]

Glad your bees arrived OK Iris. It all seems very interesting. No wonder they were irritated when they had been in a box for a long time in yesterday's heat!

Well, got my walk of about 20-25mins after work then we have badminton later too. It will be hot in the sports hall tonight, damn that lovely sunshine!

Have a lovely day Iris with your bees!