BEES

I thought a pinata was hanging in the purple ash tree in front of the barn. Upon closer inspection it was a SWARM of BEES. As one would guess I am scared of bees. Right up there with snakes!

I was creeped out to say the least. Instantly, thoughts of all past bees experiences ran through my crazy head. In my frenzy I set straight off to town to get super duper powerful bee spray. I made Cavemen watch over me while I fed the horses.

Then the GUILT set in... I know, I know, I know there is a honey bee shortage (except for at my house). Caveman says "just let them alone, they will be off in a day or two". I was furious! He refused to help me spray the bees. I was going to put on his motorcycle helmet with a large plastic yard bag duct taped to the helmet to cover my body and point the sprayer and pray. I couldn't do it. I pouted all night about the bees. He assured me they would not hurt me. I insisted they were just waiting for me to be alone so they could do their dastardly deed to me. When I had to feed again the next morning they of course were still there huddled up like a very, very large basketball.

Through a series of events a beekeeper arrived at my house with a bee box about 3 in the afternoon. There it was when I arrived home from work, a bee box on top of a small ladder right where the hive was. Bees were swarming around the box everywhere. The beekeeper would return at dusk to collect the box with the bees in it. I waited and he politely arrived right before dusk. All the bees appeared to be in the box. In my family everything is an "event" so Kristina was very excited about the whole bee adventure and raced out to join me. We stood on the back porch looking out at the beekeeper and the tree. The kind beekeeper says "It's OK come on out. They won't hurt you". We trusted him and joined him at a distance out at the barn. There on the porch of the barn lay the 2 bottles of bee spray. I could hardly look him in the eye. I was ashamed of myself. The bee lesson he gave us changed my whole view of bees. It was amazing. I was so glad that I did not spray them. Not too mention the beekeeper informed me the hive weighed several pounds and consisted of some 20 THOUSAND bees. I felt as if I had done my duty to the bee kingdom. "That's it" I declared "I will never be afraid of a honey bee again".

That is until I got in the house and had a lethargic honey bee on my shoulder. I am trying really, really hard to Love the Bees...