And how are we now?

Thanks for asking! 
2026 is turning out to be another very hot dry summer.  We reckon the seasons are a month ahead of where they should be - it's early July and even the brambles have finished flowering.  A good downpour would benefit our gardens and swell the blackberries and other autumn fruit.
Meanwhile we've had a good spring crop of honey.  This has slightly surprised us - perhaps the hawthorn and wild plum in the hedgerows delivered a good harvest for the bees and other pollinators?  Fortunately the nearby fields had strips of Phacelia along the margins.  It's a wonderful plant all round.  The bees collect the lovely purple pollen and delicately-flavoured nectar, and the farmers can plough in the plants to add nitrogen to the soil.  If we get a decent amount of rainfall before autumn (fingers crossed) it can self-sow and produce a second crop before the weather turns.
How do the bees cope with this hot dry weather?  Well, they don't bother flying if there's nothing to bring back.  Perhaps they just hang around the hives and wait for better times.
Our plan for the near future is to ensure that all our colonies are healthy and have lots of stores going into the autumn.  The ivy should start flowering next month and that will produce a copious supply of nectar and pollen.  It's all for the bees - we think ivy honey tastes yucky!  Some people like it but we are happy to leave it for the colonies to top up their stores for winter.
As always, nature is surely preparing some challenges for us and our colonies this season.  Wish us luck!