# signs of spring!!



## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 5, 2011)

Today the red-bellied woodpecker returned to my roof for another season of using my metal chimney cap to magnify his message. 

Wood thrush in the yard investigating insects.  

One of my old students showed up in my room with an incubator and 2 dozen eggs.   Not for omelettes.

Tractor supply has chicks.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 5, 2011)

Oh and daffodils are up.


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## webbie (Mar 5, 2011)

Maple sap is flowing in Ma, but that is about the only sign.....too much snow for much other life.

RI, though, is full of birds and witch hazel and willows are starting to show some growth!


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## daveswoodhauler (Mar 5, 2011)

Feels like spring here at 52 degrees....well, that is you try to walk in the backyard with 2 feet of snow on the ground.
Going to have some serious puddles in the yard shortly


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## BrotherBart (Mar 5, 2011)

100% overcast, sixty degrees and a wall of rain on the way for around 18 hours. Yep. Pretty much what Spring is like.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 5, 2011)

Take your half empty glass to another table please.


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## btuser (Mar 5, 2011)

I think I saw a loon in the lake inlet.  Small, maybe a duck but he/she sure looked like a loon.  I have, however, already seen about 5 bald eagles this year.  And a weasel.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 6, 2011)

btuser said:
			
		

> I think I saw a loon in the lake inlet.  Small, maybe a duck but he/she sure looked like a loon.  I have, however, already seen about 5 bald eagles this year.  And a weasel.




Nice!! 

Loons have a drab winter plumage, so that might have thrown you.


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## begreen (Mar 6, 2011)

Hit 50 today which is slightly below normal. Still, we were out uncovering the strawberries and getting beds ready for planting. Tomoorow I'll be dormant spraying and mowing the grass. Camelias, early rhodies, daffodils and crocuses are in bloom. I am ready for spring!


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## EatenByLimestone (Mar 6, 2011)

I saw my first robin wednesday.  Felt bad for the guy as it was 3 degrees outside.  :lol:  Thursday was -3.  Some had seen robins a couple weeks ago, but they are one of those things where it's nice to see them for yourself.  

I've heard of 2 turkey vulture sightings.  

I spent Friday out on a pond checking to see if there was winterkill.   There was... Ponds had it tough this year.

Matt


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## btuser (Mar 6, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> btuser said:
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> ...



Actually, that makes sense because it was a "loon" and something that looked like a brown duck but had a really loony head.  I'm guessing two newlyweds just out of the nest and looking to set up shop.

I'm going to have to wait for about 3' of snow melt before I get to do my dormant spraying.  I can barely see the branches on my new apple trees.


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## Mt Ski Bum (Mar 6, 2011)

What is this "spring season" that you speak of? We recieved about 4" of fresh snow today with another 8" on the way tomorrow... snowpack depth is about 100" now. In Montana we only have 2 seasons: Winter & Road Construction, & even they overlap sometimes!  ;-) 


EDIT: word has it that the Grizzlies are starting to emerge from their winter dens...


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## bogydave (Mar 6, 2011)

Sign of spring today.
Over 60 Dog mushers & teams drove by in trucks headed for Willow. 
Iditarod race started today, Spring in 6 - 7 weeks, 
finally light at the end of the tunnel.


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## jebatty (Mar 6, 2011)

Ah! the signs of spring - snow today and tonight, high of 23 today, low of 7 tonight and low of 2 tomorrow night. Just can't wait to chop through 3 feet of ice on the lake and take a refreshing spring swim. Life is good.


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## GAMMA RAY (Mar 6, 2011)

Saw the geese flyin over yesterday in pa. I also see some of my daffodils peeking out of the dirt. The birds are starting to sing in the early morning now......But, flood warning today, (I am not affected though, live on a big mountain), heavy rains, 4 inches of snow tonite!  Well its tryin here and something to look forward to....changing the clocks ahead here 1 hour next week, more daylight is kinda nice........  I tend to like the glass half full...(with dogfish head beer of course)  :lol:


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## Wallyworld (Mar 6, 2011)

Geological survey released yesterday shows 3 feet of snow on the ground at my house and they aren't lying. It  was -4 a couple of days ago, whats spring? While here on the coast we're supposed to get rain, Northern and Western Maine might get 2 feet of snow later today and tomorrow. The winter that never ends. We were 15% ahead on degree days, by ahead I mean warmer but we have to be behind now.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 6, 2011)

I'll be away from the homestead for 2 weeks in april which is really cramping my usual spring plans-bees, chicks, starts.  I'm not sure what I'll do with that incubator full.    

Big wind and rain today!   A limb fell on the wires and a neighbors roof so we lost power for most of the day.  No I didn't score the wood :lol:


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## begreen (Mar 7, 2011)

Everything is ready to bloom. Got out and did a mega dormant spray today on some very plump buds. Sun felt warm, spring is here.


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## bogydave (Mar 7, 2011)

Very nice. 
Gives me something to look forward to.


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## midwestcoast (Mar 7, 2011)

The signs are showing up around here too. Weather has been flipping between April & February every few days. Signs of spring:
A couple Robins have been around since last week.  I haven't heard any yet, but the wife heard/saw Sandhill cranes flying high overhead while on a hike last weekend.  
I noticed the tippy-tops of daffolids poking-up last Tues morning as I had my coffee. That garden faces south and the soil warms up early there.  
The grass was starting to green before being covered in snow again Saturday.
I'm feeling less miserable.


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## moosetrek (Mar 8, 2011)

Yep - according to Lowes and Walmart all the signs of spring are here.  Easter candy in the aisles, snowblowers on clearance, and BBQ grills as far as the eye can see.  Better get buildin' that patio before summer's gone...  I get the idea of enticing buyers early, but when you have to walk past two dozen lawn mowers to get the ice-melt and a new pair of gloves to dig out your car ya gotta wonder about that corporate scheduling...


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## begreen (Mar 8, 2011)

Hope springs eternal.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 8, 2011)

What is dormant spraying?

My friend in the NE Kingdom of VT got a big storm.  I wonder how many of you got some of that.


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## begreen (Mar 8, 2011)

Dormant spray is done while the plant is dormant or just waking up. It usually is with a plant oil, but I mix in sulfur or copper depending on the plant. This is used to knock down a number of fruit tree diseases like black scab, blossom end rot, etc. and insects. 

http://www.bayviewfarmandgarden.com/documents/DormantSpray2011.pdf

Zap posted some shots of the storm as it blew through NY:

https://www.hearth.com/econtent/index.php/forums/viewthread/72296/


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## btuser (Mar 8, 2011)

9 degrees this morning.


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## Later (Mar 8, 2011)

A foot of the heaviest snow I ever saw yesterday AM. 7 this AM.


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## Wallyworld (Mar 8, 2011)

Northern Maine got whacked, 20 inches or so, Central maine got snow, ice and rain, here on the coast we got 2.5 inches of rain.  Roads flooded as everything is covered with feet of snow. It went from in the 40s to 10 last night, driving was great. I still can see no lawn after that much rain


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## ChillyGator (Mar 8, 2011)

Working on three weeks of spring down here though I did build a fire last night (1st in 2 weeks) to take the chi out of the house after a cloudy day.  Nearly everything is blooming but still waiting on the Pecan trees to bust out to verify the end of winter.


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## woodsman23 (Mar 8, 2011)

everything here is dead! ;-)


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## GunSeth (Mar 9, 2011)

I can't wait for my daffodils and tulips to come up.

I gotta get my seeds started!

Some it'll be wood choppin' time again.


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## Adios Pantalones (Mar 9, 2011)

Snow in the yard is down under a foot deep.


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## billb3 (Mar 9, 2011)

Just piled up piles of snow left here.
Crocuses are blooming, daffodils are up about an inch or so and saw a threesome of ducks flying overhead Sunday.
Was also able to pull some carrots out of the garden. In pretty good shape - all the snow must have helped keep them from freezing. I never got mulch on them last Fall. It snowed too soon.
Got all the fruit trees pruned last weekend, too. A little chilly, but got them all done.


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## muncybob (Mar 9, 2011)

Geese have been flying north for several days here...daffys are poking through and the yard has more than the usual number of robins where there isn't any snow, but tonight we get a "wintry mix"....I'm starting to really hate that term!


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## PapaDave (Mar 9, 2011)

billb3 said:
			
		

> Just piled up piles of snow left here.
> Crocuses are blooming, daffodils are up about an inch or so and saw a threesome of ducks flying overhead Sunday.
> Was also able to pull some carrots out of the garden. In pretty good shape - all the snow must have helped keep them from freezing. I never got mulch on them last Fall. It snowed too soon.
> Got all the fruit trees pruned last weekend, too. A little chilly, but got them all done.



The deer have taken care of the apple tree pruning for me. They aren't quite done though, as there are still some branches that remain.


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## billb3 (Mar 9, 2011)

PapaDave said:
			
		

> billb3 said:
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The deer here walk right past the fruit trees and attack the arborvitae and yews around the house.
No accounting for taste, I guess.


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## begreen (Mar 10, 2011)

Our apple trees that were out in the unprotected field look like lollipop trees. The deer stripped anything below 4 ft. clean off the trees.

PS: Driving around I saw that the flowering plums and cherries are starting to bloom. Kath have the laurels covering Roan Mountain started blooming yet or is that later in spring?


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## yooperdave (Mar 10, 2011)

definitely a sign of spring on this web site. spending less time logged in. less logged in users. topics are less wood and wood stove oriented.
heck, might as well cancel internet for the summer months!

but the weather around here still is winter. no robins, ducks, geese, loons, etc. 
no daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, crocuses, etc.


but the highways are all bare!!


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 10, 2011)

robins are yoopers too.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/turd_migr_AllAm_map.gif

You have robins year round.  They just spend winter in the forest eating berries.


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## yooperdave (Mar 10, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> robins are yoopers too.
> http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/PHOTO/LARGE/turd_migr_AllAm_map.gif
> 
> You have robins year round.  They just spend winter in the forest eating berries.



well, mark this down as a first K!  i disagree with your post.  i think when you referenced the map, you may have been refering to the northern part of lower peninsula.  the upper peninsula is in fact located on top of wisconsin.  those red-breasted beauties only use our area for breeding


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## BrotherBart (Mar 10, 2011)

Lots of Robins here. Even when it was cold they were all over the place this year. Hadn't seen that in years past. The last couple of days they are doing a red-breaststroke with the downpours we have been getting. I prefer cold and dry over 50 and soggy anytime.


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## Delta-T (Mar 10, 2011)

heard the canada geese this a.m. , spring is on the way. saw a cardinal about an hour ago, and we have all these black birds around that make this awful screeching/crowing sounding.
<shakes fist in the air> "quiet please!".


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## DAKSY (Mar 10, 2011)

Heard & saw the first of the Canada Geese this AM, eh. 
Nice that Spring is coming. This Winter has been way WAY too long...


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 12, 2011)

yooperdave said:
			
		

> i think when you referenced the map, you may have been refering to the northern part of lower peninsula.  the upper peninsula is in fact located on top of wisconsin.  those red-breasted beauties only use our area for breeding



oh, you betcha... you are one of the few spots in the continental US without winter robins.

BG laurels are not blooming yet.   What would you spray on a peach tree?


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## begreen (Mar 12, 2011)

Copper spray before blooming. Then after the blooming is over, sulphur spray to stop peach leaf curl.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 22, 2011)

Hammock is up on the front porch!! 
Nothing better.  
Of course by the time I repaired all the mouse bizness    the boy hopped on, so I haven't as yet enjoyed the hammock.

It's warm enough (78!!) I'm going to put him to bed early and take over.


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## begreen (Mar 23, 2011)

Sounds like you just pole vaulted past spring and into summer. We won't likely see 78 for another 3 months.


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## yooperdave (Mar 23, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> Hammock is up on the front porch!!
> Nothing better.
> Of course by the time I repaired all the mouse bizness  the boy hopped on, so I haven't as yet enjoyed the hammock.
> 
> It's warm enough (78!!) I'm going to put him to bed early and take over.



you are mean!! i've been moving my hammock from room to room while i re-model the cottage this past two months. then you come on and tell everyone that you have 78f and the hammock is out mine will probably not be up until june! still have 22" of ice on the lake.

BUT-good news! i saw some robins today!! hoo-ray! only thing is, we're supposed to get 16
' of snow and below zero wind chills tonight and tomorrow. feel sorry for them...happens every year, though. they just have to go without for a few days.

good for you and your nice weather. your summers musts be real long! do you get mosquitos? next to the robin, they are our state bird


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 23, 2011)

Yes mosquitos.  Not too bad though.   They don't bug me much.   This is very warm, very early.    We don't usually hit this until late may/early june.   Enjoy your robins.  Hope you both brave the storm.


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## BrotherBart (Mar 23, 2011)

Yeah we have had a few warm days. With the thunderstorms to go with'em. It will slide back down this weekend to forties day and twenties or low thirties night for a while. Thursday is supposed to have snow showers but nothing serious.


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Mar 23, 2011)

pffft....


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## yooperdave (Mar 23, 2011)

well, the storm missed me!  it was coming up from the south and just didn't have enough push to overcome the high pressure that was coming down from canada.  ended up with no snow at all!  just windy and cold today and last night.  
maybe thats why the robins showed up yesterday...just to leave from where the storm would hit.
south of us got about 12-14 inches, though.  haha, too bad!  they can have it!
this time of year, it won't take long to melt.


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## yooperdave (Mar 26, 2011)

c'mon spring!  we had -12f this fri a.m.  at least the next few days are sunny


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## moosetrek (Mar 26, 2011)

The dogs are definitely noticing spring, as far as they're concerned longer days means more time to play ball after work.  Of course, that involves more time to clean the mud up afterwards but it's still a nice change, and won't be long before cool summer evenings on the porch, a hammock sounds like a good spring project after reading yooperdave and kathleen's posts.


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## yooperdave (Mar 26, 2011)

moosetrek- just might need an electric hammock...i had -10f last night.  tonight should be no warmer!  we had a nice spurt of spring, but it only lasted for 3-4 days....i know-patience...it'll be back.


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## yooperdave (Mar 31, 2011)

hoo-ray!  last night was the first night  that the temp stayed above zero!  overnight was +1f...still, its above zero, right?
the ice on the lake is now down to 21" thick...and, a mallard drake-in all his splendor-was on the ice next to some open water from one of the lake's inlets.  probably only 13-15 feet wide by about 40-45 feet long...but its still open water!


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## EatenByLimestone (Apr 3, 2011)

An ice cream truck just drove by my house...  That should qualify as spring since we had snow storm warnings all over the place for late last week.  

Matt


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Apr 3, 2011)

ice cream.  yummmmm.  

I checked out my hive today for the first time this season.   I didn't think they would survive the winter.  In the fall they had (I thought) nosema (=very bad) plus almost no honey stored.  I just stopped even looking at them waited for them to die.   Come January there was a warmish day and they were out!  I started feeding them, put up some pollen patties, and kept my fingers crossed.

Went in today and found my queen  I'm hoping she's not last year's queen, but a replacement because I wasn't thrilled with last years.    Either way, it's my first year I've successfully overwintered bees.   My very first year I had a really strong colony and they all died from someone in the area spraying pesticide. 

I've ordered 2 more packages of bees.   I decided it was the year to up the ante.    I'll have to get some pics when I install them.    I'm also getting a nuc (smaller hive) from a guy up the mountain from me.  Spring is here


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## EatenByLimestone (Apr 3, 2011)

What would be the odds of successfully starting a new hive if you just built one and set it by the old one?  Don't they breed and send off new queens every year?  Why wouldn't they just take up residence in the new one?

Matt


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Apr 3, 2011)

EatenByLimestone said:
			
		

> What would be the odds of successfully starting a new hive if you just built one and set it by the old one?  Don't they breed and send off new queens every year?  Why wouldn't they just take up residence in the new one?
> 
> Matt


   Not exactly. They only make a new queen if they lose their queen, are unhappy with their queen,  if she is getting too old, or if the hive is getting to full and they are getting ready to swarm. 

If the hive was getting very full the old queen will leave with a bunch of the bees, leaving the new queen with the rest of the bees.  This is called swarming.  This is when you see them in a ball on trees, or any random places.  They are sending out scouts to find a new spot for a hive.  Theoretically if you had an empty hive body nearby they might go there.  More likely not.   Beeks will try all kinds of strategies to prevent swarming.  The most common one is splitting the hive before they swarm or putting frames of brood (baby bees in the cell) in another hive that is not as strong.   

If I had a really strong hive that I thought was going to swarm and I put some frames of brood and bees into a new hive body, they would raise a queen.  Essentially all babies are fed royal jelly for the first three days.  After that, only a baby queen gets it.  Continuing to get fed the royal jelly produces physiological changes that produce a queen.     When they know they don't have a queen for whatever reason, if there are eggs laid from the missing queen they can go ahead and successfully raise a new queen.   Hence the "nuc" or small hive I am getting from that guy.  It ensures that I have a back up source of eggs as long as the nuc queen is viable.  Clear as mud?  :lol:

It's fascinating and I could spend a lifetime with these bees and still be learning all the time.   Maybe you are sorry you asked.


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## EatenByLimestone (Apr 3, 2011)

Not at all.  I think bees are something we all take for granted.  

Matt


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## EatenByLimestone (Apr 3, 2011)

Here's another:

She's calling it an "appa", but apples are a sign of fall.







Matt


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## Mrs. Krabappel (Apr 4, 2011)

CUTE

Forgot to mention, another reason I thought my bees wouldn't survive is because I didn't have many left and there's a critical mass that they need to get through the winter.  The get in a ball in the middle of the hive.  If there aren't enough bees the ball isn't big enough and they freeze.


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## begreen (Apr 4, 2011)

Wish you were close by, I would invite you to keep some hives here. I miss the little ladies. Where did you order from? What type of bees?


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## begreen (Apr 4, 2011)

~*~Kathleen~*~ said:
			
		

> ice cream.  yummmmm.
> 
> I checked out my hive today for the first time this season.   I didn't think they would survive the winter.  In the fall they had (I thought) nosema (=very bad) plus almost no honey stored.  I just stopped even looking at them waited for them to die.   Come January there was a warmish day and they were out!  I started feeding them, put up some pollen patties, and kept my fingers crossed.
> 
> ...



Wish you were close by, I would invite you to keep some hives here. I miss the little ladies. Where did you order from? What type of bees?


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