It was closer to 5:30 yesterday morning when I got myself on the road to town for the load of grain. Looking south as I drove away from the farm it was dark still.

But a mile later and the eastern sky was turning.

It was a mellow drive all except for the bypass exit. I was watching 2 cars ahead of me as we came to the end with the traffic circles. The gray car was pacing the other car exactly but the as we came down to the circles the car slowed way down and then acted like a cunt. I was well back from her and she started tromping on her brakes so I laid on the horn. She went through the circle and pulled to the right and started yelling some drugged out craziness and threw a coffee cup at the side of the car. Complete cunt on wheels. I drove off and went about my merry way while the dumb ass had no coffee.

The grain was wet and heavy and hot so it steamed a bunch as I shoveled it.

I can't see the horizon from the house so don't realize the sun is up at 6am now. The drive home was far less eventful.

I backed the trailer into the pen and shoveled all the grain out as soon as I got back to the farm.

Then I got my post done, watched some of the PDC matches, then headed out to pickup my #honeybees. Sunrise Honey Co is one of the two places I have gotten bees from over the years. I prefer them as they provide nucs and not packaged bees. The nucs are far superior and cost less.

So back to the farm with the brood and the new queen and I set them aside while I finished prepping the hive. I dusted the frames with DFM before moving the nuc in.

Hive account@stryeyz got the shots of the process.

I popped the nuc open and since it was 9am and still cool they were super slow and very few took flight. SUPER HANDY!!! No smoking or anything, just move them at the right time.

The queen cage had electrical tape around it and I pulled that off to reveal the candy plug the bees chew open to allow her out. The cage got mashed between the frames and I had to remove 1 to allow the space.

The frames in the bottom super with the nuc frames and I then put the top super on which has a number of frames full or partially full of honey.

They needed syrup made up so I did as they suggest and did 6 pounds sugar to 4 pounds (1/2 gallon) water. I mixed and boiled it then let it cool for much of the day until it was cool enough to mix the complete bee into and then pour it into the hive top feeder mid afternoon.

The hive entrance didn't take too long to become a busy skyway.

I got the potatoes all planted over the day. The garden cart of red Nordland ended up with about 15 potatoes left in it, almost exactly right number.... Cool it worked out so well. It gives me 408 potato spots planted in the main garden. The boys helped with planting the beans, peas, beets, kale, and chard. Then Hive account@stryeyz planted the leek and onion row closest to the greenhouse.

Still 7 rows to plant not including the greenhouse.

Standing looking at the bees and look down to see a mass of ants on the move.

The warmer day had the hive all abuzz.

These new flights are badass and sooo much better than ones I was using. These are Target flights and have had minimal damage to the edges so far.

Got the fire going in the pit for grilling later.

I left one of the supers outside that had some remnants in it and the thing was covered in scavengers. Atop the super on its side sat this bee that let me get a bunch of shots. I'm astonished my phone camera managed this good of shots.

This was the mass on the frame.

Grilled our steaks for dinner then we ate on the deck.

J found a good Lego model that actually prints well and the bricks click together nicely.

Out to soak for a while.

This morning is the Spokane Riverun 5k we are all going to go do then I will have the rest of the garden to plant. Need to till all over for the rest of the potatoes to get put, and work on irrigation.