For years, we’ve been trying to get cleome (an ornamental flower) established in our garden. We were told that it’s a great favorite of honeybees. Finally, this year, it’s taken hold and sure enough, the honeybees are all over it. They are not alone, sharing it with native bumblebees and other insects. It is great fun to watch the bees on the delicate flowers. And so beautiful.
Sometimes, winter seems never ending with a long drawn out mud season. This year, the snow melted quickly and now everything is green again. It’s still possible to find patches of snow in shady, north facing places and the dogs celebrate each of those little patches. Tiny wildflowers are in bloom and the balsamroot and serviceberry are ready to color all the hillsides. Bees and other insects are out foraging. Butterflies are showing up. For now, it’s quiet around town and trails offer solitude. Soon the pass will open and that will all change but for now, the dogs and I are enjoying being out on the landscape.
It seems like just days ago, our hillside was still covered with rotten snow and now it’s covered with tiny growing plants, some already in bloom. The tiny flowers are fleeting so I’m outside searching for them everyday while the Western Meadowlarks and Say’s Phoebes sing from every perch. Northern Flickers call raucously and sometimes I hear the soft call or see the vibrant glimpse of blue from Western Bluebirds who are checking out all our nest boxes. The honeybees are finding pollen to take back to the hives. Spring is wonderful.
Here at home, the snow is receding although it’s not all gone yet. Where it has gone, things are growing. And the honeybees are out searching for their own signs of spring. The first wildflowers are steershead and yellow bells. In the garden, chives, daffodils and parsley are all up and growing.
Ken was worried about the possibility of the honeybees swarming and sure enough, on Saturday, the strongest hive split apart. They made a new queen and thousands of bees followed her out of the hive. I noticed excessive activity down there and told Ken about it. He walked over to see what was up and had the chance to watched the swarm take off and land on a nearby bitterbrush. There were so many bees that they weighed the branches down to the ground. Ken suited up and got a spare hive box with a few frames and cut the branches and dropped the girls into the box. They stayed so they must be happy with the new, less crowded box. Now there are six hives.
My Everyday Photos 