July 28, 2009

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.


35 comments:

  1. Bees from Sears? How funny! Getting stung in the face must have been scary!

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  2. This is a great piece of your history...can't believe you got a picture of the battle wounds. Poor kid. ;0

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  3. That was brave and sensational.

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  4. Fun post. Good to hear you had success with your honey endeavors--bizzzzzness. I understand beekeeping is tricky but rewarding. Have you seen "The Secret Life of Bees" with Queen Latifa? Good video.

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  5. Bees in a box at the Post office????

    I think I'll stay with E-mail... :-)

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  6. Your bairn was pretty brave to bustle up to the bees like that without proection. Good thing he wasn't allergic! Yikes! :D

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  7. Boxed bees from Sears, how bizarre. But bad to be stung. Better a barrier like bee suit. I'll bet you miss their honey.

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  8. Remember when we could order most anything from Sears Catalog --or from Montgomery Wards????? But---I never knew anyone could order BEES... How funny!!!!!

    Looks like the bees didn't like that guy. Is that one of your sons? Yipes!!!!!

    Bet you are glad you no longer have bees--even though I'm sure you enjoyed that honey!!!

    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. Having bees in definitely a unique experience that many of us will never have. Oh, that poor face! Scary.

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  10. Oh my, your wee bairn looked like he had been in a boxing match. That must have been quite a day! Must have been an interesting experience raising bees and honey for a while.

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  11. Wow! That was fun - right up to the very stinging end. Poor kid - poor kid. Whew.

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  12. I'm sure that's a chapter that will never be forgotten! Thanks for sharing.

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  13. Un-BEE-lievable that you can ship bees that way. Having been stung a lot as a child, I feel the boy's pain.

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  14. very nice & interesting. good luck .

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  15. That poor guy with the bee stings, ouch...I love the way you told this story...a fun post....

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  16. Whoa ... that last photo looks worthy of a emergency room visit? But if it was only temporary, it's hard to tell.

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  17. Just reading this and seeing the photos almost put me into heart failure! I just decided I like living in the city better! Yikes!

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  18. This is a great post about your brave sun and his bees. My Dad used to order baby chicks from Sears.

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  19. I have this dream (fantasy) that one day I will keep bees. Have you ever read "The Secret Life of Bees"?
    great B post Janie!

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  20. I enjoyed all the Bs in the bee story. The little guy looks so sad.

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  21. Ooh! pianful. Not for me but I am all for saving bees. So good for our planet.

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  22. Isn't sears a catalogue?! I'm just triying to imagine ordering bees from the equivalent overhere, which is causing me quite a lot of entertainment!

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  23. "Bodacious bee suits"! ROFL! I love your beeutiful story, but that poor face looks sore!

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  24. Happy ABC Wenesday.
    I was looking forward to visiting you today. Thank you for a very fun post. Your son does look miserable.
    I am a bee lover. I do not keep bee hives but I do provide bee boxes for the Mason Bees.
    Sherry

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  25. Great post, Janie. Your poor son! Can he remember those swollen eyes?

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  26. Hello Janie

    I have popped over from Barb's place and very pleased that I have ...I love your nature shots and the above story is lovely. Your husband looks so 70s with the hair...

    I am going to return later to sit a while and enjoy your older posts

    Regards and
    Happy days
    Delwyn

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  27. WOW! I am so afraid of bees - see one in the house and I cannot rest until it's gone.. Your poor boy - he looks like he got in a boxing ring and lost...
    Great pictures!
    Love,
    Kelly

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  28. Great photos! B is for Brave! Poor little guy!

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  29. A bee-u-tee-ful post, Janie. A very brave endeavor although sorry your young 'un paid a price!

    My grandfather kept bees and used to pass off chunks of comb as "chew gum." I still have a jar of one of his honey batches...it must be over 30 years old now.

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  30. gawd! look at what a bee tifl bee can do!!

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  31. I like your B story. The bairn looks as though another sting in the future would be far more serious. I have been stung 3 or 4 times but never looked like that.

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