Sweet Sweet Success!!!

After months of cold winds, severe frosts and week after week of below zero temperatures and snow, the bees decided to reveal their success story!!

Once temperatures reached double figures they began to spring clean the hive and we breathed a sigh of relief! They had made it and winter was officially over!!

Joshua and his old (but still young!!) form teacher, Paul,

opened and checked and cleaned each hive.

The queen in green (she's marked with a green dot, see below) was still present.

Joshua, so pleased to see his bees again!!

With the recent warm weather and the huge activity at the hive we're hoping for an early harvest of honey, we can't wait!!

Where have I been?

.....Back in 1890!

My posts have been few and far between recently... things have got a little busy beyond 'The Pumpkin patch'. It hasn't been the garden either! Although we have been busy planting both inside and out.

As you can probably see, I'm not in my usual wellies and gardening gear but in typical 1890 fashion! The whole family have been part of the 'Snowdonia Farmhouse 1890' which will be shown this autumn. We attend the regular Chapel services and get involved in local events, without the hardship of living in the farmhouse on a bleak mountainside in Snowdonia for a month!

Sam, Joshua, Ailsa an Anya and I get ready for chapel!

Wish the boys made this effort for school!!

The Roberts Family and Jonathan, Ailsa and Anya back in 1890 on a windswept Snowdonia footpath! Where was I? Taking the photo using 2010 technology!

Outside at Last!

The long winter months are now over... well not quite but there's plenty to do in the garden right now. After months of telling myself that it's too soon to get out there, and too cold by far, I can now justifiably get my wellies on and dig!!! at last!!

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These are last years pumpkin seedlings breaking through, but soon we'll be planting again.

I didn't plant any sweet peas in the autumn, so I've recently bought some root trainers (for the first time ever) and I'm about to sew them with the help of my Thursday Pumpkin Patch class. This will be their first venture out into the garden this year!

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Time to get into the greenhouse and give it a good tidy up and clean!

This is something the children love to do ... and so one less job for me!!

Give children a spounge, a hosepipe and some washing up liquid and you've peace for at least an hour.Though you won't have any washing up liquid left

so don't forget to keep some back!!

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Sunshine at Last!

Sunshine at last!! It was so great to get out and preparing the raised beds ready for spring. . . ..early I know, but who can resist gardening on such a glorious Saturday morning?

William, Louis and Thomas clearing their raised beds and making the most of the great weather!

We cleared all the remains of last year's purple sprouting broccoli, harvested some leeks and fed the last of the Swiss card to the bunnies! After all the rain, followed by ice and snow it really was a fantastic feeling to be out in the garden feeling the warmth of the sun on our backs ... joy!

The Pumpkin Patch kids at work, busy digging, weeding, composting and thoroughly enjoying themselves in the garden. I can't wait to get planting, I don't think I've ever looked forward to the Spring so much! Maybe the onion sets can go in next week . . . . I hope the sun's still shining!

Cookery and Craft at Christmas

Christmas seems like a very long time ago now, but I was searching through some Pumpkin Patch photos recently and discovered this one - our Christmas Cookery and Craft workshop.

If they look tired it's because they cooked their own Christmas turkey lunch, went on a country walk to collect some seasonal greenery (at well below zero degrees) and then made a table centerpiece before going home exited but exhausted.... and so did I!!

Easter workshop next.. I can't wait!!