Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Why I Turned In My Bee Veil



I decided to go back one year to when I was a fledgling bee keeper.
I read this post and I was reminded why I don't want bees.
I thought I would re-post this from last year. I hope you have
a Happy Saint Patrick's Day too.

Bees On The Move

Today was our first warm day, it was in the 80s
I have been watching the bees like a hawk and
I did not notice any usual activity this morning.
I finished with the boys school early and decided
I could work with my scroll saw and make some
things. I was out busy cutting away when my
youngest son comes running in and says, " You
have to come look at the bees, there are millions
of them in the air." My heart fell into my shoes,
because I did not buy a replacement queen
this year. I have always thought something was
up with the queen but being a total novice at beekeeping,
was not ready to re-queen.

I went out there and the hive I guess had split. It was
in the cotton wood tree just behind the hive. This is
another thing to always have on hand, a spare hive.
I have been meaning to buy another but have not
got around to do it.

I knew I had a small super that I had not used. Really,
I must have been totally brain dead last year, I do not
remember that the super, does not have a bottom, or
a top because, it sits on the other hive.

So I tell my boys to get a board and we will improvise.
They go get a board so huge that it takes both of them to carry it.
I run and get my veil and the gloves, I do not even remember where
or even if we have a suit. My mind is blank on this part.

I break every rule of bee keeping, I am wearing dark pants, I am not clean
and I am not wearing protective clothing. I can't even find the brush
to brush them into the box. I run into the house and grab a new paint
brush I bought on Sunday for some crafts I am doing.

I get out to the bee hive and see the swarm in the tree, the bee box is sitting
on the giant piece of wood. The boys do not like bees nor have they had much ever
to do with the bees and they are not wearing protective clothing either. But like
troopers they are they hold the box up so nut-job Mom can brush the bees
in, which I do. Everything is going okay, until I get stung high up on my thigh.
I mean HIGH UP. I sort of jump, drop the board I am supposed to be holding
to brush the bees into the box. Then another bee thought that was a good idea
and I get stung on the other thigh, HIGH Up. I can't brush the bee off
and drop the board again. The boys are ever so quiet, and I look around
and they are covered in bees too. They aren't moving. I finally get
the rest of the bees in the box, and tell to boys to set it down very carefully.
They do and they back away. They didn't get stung thank goodness.
The new queen I am afraid, did not like being dropped, an inferior house,
or this nut for a bee keeper. They flew away. I may be out of the bee keeping
business for this year, I will get into the hive this weekend, after my stings
settle down.
Some days are just like that.

~Kim~
P.S. No wonder they all left after I robbed them. They must have found lots
greener pastures than having me for the owner. :)

15 comments:

Kim said...

Oh Kim....2 stings? .....high up? I know I shouldn't laugh.....but....(sorry)
Seriously though, you and your boys could have been seriously hurt. I'm glad you gave up on bees. Stick to your sweet chickens.
I still feel guilty for giggling but you made it sound a little funny.
Kim

Leontien said...

Sorry but i am laughing too!!! Thank you for reposting! I loved it!

Leontien

p.s. we never had any bees, my dad get's an alergic reaction (NOT GOOD)!

Julia said...

Kim, you live dangerously. It's a wonder that you only got stunk twice and a miracle the boys weren't stung.

Last year my son was coming home from the barn and was walking on the road in front of our house and he was hearing a loud noise but couldn't find the source and came in to get me. As we moved toward the sound we saw a swarm of bees covering a tall tree by the river . The mass was huge and black. I took a picture but couldn't get a close up.

We called a local bee keeper but it wasn't his bees. After a while the bees flew away thanks goodness. I think that you should learn all you can about keeping bees before returning to bee keeping. JB

Miss Debbie said...

So sorry you got stung, but picturing this made me smile! You do get into some predicaments, don't you?
But that's what happens when you are adventurous, brave, and like trying new things! I admire you!

http://bitsandpieces-sonja.blogspot.com/ said...

That was a real adventure! I did have to laugh too, but it was from the safety of inside my house... no bees around! :)

Dawn said...

Guess I'm with the majority...and I'm laughing. Trying not to...but have to just the same;)

Sue said...

I remember your episode with the bees, Kim, dh and I were talking yesterday about getting us some bees, after talking with a man at the book store of so many bees dying. But now after rereading this story, I think we need to rethink our plans. lol.
Hugs,
Sue

From Beyond My Kitchen Window said...

I love locally made honey, but am scared to death of bees. Sorry you got stung, ouch that had to have hurt.

Meg said...

Gosh I still can't believe they just up and left. How rude. ;)

I'm not into pets that have bad attitudes and abuse their owners. So I guess maybe it's good you don't have them anymore. We can just get local honey at the farmer's market. (Even if it is crazy expensive.)

TexWisGirl said...

Oh dearie! You like to live dangerously on your little acreage! :) I truly hope you have given up beekeeping... :)

Wonky Girl said...

I winced when reading you were stung. We have a huge wash on our desert property and thought about having bees there. But alas, I'm a person that will easily panic and then I guess the bees would have me for lunch. Farmers Market honey is very tasty.
I will stick to my chickens, love 'em.

Nancy Grossi ~ Churned In Cali ~ The Wife of a Dairyman said...

Wow! You're lucky you escaped with only a couple of stings! The last time I was stung was while I was horse back riding. I couldn't believe how much it hurt! It was a yellow jacket nest that we had ridden over and I was just glad I was the one stung instead of my horse...otherwise I would have been in for a wild ride:)

Debbie said...

Oh the dilemmas you find yourself in. I can't believe you did that. Bees are DEFINITELY not something I would miss with! How brave you are...Have a good day!

Yolanda said...

Oh Kim, such a good story and I love all things bees. Hope you are doing well. Happy St.Paddy's DAy.

Thistle Cove Farm said...

So glad you re-posted this; what a great story. I'm sorry you didn't fare well with your bees. One of my goals, I think, is to have bees. My Daddy has been keeping bees for more than 70 years and my brother keeps them as well. I've grown up as a bee helper and think I'd love to have a hive of my own.