Some of the wild life checks up on me.

That's a bit how it felt today when I was visited in turn whilst relaxing in the Sunroom by a fledgling great tit, a very slim lizard, and a very curious cock pheasant, whilst outside a baby rabbit dashed in and out of the Courtyard Garden, stopping to nibble at the heather.

Comments

[Donnie Statzer]

Barbara, It is a pleasure to see or hear from you the great satisfaction you receive from the "nature" of your garden. My garden here in the USA is no where near the size of your garden there in Woodhall Spa, but the satisfaction of seeing the birds at the feeders and the neighborhood cat lounging under the lenten roses waiting to pounce on that unsuspecting bird for a tasty morsel. Oh well, again that's the "nature" of my garden in Richmond, Virginia USA.

[Donnie Statzer]

Your beehive reminds of my dad - my dad when I was growing up always kept 4 or 5 hives going in our backyard. Our neighbor had an apple orchard nearby - I don't think he ever realized that his orchard was sustained by Daddy's bees. That's OK we had lots of honey and he had lots of apples.

[Barbara]

Hi, Donnie. Thank you so much for your comments and for sharing your memories and observations. The beehive is still occupied, but the temperature here is fluctuating, so I can't always observe any activity. John, who is my mentor and is in charge, tells me that the workers need 20 degrees C to tempt them out. Reg worked out recently that it is seven years since I bought the hive for Tony. Reg is so talented, that he borrowed one of our beekeeping books and made several hives for himself, and it is his very popular honey that we serve at breakfast time.
Do you have any plans yet for coming to see me in 2011?