Beekeeping, Beginnings

B is for bees.

Back in the age of bravado, Steve ordered his first hive of bees. (From Sears catalog, I believe. Can that be possible?)

The bees arrived at the post office freight department in a screened box. Steve was unavailable at the time, so it was Janie who balanced that box, surrounded by outside bees attracted to the queen inside.

Janie blustered (barely) on home with the interesting baggage.

Steve was bold with his first batch. He bluffed the bees into submission. Later, he learned to use smoke to make their behavior bland.
We boasted many buckets and bottles of honey.
Later, the bairns got into the act. They all wore bodacious bee suits.

Even the itsy-bitsiest, who remained in the background, sported the beekeeper fashion.

One bairn became overly brave (approached a hive with no suit), and was battered by a bee sting in the face. The blemish was bizarre. But temporary.

Now, we have no bees in boxes.

Instead, we watch the wild and free bumble bees bustle busily and burrow into beautiful blooms. Bzzz.

For more of Denise Nesbitt's ABC's, click here.