I used to think that 60 yrs is quite old, but now that 2023 has arrived – the year in which I will have been alive for six decades (hopefully) – I’m thinking that it’s more ‘late middle-aged’ than old. My hair still looks mostly dark, in the right light, although the beard is grey. … Read more
Many people, myself included, find spring to be their favourite season. The arrival of snowdrops, then crocuses, blackthorn and early blossoms together with frantic pollen-collecting activity by the bees is a welcome antidote to lockdown. Sometimes beekeepers get a little too excited and forget that we can still have snow in April. As long as … Read more
This week I did a Zoom talk for the Suffolk beekeepers, which was fun. Well, as much fun as it can be for an introvert. Maybe the virtual environment suits people like me who shy away from big crowds and do better in a one-to-one situation. However, sometimes it’s good to know if people are … Read more
When Paul worked in IT over twelve years ago, he used to spend “far too long” gazing out of the window. “I’d had enough of office work; I was sick of it,” he told me. In 2008 he was enjoying a post-walk pint with Malcolm Thorpe and Janet Beech in the Vale, Bollington. Malcolm and … Read more
How to Buy If you want a signed copy: signed book (delivery may take a few weeks if you are thousands of miles away from the UK). Otherwise, there are lots of outlets throughout the world – please just search online or visit your favourite bookstore, being careful to follow COVID-19 rules where you are. … Read more
I am coming to the end of my ninth beekeeping season. I started with two hives, and now I have nearly forty, including nucs. My journey has just begun, but at least I’m through the beginner phase. Here are some things that I have learned, which seem to apply to my beekeeping and probably nobody … Read more
I like to think of myself as objective and open-minded, but of course, I’m delusional. Unintentionally so. The thing about being biased is that we don’t see it in ourselves. We clearly see it in others, especially when they hold contrary views to our own. There is something in the human (and walrus) psyche that … Read more
