Flexi bee keeping

I suppose I'm rather lucky to work for an organisation that runs a flexi time scheme.  As long as I work a minimum number of qualifying hours (which isn't that hard to do) I get a day off and with a bit of careful planning I can time them to let me be off work on school INSET days, or for dentists appointments or for stretching annual leave out a little further.  But every now and then I have a day that I have to use before the end of the week or lose it.

Its such a tough choice to take a day off.... but someone's got to do it....

The forecast was pretty grim, cold and supposed to be bands of showers all through the day,and the forecasts have been unfortunately pretty accurate recently.  :(   So imagine my surprise when there was a break in the clouds and the sun appeared

For about 45 minutes the garden was transformed....quick! I'd better nip out and check on the bees....

The entrances to two of the three hives were surprisingly busy.  The bees were even bringing in a very pale buttery yellow pollen.  I wonder where they are finding it from?

Could it be the Winter Jasmine?

 




Or the Winter flowering clematis (love this one-  its called "Jingle Bells")

Its not the early flowering crocus....they're no where near ready to open yet....

Nope, I think they may have found the Winter honeysuckle ...

 

Or have they?

On the way back to the house the sun glinted through the early flowering Cherry that grows in the garden next door...

And then I heard the tree......... it was alive with buzzing!!

I was Transfixed!!!

Actually I've just checked the meaning of transfixed...turns out I wasn't "unable to move with surprise"

Nope I ran inside to find a ladder so I could get closer to the tree to take some better photos. 

THEN I was transfixed.

Like the bonkers bee keeper I am, I stood on the ladder, in the chilly sunshine and tried to photograph honey bees in action in January....

Look carefully....

Aaah that's better.....

I'm wondering if the bees know something we don't know about spring being on the way......