When people learn that I have bees, I get a lot of different reactions.  Many people think that it is very cool, and many people think that I am absolutely crazy.

The question that I probably get asked the most – other than “have you been stung?” – is “why?”

The answer is that I am not 100% sure, but back in high school when I was creating my first version of my life list, I added “Become a beekeeper”.  It was always a goal that I figured would happen very far down the road, if ever.  I would probably need to have a very large space in which to keep them and obviously, the time, money and knowledge to keep them alive.  It just seemed like a cool, interesting thing to do.  And I could have honey.  I like honey!

The first Christmas that I knew Mike, he got me a beginner’s beekeeping kit.  He knew it was on my  list, and he wanted to support some of my crazy ideas.  With the impending purchase of the house and the growth in urban beekeeping,  I could set up a beehive in my backyard.  Suddenly, this far off goal was getting a lot closer.  But by the time I was moved in and somewhat settled and started reading more about beekeeping, I realized that I had missed the time frame to purchase bees for the year.  So I kept reading and learning and purchased bees in the spring of last year.

In my first year as a beekeeper, I have learned a lot of things, but I am sure I don’t know a tenth of what there is to learn.  The bees are fascinating, wonderful creatures, and I am very happy that I have them (usually).  I want to document my adventures with them, especially some of the things I wish I had read when I was first getting started.

My grandfather was a beekeeper.  He had a small farm with several hives and my brothers used to help him tend to his bees (that is my grandfather and my brother pictured below). He passed away years before I was born, so I never really had a connection to him, but the fact that I have them now brings back memories for my siblings, and I think that is a good thing.  It does make me feel somewhat connected to him now.  I just wish he was still around to teach me everything he knew.

And the answer to the other question – have you been stung?  Yep.  A few times.  We will get to that.