getting it in the ground

       A lot of the plants I started in March are now out in the garden, and have been for a couple weeks. (We don't get too ambitious here in upstate NY).  Today the hub and I  extended a garden patch about three to four feet wider than it had been before.  In order to do this we had to remove a rose bush that I think had been there since the time of Adam and Eve.
     I have transplanted a rose or two in my time, but I have NEVER seen a rose with a root system like this!  It was amazing.  To start with, the darn thing had suckered all over the place and was even growing out of the stone wall it was planted near.  The main root on this plant was at least 2 inches in diameter - possibly larger - it was raining,  I was frustrated, and I just wanted the darn thing out!  I had to dig underneath the root ball to try to get this out - broke several lateral roots off, and still couldn't move it.  My husband tried - he failed as well.  Finally he got a rope, tied it under the roots and pulled as I pried.  It finally released.  We moved the darn thing down by our shed.
    The rose is a mystery to me.  It was here when we moved in. It is a tall, rambling thing - not really a climber in the sense of a Don Juan or something, and it has pink  blossoms which arrived once in the summer and that was it.  It has little or no fragrance.   I was tired of getting stabbed by it every time I walked near the corner of the patio garden.
    I now have a little more room in the lower bed for veggies/herbs and sundries.  The two raised beds have always been the veggie beds, and this lower bed we tilled a couple years ago o my daughter could have her own garden.  That lasted about two weeks after the planting - basically until the weeds came up!  Her tomatoes did well there, as did the cucumbers and corn last year.  SOoo, this season the lower bed has the cukes and zukes (I had trouble with vine borers in the other beds - time to rotate) some carrots, two types of lettuce, a couple pepper plants (I am stuffing them in every bed to see where they are happiest), as well as some tomatoes, sunflowers, amaranth and basil.    The upper beds are a bit more traditional with the tomatoes, peas, beans, watermelon (if the darn slugs leave some), more cukes, borage, tomatillos and most of the peppers.
   I swore  I was never going to grow any more bell peppers - they always fail for me - they rot, or just don't set fruit.  I do fine with banana peppers, hot peppers, but not bell.  But, my younger kids love them as do I, so once more I will try.  My husband bought some plants from the store and has them in containers on the patio - hopefully at least a few fruits will come of this!  if anyone has any tips about peppers, please feel free to let me know!
    Checked on the bees today - Lordy! I was behind in my hive maintenance.  I had a ton of burr comb on the new hive  from the nuc.   Those girls have been busy, and I had better get the upper deep on tomorrow.  I have bees exploding out of the older hive - literally falling out as I check the frames.  I do not understand why, if they are so crowded, I am not seeing more activity in the super.  I scraped off a bunch of burr comb and a possible queen cell or two.  I do worry about swarming.  They are very healthy - although I did see my first mite on a drone larva.  Hmm...time to hit the books again.
    HAPPY DAY - I finally found the queen!!!   This is the first time in over a year that I have seen the queen. The last time was when I put the queen cage in the hive after installing the package.  I was thrilled - perhaps I am getting better at this!.
   Today was fun because as I was working with the hives, my mom and niece arrived and I was able to keep a running talk on what I was doing, and show them a bee "being born" - emerging from her cell.  I was also able to show them the queen.
      I think I was down there about 1 1/2 to 2 hours - probably a little slower than usual due to the conversation, but also the number of frames that need checking has now grown.  What a great way to spend a sunny afternoon!