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Monday, February 29, 2016

This morning


Not all farm work is work. Take beekeeping for instance, it is work but really quite enjoyable. I'm not sure how I would feel about being a professional beekeeper with hundreds or thousands of hives to deal with but three is a nice sum. We use pine needles in our bee smoker and we needed to replenish our supply so a nice drive into the pine forest and 5 minutes of gathering and the job is done until next time. That's no work at all is it? But necessary nonetheless.


 I love this place. It is somewhere I know so well and has been a part of my life since I was very small. It changes all the time but remains the same as well. On the weekends I think it can be noisy and not as serene because  there are certain spots favoured by motorbike riders but during the work week it is absolutely lovely. The wind makes a special sound as it blows through the pines. It's eerie but I really like it. When it snows this is a truly magical place and when it is hot at home it is always just a little bit cooler here. I don't visit nearly enough and it is only a kilometre or two away from home.


Not only pine trees but the ferns are lovely too. A little on the dry side at the moment but a decent shower and they will be as lush as ever.

A bit of black berry picking too for us this morning. Lots of ripe and unripe berries on the bushes but we only picked enough for a batch of muffins. I'll have to pick some for jam another day.


And of course it's not all pristine and beautiful. Rubbish thrown out of cars all over the place. We picked up a bucketful and there was still plenty about. Why do people litter like this? I truly just do not understand it. Beer bottles mostly and in second place, empty bottles of sport's drinks. Makes me cross. 

Even with the litterbugs causing a blip, it was a really nice adventure.

Tracy

6 comments:

Chookyblue...... said...

I thought I may have to ring you for bee advice..... How to remove some from my garden.......But when I looked closer I found it was a paper wasp nest..... Huge.....

River said...

A beautiful forest, but awful to see the littering.

Lisa said...

It sounds ideal.

Debbie said...

What a fabulous place to visit Tracy and so close to home. I love woods and forests, such wonderfully mystical places.I hope you are well. Debbie xx

Tricky Wolf said...

What a fantastic idea using locally sourced pine needles in a smoker!

Janice said...

Your description of the forest is so evocative that I almost feel that I am there. Pine trees and she oaks both have that wonderful sound in the breeze, and the silence of snow is magic. Thanks for taking us along for the ride.