Bees and then some

We had to combine two of our hives since one was very weak with few bees, very little brood and we couldn't find the queen. So we sat the hive box on top of a piece of newspaper positioned over two hives boxes of a stronger hive. The bees eat through the newspaper in a few days which gives them time to get used to the smell of one another so they won't fight. The Hawaiian queen hive is to the west and it is going great.The east hive is doing great, too. Where's the bloom? the bees want to know.

The banties are now in the hen house and I open the pen during the day. They are getting used to coming out and foraging and jumping and sparring. Yesterday John found Mama duck's nest under the water tank. She has a nice nest in a corner with twelve eggs which is hidden behind logs, sticks and an old box. I was looking all over the marsh to the west of us and there she was under the water tank.  Eggs should hatch any day. Our friend Lutfiye encouraged us to have new life, well, it abounds.  We are awash with fowl. Not sure where they are all going to go.