Busy Bee day

Having semi joked about doing some chainsaw work yesterday to get the kidney stones moving, well believe it or not, this morning 3 arrived, making it 13 so far in August. Naturally I was soon back on the chainsaw & later the log splitter with hopes for tomorrow. Sadly I don't know how many were there at last weeks scan, the Docs report simple stating "Multiple stones left & right". Makes every visit to the little room to a fully blown Hitchcock suspense. Part 2 tomorrow, I hope. By the way - Hitchcock died of kidney failure and his 1st ever film was called "Number 13". I think I need a strong G&T.

As evening drew in and I was nearly finished with the logs, MrB arrived as agreed to do a bee inspection. He was accompanied by his brother-in-law MrC who I met for the first time. Beehive check was done in 5 minutes, yet again without any protective gear except for MrB's gloves as he had to put his hands in the hives. What wonderfully peaceful bees he breeds but a puff of smoke from a cigarette probably does help - no not a cigarette for each bee, but one cigarette copes easily with 3 hives. Anyway, MrB was very happy and wants to get the forest honey out in the next few days and start with the biannual varroa mite treatment (no synthetic chemicals but formic acid) and then get the bees building up their winter food from sugar supplemented food. Later on the #1 German TV main news, there was yet again a report on the disastrous state bees are in especially in the countryside (much better in the cities!) and the massive threat to the agricultural business. They showed quite a bit of footage from the US where the almond crop was at great risk, bees having to be trucked in at great cost and only thanks to excellent weather was the pollination good. Had the weather been poor, the harvest would have been minimal. Luckily the EU have banned 3 chemicals this year thought to be the main cause of death. The US Chemical industry is still too powerful to get the ban through there.

Had promised MrB some vegetables from the garden weed propogation plot and greenhouse. Despite my plead not to, he insisted on taking a massive yellow zucchini. More like a pumpkin worthy of a weight record. Topped it off with some (rather late) spring onions, radishes, fennel and beer radishes. Had wanted to give him some of our many tomatoes but Angie volunteered to make tomato/mozzarella starter for about 50+ at a party on Saturday! Still another day as there are lots of green ones coming along nicely.

So now MrB & MrC had been on site for about 30 minutes but didn't have time to have a cup of coffee or bottle of beer - got to get home as usual. So we wandered back towards the car, loaded in the veggies, no, no we can't stay, must get back. Shortly (about an hour later) Angie joined us after her fitness/sauna session in Ottobeuren. No, no nothing to drink we must go home but MrC just wanted to learn a bit about Blip but no, no we don't want anything to drink or go inside to look at Blip on notebook so we moved to front door area where WLAN worked and in the (now) dark I explained a bit but no, no we haven't got time for a drink or to sit inside or on the terrace. 3 hours after arriving, we waved MrB & MrC a good night. I wonder if MrB thinks he has to pay or that I only have Watney's Red Barrel.

Foto is an emergency shot just as they were about to leave. I had forgotten to take a photo all day. MrC is publicity shy, MrB now having been Blipped a few times has resigned and is trying to look nonchalantly at what ought to be the new rose bed but only contains sweet peppers, lavender, box, dill, fennel and a few scraggy herb seed survivors from the multiple chicken attacks.

4 down and 1 to go. Nearly there. Make sure enough ice in the freezer. Have a good one but don't have a sleepless day waiting to hear how many stones pop out Friday morning.