It was short lived, the clouds are back and it’s raining again 
Same for me with the tank, I emptied ours a month ago trying to keep the grass alive- all the time cursing the dry weather, now I’m wanting it back🤷♂️
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The rain stopped 2 hours ago and blue sky at the moment but very black to the South and guess what, it is a Southerly wind. At least I will extract the Flow Hives while I can. come to think of it I can do that in the rain, can’t I.
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I got the first pair of Flow Frames 25% opened and the sky fell on me, it teamed down so I bolted for the Men’s Shed 50 metres away and was like I had been swimming with my clothes on. Shivering I thought about the bees and the honey - no option, I stripped and grabbed an umbrella and back to the flow hive. Riotous laughter from the shed as well as next door and a couple of camera flashes; so wouldn’t we all do that for our bees?
By the time that hive was extracted I had stopped shivering I was so cold as well as turning a shade of blue so off to the 2nd Flow hive and extracted it as well. Staggered back to the Men’s Shed to rounds of applause, a full drum of honey in hand.
The extractions went like clockwork but now I’m home sniffling, bet I get a cold.
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Well done Peter, will you have a photo to share? 
I hope you don’t get that cold.
I went out myself today, making sure that some of the weaker colonies had enough honey. My observation hive was right out plus the beetles got a bit of a start. I quickly sorted that one out.
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Well done @Peter48, make yourself a hot toddy with that honey.
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The photos are not suitable for public viewing Jeff, especially the one of me with the drum of honey held to my chest returning to the shed, staggering, not just from the weight, visualize where wet underpants end up 
the 10 inch shuffle !!! I couldn’t have been more embarrassed if the cheering and clapping guys were all women.
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@Peter48 that’s hilarious!!!
Maybe in time I will laugh about it, right now a bowl of steaming water and Vick’s will have to do…
And dry undies! 
Feel better soon.
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Hey guys, seems we have another Martha in the forum.
A dry day today, no wind at all, blue shies at last, but I will have to stay indoors. fumigating my chest with the Vick’s. Back to the bees in a day or two. Think I’m dying 
WARNING — Keep a straight face when you come to my apiary to see how I do it (Bee hive splits) OMG, I’m out of here…
I’ll try…
:)
Really heavy rain over here (Palmwoods) on and off. Dark grey skies. Sun was out for about 5 mins and nearly blinded me. Pouring right now.
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Off topic: Hi Nat, I forgot if we talked about growing stuff to eat. I have some spare plants to share if you or anyone else wants some. I have some Yacon (Peruvian Ground Apple) plants, as well as some Chinese Water Chestnuts ready to plant. Also Malabar spinach & Red Shallots.
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@JeffH That’s so lovely of you. My garden is currently under renovation (mud pit) and waiting on the commencement of a retaining wall and garden beds, but that’s a really kind offer! Maybe next year when we’re all set up. This rainhas delayed progress.
Just sneakily checked my newly hived swarm I was asked to collect from the new Harmony estate. Wow, they are powering! Built out about 5 of the 8 frames of foundation and 2 frames of brood already. I think they like Montville
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Hi Nat, do your bees have access to any clover? It might be clover that they’re building up on during all this rain we’ve had. I think it’s clover that my bees are doing well on, when otherwise they’d probably be struggling.
These bees do, yes! Some lovely friends of mine offered their 40 acres at Montville as an apiary site, so this is the first hive I’ve put there. The grounds are very “park like” and I noticed a tonne of clover and dandelions etc. I begged them not to mow haha. They’re also next door to an avocado farm. The owner of that farm was extremely excited about having bees nearby and asked if the first hive could be near her fence. It wasn’t really a suitable spot but I assured her the bees will travel as they’re about 100m away.
I’m actually thinking about relocating all my hives there. It seems to be the place to be for bees!
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Wow, that sounds fantastic. You should get lovely tasting honey up there. Well done Nat.
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The bees will be homing in on the Avocado flowers doing their thing. Hope you get some free in return for the added crop because of your bees Natalie. With the recent rain it should be a bumper crop.
Regards
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My understanding is that honey bees aren’t the best pollinators of avocados due to the size of the flower and the timing of the nectar flow. Certainly the growers I know believe they get more pollination from native pollinators than honey bees. I may have been mislead…
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All my bees are now in their permanent homes (I hope they stay😝)
It’s a terrible photo but does anyone know what this colour pollen comes from?
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