You can not believe it ..... It has finally stopped raining!!!
Our broadband has been playing up so sorry for the lack of blogs.. I am going to put lots of animal photos on this week, so look out.
Friday 23 September 2011
22nd September 2011
Our broadband has been playing up so sorry for the lack of blogs.. I am going to put lots of animal photos on this week, so look out.
Thursday 15 September 2011
Autumn is definitely here
Not only are the leaves falling, but the blackberries are looking a bit shrivelled - never a good idea to collect them after 15th September which is when the devil spits on them and makes them bitter, according to legend!
The bees are still working when they can. Of course, clover and balsam are still evident in fields and hedgerows but the surprise of the season to most people is IVY. The beautiful flowers are now very evident and are attractive to all sorts of pollinating insects.
Ivy is everywhere - on trees, walls, fences. It's fabulous for insects now that food is beginning to get scarce and with its shiny green leaves and beautiful flowers it is a real plant of Autumn.
It was difficult to get the leaves, bees and flowers to pose for this photograph so it's slightly out of focus but have a look at the worker bee on the right. You can just make out the pollen baskets on its back legs with pollen the same colour as the ivy flowers. This is where the pollen is raked into hairs on the back legs to form the distinctive kidney-shaped pellet that is taken back to the hive and used to feed the young brood. There is a central hair that 'spears' the pellet and holds it securely so that it doesn't fall off. When the worker bee transfers the pellet to a cell in the wax comb back at the hive, there is a little hole in the pellet where it was held on by this hair. Isn't nature wonderful and efficient!
The bees are still working when they can. Of course, clover and balsam are still evident in fields and hedgerows but the surprise of the season to most people is IVY. The beautiful flowers are now very evident and are attractive to all sorts of pollinating insects.
Ivy is everywhere - on trees, walls, fences. It's fabulous for insects now that food is beginning to get scarce and with its shiny green leaves and beautiful flowers it is a real plant of Autumn.
It was difficult to get the leaves, bees and flowers to pose for this photograph so it's slightly out of focus but have a look at the worker bee on the right. You can just make out the pollen baskets on its back legs with pollen the same colour as the ivy flowers. This is where the pollen is raked into hairs on the back legs to form the distinctive kidney-shaped pellet that is taken back to the hive and used to feed the young brood. There is a central hair that 'spears' the pellet and holds it securely so that it doesn't fall off. When the worker bee transfers the pellet to a cell in the wax comb back at the hive, there is a little hole in the pellet where it was held on by this hair. Isn't nature wonderful and efficient!
Thursday 8 September 2011
Very exciting news??? Rosy had a sleepover with Ralph last night he is a very dashing jack russell of our pig friends Terry and Jude so we are hoping for great things around the 10th November.
Extra thick togs put back on all our duvets today for guests to snuggle up in this wintry weather.
Have a small but special wedding party this weekend, whom we send our many congratulations.
Rubys piglets are beautiful she is a wonderful mum they are not keen to leave her side in this blustery weather dont blame them so its cuddles in the shed when it stops raining I will take some pictures.
Extra thick togs put back on all our duvets today for guests to snuggle up in this wintry weather.
Have a small but special wedding party this weekend, whom we send our many congratulations.
Rubys piglets are beautiful she is a wonderful mum they are not keen to leave her side in this blustery weather dont blame them so its cuddles in the shed when it stops raining I will take some pictures.
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