Herniated disk

Well I have to have surgery this Friday on my c5 and c6 vertebrae where there is a herniated disk and bulge pressing on my nerves, making my arm tingle and losing strength.  Not very happy about it but don't want to play around with treatments the doc thinks will not work due to my lack of response to a week of steroids and anti-inflammatory drugs.  

We have so much to do and so many started projects!  One of our hives, the Roman hive, lost their queen but luckily a couple club members who know that I'm disabled from lifting came over with some brood and a capped queen to install in that hive with hopes it will set the babies right in a week or so.  The other hive, the Gothic Hive, seems strong.

Lesson 1: don't use a rubber band to secure the queen cage, it isn't secure and the extra panic of finding the cage and putting the queen on top of the bars made for the hive to start building comb inside the lid instead of on the frames.  When we opened it up the combs fell down and could have very well killed our queen.

Lesson 2: A miller feeder is less invasive feeder for beehives than the Ultimate Hive feeder 

and doesn't allow for that extra room where bees can build comb willy nilly.  We have two arriving on Monday and hoping a club member can help me switch this out and both hives will continue strong and happy.

The comb we took out was so pretty with nectar stored and pollen.  We also saw eggs so are pretty sure the queen was on these combs and most likely perished when they fell down.  If the cage had stayed down in the frames I'm sure the bees would have built comb where they should have since they follow the queen.

Our horses are doing well.  They need a good grooming but other than that are content and happy.  Grass is coming in, we already spread manure and seed in one field and in patches in the other field plus strayed for weeds just in the fields.  We are allowing all sorts of flowers and such where the horses don't need have their food grown.  We still have plenty of hay so are slowing getting the ponies on the field.  Obviously it will be a while before I can ride again.  So bummed.

We have seedlings starting for some gardening in a fenced of area for our garden.  Steve is building us some raised beds in a little bit for us to transfer them.  It will be awesome to just go outside and pick my salad!  For now that's the drama at Geek Acres.  I have the best husband ever, who is helping out so much.  I hate we can't divide the chores like we normally do but such is life, if the tables were turned I'd be doing the same!  Happy spring wishes to everyone!