It's bee-n a buzzy kind of day !

The last few weeks have been busy, 'comme d'habitude'. The weather has been a bit changeable so the photo shoots that had been booked have had to be re-scheduled. In fact we did two in one day the other Saturday. I don't think we will do that again. Luckily at the second one Yvan & Maryse had just got their new beer pump working when we finished. So of course we had to try it out - sometimes its good to be the photographers assistant.

Here at Les Oliviers the gravel delivery arrived and I have finished mulching 3 new garden borders. 1 more to go and then we have to sit down and plan the last phase after we have finished all the groundworks.

The first potatoes, carrots and beetroot have been picked (and eaten) and the strawberries are ready too. Tomatoes have been planted and are beginning to flower. The first job of the day is to wander up the garden and tie in all the new growth. We have blackbirds nesting in the hedge and its so peaceful to listen to them singing while I work. The Hoopoes are back nesting in the old barn opposite and are proving a little elusive to photograph, but you can hear the little ones calling for food.

Today's excitement has been provided by our old house, La Vigne. There were a few bees buzzing about around the shutters of the bedroom window on my way past to do the cleaning at La Remise so I went in to investigate, (the owners live in America), and there was a very large swarm. Luckily we have a friend who is a bee keeper. She arrived this afternoon and moved the colony into a box.

She has left it there for the moment and will return after dark and hopefully take them all away. I shall look forward to tasting the honey this autumn.