Happy new year, bees!

Tops have stayed safely on the hives, so far. Cleared away a bit of snow from the tiny bottom winter entrances of both hives today and poked a stick in to make sure the way was clear. The top entrance was clear on both hives. The Young Beekeeper enquired a couple of days ago whether the bees had been out to poop, to which the answer is "maybe" because we need snow on the ground in front of the hives to see the tiny brown dots deposited modestly away from the hive during brief cleansing flights when the winter sun has warmed the hives.