Pay No Attention To Little Me

I am not a bug person. I found them interesting as a child, learning about potato bugs and butterflies, but I have terrible arachnophobia and I don't really find six legged creatures to be all that attractive either. I don't like looking at pictures of insects, let alone looking at an actual live, moving insect.

So at first I was not into the idea of getting bees. I went to a beekeeping class up in Burgville, learned a lot, but still thought that was not for me. And then, somehow, I'm not really sure how, that changed. Somehow I ended up with a beehive and a package swarm of bees on my front porch. 

I read the book, I joined the club, I did the research. And then I actually suited up and put the bees into their new hive...and I was hooked. I've suited up around five times now, each time delving into the depths of the hive, examining the the combs, searching for larvae and the all important Queen bee. Each time a bee will land on my gloved hand or crawl on my veil. Each time I think to myself  "This is the coolest thing ever." 

Today I once again delved into the beehive  I always feel like Winnie the Pooh when I first approach the bees. But anyway, I pulled out a few frames, and squealed in delight over the dozens of larvae and mass amounts of HONEY. We scraped the burr comb off the top of a frame and honey oozed out of it. It was amazing. 

We pulled out the next frame and I almost jumped up and down in excitement (not a good thing to do in the presence of three thousand bees)  "Look! Look, Anna! The Queen! It's the Queen! See? Look!" 

We scraped off more burr comb and closed up the hive. We took the comb inside the house and the kids dipped their fingers in , grabbed big chunks and popped them in their mouths. I actually had honey dripping down my hand. REAL honey. Amazingly delicious tastes-nothing-like-store-bought-honey honey. 

I'm surprised. I really didn't think I would love beekeeping as much as I do. I LOVE it. So, the moral is...try new things? Bees make tasty honey? Winnie the Pooh is a good role model? I'm not sure, but I am delighted.