I'll let some of my favorite cartoon characters transition us from summer to autumn and into the Thanksgiving and Christmas seasons.
As the 2017 osprey Season closes at Loch Garten, I am wishing for a better one come 2018.
Evening, All. Willow, how is you cat doing? We have chosen not to have any more pets, at least not until we are so decrepit that we can no longer go out (and maybe not then anyway!), simply because it is such a wrench when the inevitable happens. We spent many years worrying about our neighbour's pet, a sweet cat who seemed to prefer our place to its own. Might have had something to do with the fact that the bird watching in our garden was far better than in the neighbour's! Not to mention there was a ready supply of tinned tuna fish here!
Kind regards, Ann
Good evening all. Our cat is doing ok and holding up but unfortunately he met his arch enemy who he has fought with for years! He got a bit of a thumping had broke his claw. As he is on blood thinners it bled quite badly. We patched him up and all's well!
It's so sad to see him lose so much weight as his muscle wasting as he's not very active now. He still enjoys sitting in the Sun in the garden but we watch out for him now. When our 2 cats go we will not be getting any more pets much too heart breaking! I can completely understand why you made that decision.
Hello Cathy. You have quite a few hives! We will probably start with one in the garden and increase as we get more experienced! We are absolute beginners! Our field is near white cliffs country and lots of wild flowers up there plenty of weed filled fields near by. Wether it's suitable forage or not I'm not sure!
As it's an AONB we have to have planning permission for hives would you believe it?
Another thing is the field is about 8 miles from where we live. Any land near where we live is beyond our means ☺
Hi Willow, I started with one hive, then through collecting swarms, splitting colonies, the hobby has multiplied. I even had my husband making make-shift brood boxes one year as I had no equipment left. The most I've had is 10, which was far to many. The sad part is when you believe you have done everything possible, plenty of feed, and you still loose them over winter.
As for planning permission, it's ridiculous, they should welcome you with open arms.
8 miles is quite a distance. It isn't a cheap hobby, so petrol on top only adds to the cost, not so bad in winter, but when needing weekly inspection in summer - emm - not sure about that.
Forage wise, I think they'll be fine, I'm sure you will have been or will be taught about the 'June gap', when sometimes they need additional feed.
Good luck, keep in touch and if I can help, don't hesitate to shout.
I hope you wee cat continues to keep well Willow, he is an old boy and lying in the sun is just the thing for him. Hope he is okay after the scrap with the bully. Good luck with the hives and the bees
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
Thankyou Catlady the boy was being awkward tonight taking his tablets! He has to have a protest now and again! He growls a lot! All harmless though. Poor OH has to do it on his own as I work nights this week.
Cathy thankyou for your help. Coincidentally we were walking round the plot to find out where the water supply is and discovered the field next to ours has bee hives. We met the owners today and as it happened they did the same bee keeping course last year. We were a little worried about confronting them with our intention as some don't like the idea! They live even further away than we do. Maybe in time when we gain some experience we could come to some mutual arrangement. You never know!!
Willow, you usually find beekeepers are a friendly helpful bunch. I'm sure your field neighbours will be, and will look out for your girls as well as their own.
Hope your cat is ok, so upsetting when they are unwell.
Fabulous news, June, isn't it? Fingers crossed they both return next year and find partners and have chicks.