The Station Masters Cottage: January 2013

Brooke the Bee Charmer,

Anniversary weekend has again brought heat, sunshine and NO RAIN.......

There is an official fire ban for Auckland. I just heard yesterday a guy was fined $1000 for breaking it. Watch out everyone, the fire police are out in force!

I wanted to share the Bee Charmers update with you. As you know, we have set out to achieve so much in the first year on our new lifestyle journey. It's been such a joy sharing our progress with you and to sit down to a plate of food which is 100% from our land was such a thrill.

What's next I hear you say!

Well....Bees of course!

Brooke has nurtured her bees over the past few weeks and today was inspection day where she checked on the progress and development of the hive.

The Bees have been busy at work, building the hive to a very respectable level. The hive has 3 supers (that's the proper terminology for the boxes).The bottom one is full, the middle one is half full and top which has a queen excluder will, very soon fill with honey only. The bottom 2 supers are food and egg laying areas and this is where the Queen lives. It's truly fascinating. Brooke managed to confiscate a wee bit of honey for us to try....amazing, yummylicious. Sweet as!

Some photos of today's 'Operation Bee charmer'

Brooke smoking the hive to calm the Bees down

Top super off, the yellow tray is the Queen excluder, she canna get through from second super, so all honey can be eaten

Excluder off, Brooke about to inspect the frames

Close up of the top of super, check out the amount of Bees

The Bees pouring into the frames, honeycomb visible

All hives inspected, ready to reassemble, time to relax again with a wee puff...

Brooke reckons in about four weeks, we should have our very own honey. Boy, am I looking forward to that.

I do hope the kiwis who read my Blog had a fantastic anniversary weekend, the Aussies...Happy Australia day. To my Dad back in Glasgow..happy 80th Birthday and my Sister Helen, happy Birthday. I love you both.

Maggie.

Like meeting up with Old friends,

We travelled (at long last) to Our wee farm up in Kerikeri to Laura and Lloyd's place where we stayed in The Acorn cottage. This was the most beautiful experience. After a very short time in Laura and Lloyd's company it was like meeting up with old friends.

Please, if you haven't yet! checked out Laura's awesome Blog just click the link above and away you go.

We travelled on Friday and at the last minute decided we would take all 3 dogs with us, we were just going to take Finn but heck, whats 2 more eh?

When we arrived at The Farm, we settled into the cottage no worries, Laura had left us 6 of the best (eggs) in the cute little kitchen and an invite to dinner the next evening...yippee.

So, we quickly unloaded the Ute and after reading the best the area has to offer in Lauras' must read welcome book, we were off to get supplies.

Kerikeri has grown heaps since I was there last, but everything you could ask for was right there.

When we returned to the Farm, we stopped to say a quick high to Laura and her 3 doggies. The quick high was almost 2 hours, a cuppa Tea and 6 dogs who became instant friends. We chatted about life on the lifestyle track, our journey to where we all are now and about Glasgow, where Laura and I both lived. It was a great catch up and cuppa was no bad either!

Saturday saw an early rise and a beach walk with L&L and 6 dogs. It's a secret beach so canna tell you where, but it was stunning and quiet (well until we arrived) and best of all the doggies could swim and play until their wee hearts content. We then headed up the cost further whilst L&L headed home for their Saturday catch up with friends. We went through Matauri bay which was stunning, and then to that famous chippy at Mangonui Chippy. this is a must see, do and try for any traveller.

After coming back to the Acorn, we went for a lovely dinner at the farm house and had the best night of food (thanks Lloyd), laughter, connection and the definite affirmation that a new friendship had evolved. We shall return to continue our conversation very soon.

The lovely welcome upon arrival