WELL we all made it through another day and another night in one piece peacefully. Such a beautiful day yesterday. I have decided that TonTon is actually sleeping with Mama because she is casting such a big shadow.
Do you see? Mama has a dogs tail, someone is using her as shade. How embarrassing!
Daisy has been experimenting with war paint because someone else in the barn yard is taking ALL the attention. It was so warm yesterday that they gathered under the mulberry tree even though it has no leaves yet.
A curious thing happened when I went to take a shot of the bees. They are carrying pollen into the hives at an astonishing rate and I wanted to capture an image of their little legs laden with the good stuff and I found this instead.
I have zoomed in a wee bit for you, which reduces the clarity but we don’t mind this once. Look closely at the bouncer bee. They call them doormen bees but I prefer the word bouncers. The Pub Bouncers in NZ are usually handsome, well dressed gentlemen with good teeth. They stand smiling at the doors of most of the bars at home. They are not doormen, though they will open the door for you. They all carry this underlying animal, barely in check, and their eyes in their smiling faces ceaselessly cruise for battle. You behave yourself in these bars or you will be getting a tap on your shoulder. And it is not a nice tap.
In that shot above, a bouncer has ranged out on his muscly legs to confront a blue fly, obviously the fly is either inappropriately dressed or drunk. I am thinking drunk to even think about getting into The Hive. The Hive is a very private bar. Now look closely, do you see?, There is another even tinier fly sat on top of the blue fly. Is he trying to talk his way in? Does he think that piggy back bugs get in for half price or something? Well, he is not getting in in those shorts and jandals I can tell you that. They are going to be bounced right back out of there, down the steps and onto the footpath. Oh wait. Maybe they are the band! 
OK here is a better shot. The equivalent of rolling in the kegs. That bee on the right has pollen. A good haul. In March! And I think they are getting it from these flowers. 
The Forsythia. Our bees first real feast. I have planted a hedge of these. Next will be the pussy willow, which is about to bloom in the next few days! There is also a little tiny clover flowering already. The farmy is waking up!
And Queenie Wineti has been put out on one of the small meadows because The Bobby (you will remember that any steer we are fattening is called The Bobby and any sheep destined for the freezer are called Murphys), anyway The Bobby is behaving inappropriately. The Bobby has decided to stay a baby all his life. He had to be parted from Daisy because he wanted her to be his mother. I am trying to say this delicately. Suffice to say that he was not breastfed long enough as a baby. So he cannot be with Daisy because he will ruin her udder and now he has had to be parted from Queenie as well. Sigh. He is a nuisance this animal. Not one single brain in his head. Queenie is thrilled, as she gets to go out on the grass. First.
The grass is still too short, it will be at least three weeks before anyone else gets out there but I cannot put Queenie back into a dark barn pen in this glorious weather. Animals need the sun and the space.
We had a lovely wee visit at the Old Folks Home yesterday. The Old Codger was in the physiotherapy room. TonTon was greeted with shrieks of delight both from the staff and the residents. The Old Codger introduced him around with such pride. This is some bright dog, he said. It was the best visit yet. Ton just loved everyone and they cannot get enough of him. He almost wagged his tail right off. His presence turned into corridor gossip. People in wheelchairs were pushing themselves to their doors as we processed past to his room. The Old Codger waving like the Queen in her slow moving wagon. It was great.
As we were leaving, TonTon and I were chased down the corridor by one of the Occupational Therapy person who had heard me laughing with the Old Codger about bringing lambs in. (If Mama ever decides to give birth.) Nothing is private when you are talking to a deaf person. He said he would PAY me to bring more animals in. I said what about a calf or a pig or a chicken. He said he would clear a room. What about a cow I said, thinking of Queenie. How high, he said, moving his hand up and down in the air. I told him they are not house trained you know. He did not even blink. That is fine, he said. Many of these residents came off farms he told me, and most of them have given up animals. Just no ducks he said. Ducks scare me.
Good morning.
Fine and clear again this morning. The dawn chorus this is deafening today. Isn’t life just full of possibilities. And I have to say that I would not have thought of pursuing the therapy dog angle if you had not encouraged me, so YOU get to feel proud too. Now just imagine me trotting two little sheep around the healthy laughing wards! I am off to work now, The Farmy is waking up to another day.
Good morning.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
93 responses to “Bouncers in the Bee hive and a Most Unsettling Steer”
Love the bee pictures!
Thank you rosemary.. c
Had to read this post to my 4 your old daughter. Now, she too loves your farmy. Good morning! On our vacation last summer to the Charlevoix region, in Quebec, Canada we had an opportunity to visit an apiary and the girls got to see the bees busily working away. Took some nice smelling beeswax and honey home too. So great that you get to wrk with bees as well. Can’t believe the amount of pollen that they can carry in like that! Thanks for sharing. we learn something new from you everyday.
Bringing the sheep and cows to the home sounds fantastic (although I sure the logistics, aren’t!). Is it possible to have these lovely people from the home occasionally visit you on the farm? Just a thought. Although I’m sure it might be quite challenging for some to get out there as well.
Have a great day. I am off to practice at my practice, and my girls to dance and then visit the farm in the city.
I am thrilled that you daughter loves the posts too. Looks like you have a busy morning ahead of you.. c
I’m amazed at the amount of pollen your bees are collecting! I’ve yet to see a bee but, then gain, there’s nothing really flowering yet to draw them to my yards. Great shot of TonTon using Mama for shade. 🙂 Speaking of TonTon, it’s good that he’s been so well-received. He’s a wonderful therapist and all he has to do is wag his tail.
It’s going to be another beautiful day, Celi. Enjoy!
Isn’t this sporing weather great, I am thinking that since spring is so early maybe it will not get too hot too soon which would be grand.. c
Hi Celi! I can’t believe how enormous Mama is getting!!! How much longer does she have to go? I wonder if it will be the same when we breed our precious goats? I love seeing the bouncer bees and the field bees. I’m getting excited about getting our ‘Bars’ up and running.
So exciting about Ton Ton and the happiness he is bringing to the Old Folks home. I think bringing other baby animals, if you can, would bring such joy to the people there. What a get idea! xo
Judging by the size of Mias lost lambs i think that Mama may have about two weeks to go. Last year she had her lambs in April and it was freezing cold. I am buying a harness for the ram next time so that i know when she has been tupped, this will give me a more accurate date.. I am sure if i have to bottle feed a couple of lambs( fingers crossed) I should be able to take them to the Old Folks, it would indeed be fun! Morning Diane ..c
The old Codger section was fabulous today, but I was surprised to realise that the Old Codger is female. I’ve always thought of the noun Codger as male terminology, not in any chauvinistic way, but I cannot for the life of me think of the female version. The bee bouncers also got my attention in that Kiwi bouncers are a very dangerous race of people, and that bluefly will be a black and blue fly soon, as will his mate. Cool post.
No he is a bloke. you were absolutely right. I should have said he was like a prince in a carriage.. ooops! I did not even think of that. I shall pop over to your page and let you know. The old codger would be horrified if he thought you though he was a girl! And thank you, those flies did make me laugh.. c
I never thought the Codger was female – I knew you were talking about our beautiful diamond jubilee Queen Elizabeth II.
Well done Viv, I think roger was just making sure, but the wave from his wheelchair was very royal! c
You make me smile Cecilia! Your Fly may just be in the band! Have you heard of “The Jazz Fly” by Matthew Gollub? It is an amazing children’s book which introduces the musical jazz style of “Scat.” For a little sampling you can go to the link at the bottom for a listen. My students loved it and the phonetic spelling of the Scat words were very phonetic for those early readers. Any parents or teachers in the audience? 😉
Thank you for the smile so early in my day! ~ Lynda
LINK: http://www.matthewgollub.com/jazz.html
Morning Lynda, no i have not heard of the jazz fly but i am going to take you up on that link and listen in .. thank you!! c
Arg, I meant to say that the Scat words were very DECODEABLE for those early readers! Guess it was too early to be commenting… hope you like it! ~L
It looks like spring now 😉
Morning Mad! Love it. Love this spring stuff! c
The Boucer Bees just didn’t want him bringing an unleashed pet into the bar… 😉
So good to hear about your trips to the Old Folks’ Home… I’ll bet the lambs would be a big hit, too. Suppose you could get a chicken to learn to ride in a cat carrier? Take the man up on his offer!
A chicken! Why sure i could. A chicken is a great idea..! and an unleashed pet- that made me laugh!!! morning marie.. c
The pollen bags on bees delight me. they look like little postmen/women.
The grass seems to have grown quickly. Not long ago your temperatures were very low.
I know annie just the other day i was wearing my clown pants and the big carhart jacket!
c
Cannot imagine why these barflies could think they would be allowed access to such an exclusive *members only* club!
exactly, brainless twits! c
Gotta love the way you worked Bouncer Bees into the story. Blooming Forsythia’s are a great in the spring …. but they are simply so early!
Morning Frank, I am lucky they are early as the bees started looking for feeds about two weeks ago.. c
You and TonTon are bringing such joy to those old folks. I certainly hope you follow up with that invitation to bring more animals to the home.
As for the bees, I laughed at your comparison to a bouncer. And then I remembered how my husband told me last night about the Asian beetle that clung to the windshield of the car for 15 miles as he drove home from work. One tough bug, for sure.
Enjoy your day. It’s another gorgeous one here in Minnesota.
aren’t we being spoilt with the weather.. gorgeous morning audrey! c
All I have to say about this….You are PRECIOUS!
Just think about one of your gentle llamas walking into the old folks home, ducking his head to get through the door, those big eyelashed eyes, they would laugh with excitement. c
Great farm shots and I haven’t seen any forsythia’s in a long time. I always loved seeing them in the spring. A good weekend to all on the farmy 🙂 t
Morning Miss T, the weekend is wonderful so far!! c
I love this post. The weather in Seattle has been cold and rainy for days, with snow and sleet mixed in for good measure. It appears to be about 70 degrees and sunny everywhere else in the country, including where you are! Every time I read your blog, I have a little fantasy about shipping my oldest son there…don’t worry, I won’t do it, but a girl can dream.
Morning Christine, animals are a balm to young people.. pity you are so far away.. what i would really like is a guest cottage then you really could ship him over! c