This morning as the sun shone I fed the fish in the pond, gave the robins in the hedge their breakfast, and finally found a home for the bug hotel I bought last summer. It’s christened ‘Myrtle’s Palace’ after my favourite queen bee, and hopefully will attract friendly pollinators like solitary bees and lacewings to the garden.
A happy move to a new home can often bring positive new energy. I was given food for thought yesterday about other areas of my life that need a clear out. Now we’ve settled into our new home I can look forward to making changes for the better. Well, as I said in my new year post, this will be a year of exciting happenings!
A short visit to the apiary Saturday afternoon allowed Emily and I to check the feed under the roof, but it was too cold to open up the hives. An encouraging sign was seeing Chamomile’s workers take to the feeder with vigour having drained last week’s syrup. This hive is one of two weak colonies coming out of winter, but I hope feeding and warmth will allow the queens to lay again.
This week’s post is brief as we have no broadband and intermittent Internet access. So as the robins build their nest, for now just wishing everyone a wonderful sunny Sunday.
Mrs Apis Mellifera 
I’m looking forward to seeing Myrtle’s Palace. I set up my very plain looking home-made Mason bee blocks last week, but I haven’t seen any activity yet.
You’ve got me curious as to what you mean by some things might need a ‘clear out.’ If I look around too much there’s quite a few things that need a clear out. In my opinion…it’s better not to look around too much. 😀
Mason bees would be wonderful in the garden I can only hope!
Hmmm. None of your images loaded for me. But you did remind me to get thinking about how I’m going to provide more native bee amenities this year.
I got connected again, briefly, and re-uploaded! I’ll be interested to hear how you make more spaces for nature in the garden.
So glad the move to the new home has energised you and given you such positive hopes for the future. I’m sure Chamomile will be able to lay again, the bug hotel will fill and entertain you and the robin’s breed and bring their touch of colour to the garden. The koi look beautiful.
Have a wonderful week
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
Thanks you David I appreciate your positivity and feel sure that you are right 🙂
Good luck with Myrtle’s Palace and I hope your robins have a successful nest. Amelia
Thanks Amelia we’re looking forward to seeing some baby robins!
Good luck. Glad the bees are feeding. We have started to see large bumble bees on the heather and in the camelias. Mine nest in an old bird box and in the stones around the garden.
A mild winter followed by a cold-hot-cold spell in March never suits the bees, even bumbles and other bees seem slow to come out this year. Or perhaps it’s because the beekeepers are all ready to go and have to learn to wait 🙂 I’d like to get some bumbles nesting in our bird box too, fingers crossed.
Do let us know how you get on with the Bug Hotel, it will be very interesting to see which bees are around in London.
I will! I’ve read some bug hotels can spread disease by being unhygienic so I need to look into that too. I’ve only seen big bumbles in the garden so far, no solitaries, but I’d welcome lacewings too.