I am so lucky. All four of my hives are alive and thriving.
For the last eight months my bees have been left to their own bee-ish devices. I’ve been too busy with Culinary School and professional cooking to mess with them. I’m delighted they’ve been thriving despite my benign neglect. I guess this happens when one lets one’s bees be bees…
A few years back when I was busy preparing for a big trial, my inattention resulted in the growth and development of what I fondly refer to as my “Mean Bee Hive”. It’s the biggest, healthiest, and most productive hive I have! (Yes, they are a little defensive….)
The Mean Bee Hive
I still avoid messing with my Mean Bees. I have no idea what’s going on in their lower deep, and I don’t want to know. I suspect it’s some type of mystical and magical bee alchemy I wouldn’t understand. I’m happy if they’re happy.
Notwithstanding the above, late winter/early spring is a precarious time for bees. I’m going to make some Bee Fondant (Yes, that kind of Fondant!) tonight or tomorrow.
But here are a few pictures I took yesterday. I wish these pictures showed how active my bees actually were!
Obviously, there is much cleaning and gardening to be done to pretty up the Apiary. But right now, I’m delighted that everyone is surviving the winter!
Romancing the Bee 
Reblogged this on The Militant Negro™.
Great news! And such beautiful hives. I wonder if the bees in the mean hive would benefit from having the creepers pulled away from their entrance, so they can get out more easily and more sunlight falls on the hive.
That’s a great idea! I’ll make that part of my beautification plan!! 😊
Deborah, I’m so happy to hear your bees are alive and well after winter. Your Mean Bees sound like Pepper’s hive whom I’m also happy to leave alone to their deep and mystical alchemy inside the hive! Happy spring ahead 🙂
Happy Spring to you and your bees as well!
Do you have a good recipe for fondant or know where I can find one? Thank you, Jill
Sent from my iPad
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There are lots of good recipes on the Web, but I’ll post one in a day or two.
Hi Deborah, great news! I am happy too, as all my bees were flying frantically yesterday (was lovely here in London). I had worried in case one colony had not survived, but thrilled that in fact they have. Happy Spring to you and your bees!
It was a great bee checking weekend here too!
About as happy as mean bees can be, you mean! I, like Emma, also take care of one of the UK branches of the Mean Bee family. They really get around. Good to hear from you again. Hope culinary school is going ok.
It’s nice to know the Mean Bees have some upscale relatives!! 🙂
Hardly upscale!
We have 3 hives, looks like we may have lost 1 hive to the winter but there are bees in the other two and one of them was really busy yesterday. Good to know that at least a couple of our hives survived the winter.
Shirley McAllister
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I’m sorry about your hive! Sometimes there’s just nothing we can do. I thought I might be down one as well, but there are a few hardy souls keeping the fire alight.
I’m so glad I found your blog! I’ve always wanted to keep bees. So much to learn! 😀
It’s the easiest bunch of pets you’ll ever have!
Four for four is great this time of year! Well done, bees. I recently lost the smaller one of my two but the survivor is going strong and still below a good supply of honey. Fingers crossed.
Under more than two feet of snow here and temps in the sub zeroes at night, don’t expect any bees to be flying anytime soon. I hope it warms up soon because I am receiving two packages of bees in late March……fingers crossed!