Bees and Books

No swarm has chosen to take up residence in my empty hive (possibly because Ali's bees in the next-door hive are so fierce that they frighten off prospective residents) so last weekend I bought a nucleus from Mr Perrin, a beekeeper and queen breeder in Enstone. He is a retired cabinet maker and makes all his hives and equipment himself and his apiary is a joy to see. I left my new bees in their travelling box over Saturday night and transferred them to the hive on Sunday evening. They cover five frames and have lots of capped brood and ample stores beautifully capped with pure white wax. When I drove out to see them on Monday evening they had settled in and seemed happy despite the noisy neighbours. The queen is marked with a spot of white paint on her back, so is relatively easy to pick out.
On the book front - I'll be having a discussion with D.J. Taylor in the Taylorian Institute in Oxford on Monday, 18 July at 5.30, about Golding, biography, and related topics. The event is in aid of Oxfordshire Mind.