It had been a hectic and stressful week up until today. Although we have had sunny weather almost continually for a fortnight, we also have had no rain and thus we have been worried about our water supply (Though our spring seems healthy at the moment). We recently lost a dear friend, who died young with brain cancer, and thus needed to travel into a city in England to be present at his funeral. On the day of the funeral the main arterial route to the city was closed and we needed to start our journey in the middle of the night to be able to travel the extra miles and arrive on time. However, with the aid of modern GPS mapping technology this did work out satisfactorily. The holiday let business had also been busy so we were looking forward to a quieter, and relaxing weekend.
When we had finished preparing the cottage for new visitors, I was standing outside enjoying the sun and preparing to do nothing at all for the rest of the day. Fate had other plans for me. I heard a loud humming in the berberis bush and noticed that there was a swarm of bees hanging there. They were not from my hives and looking at the swarm it was going to be fairly easy to collect it. Although it was among berberis branches, a bush that is famous for its ability to fight back again anyone messing with it, it was fairly low hanging and we managed to collect it in a box quite easily.
As luck would have it, I had cleaned out and old hive just over a week ago, so I had a place ready to accept this swarm. (We had lost that hive’s bees in the serious cold weather at the beginning of the year, so I had cleaned it up and renewed the frames and foundation inside.) The first time I moved the swarm I had obviously failed to collect the queen as when I watched the bees would not settle and a small swarm had recollected at the bush. On the second transfer we had success, and they were all happily ensconced in their new home.
Bran, my helper, and I felt quite proud of ourselves and celebrated our good luck. We felt fate had rewarded us for cleaning and preparing the old hive. The swarm had been in the right place at the right time. But perhaps there was also a little bit of bad luck. Just after I had completed the transfer the young lads who are developing a smallholding just above us came round to cut some bamboo rods. They mentioned that they had recently reconditioned an old hive and joined the local beekeepers’ association and were now on the look-out for a swarm to start them off in their beekeeping. Perhaps fate had intended the swarm for them, but it was too late now to move the bees again. I have solemnly promised that when we see the next swarm, and there will be one in the next few months, I will help them collect it and their hive will have inhabitants before the end of this summer.
Looking back in sadness 