Figs

It seems mighty early to have figs but I sure do - lots of them on the bush.  The weather here has been warmer than usual this spring.  It seems we hardly had a winter but the last frost date for our area is April 15.  I sure hope we don't get a hard frost but in Eastern North Carolina any kind of weather is possible.  Lots of rain yesterday and we had some hail late in the afternoon.

I'm trying to root some figs too - we'll see what happens.  Behind the fig cuttings is dwarf mondo grass that I dug up and divided.  It's a great filler between pavers but mighty expensive if you need a lot.

Spring Bee Check

Last Thursday Steve (my neighbor beekeeper and most gracious helper) came over and we opened the hives.  I was, as usual, concerned that the bees were getting ready to swarm or could possibly not have enough food and the usual bee concerns.

Not the case - all the hives are fine.  Lots and lots of brood and bees.  I had added a deep to the Swarm Hive on Tues and they were so doggone ill, I had to leave and even when I came back later, they were waiting for me.  It was not a good bee day. No stings but there's nothing like having about a dozen bees in your face so that was all for Tuesday. 

I added a deep to Nuc #4.  Nothing to Hive #6 and Nuc #3.  Hive #4 and Nuc #1 just reversed the deeps.  They have room and maybe in a couple of weeks, I'll add supers to all the hives. But for right now, I want the bees to fill out the brood boxes or deeps. 
Very happy - started the winter with six hives and all six survived. 
And I did get stung - twice, once on each foot.  I need some different shoes or something.

This is the beeyard after adding the deeps and reversing the deeps.  I had taken a nuc out and set it up thinking a split could be done.  But we didn't see any queen cells.  Maybe later.

Christmas Decorations

You've seen them - those folks that keep their Christmas decorations up all year . . . . . . . what is the problem? 

Well, I'll tell you my problem. 

I've got birds nesting in the Christmas wreath which I truly meant to take down before today but it didn't happen.  Now I've got tenants and I just can't make them move.  So it'll be Christmas at my house for a while longer!

OREO Cookies

Happy 100th Birthday! I love, love, love Oreos but I don't eat the tops - only the bottoms with the filling.  And I really like the mini Oreo cookies - they're just the right size.

The first Oreo was sold in Hoboken, N.J. in 1912. Since then, the cream-filled cookie’s popularity has soared. More than 70 million Oreos are sold each day in more than 100 countries around the world.

Oreos are the number one selling cookie in the U.S.

Oreo Balls
1 (16 ounce) package Oreo cookies, crushed
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (24 ounce) package white chocolate bark
1 (24 ounce) package chocolate bark

Directions
Using a blender or hand held mixer, mix Oreos and cream cheese together.
Roll into walnut size balls. Chill for an hour.
Melt approximately 3/4 package of white almond bark.
Stick a toothpick in an Oreo ball and dip it in the melted white almond bark.
Allow to harden on wax paper. Takes about 15 minutes.
While waiting, melt about 1/4 package of chocolate almond bark.
When Oreo balls are no longer sticky to the touch, decorate with drizzles of chocolate and white almond bark.  Just use a sandwich bag with a tiny hole cut in one corner to drizzle the almond bark.

And I LOVE McDonald's McFlurry with Oreo cookies. Those crushed Oreos and ice cream - yummy!

I had one today as a matter of fact.  You gotta do what you gotta do!

Bluebirds in the Garden

I have a pair of bluebirds setting up housekeeping in the garden. 

I see them most mornings when I'm feeding the chickens.

Of all the birds a gardener could choose to attract, the bluebird is the quintessential helpful garden bird. Bluebirds are voracious insect consumers, quickly ridding a garden of insect pests.