the bee yard.

“I hadn't been out to the hives before, so to start off she gave me a lesson in what she called 'bee yard etiquette'. She reminded me that the world was really one bee yard, and the same rules work fine in both places. Don't be afraid, as no life-loving bee wants to sting you. Still, don't be an idiot; wear long sleeves and pants. Don't swat. Don't even think about swatting. If you feel angry, whistle. Anger agitates while whistling melts a bee's temper. Act like you know what you're doing, even if you don't.

 Above all, send the bees love. Every little thing wants to be loved.” 

{Sue Monk - The Secret Life of Bees}

One of the lovely things at New Eden Garden (among all the other lovely things) is the feeling of community. In this delightful community of earth and vegetables and dirt and worms we are a team. With many committees that need tending just like our plots, I have joined the Bee Committee. I've always been fascinated with bees, you know, being a queen bee myself. The bees have arrived and been "installed" along with the queen. While I wasn't able to be present for the actual install on Saturday, a few days passed and Monday evening,  the hives needed to be checked to see if the Queen had been released. She arrived as most queens do in her own little box, I have come to learn that at the open end of the box is sweetness, candy for all intents and purposes for her future subjects hopefully, to nibble on while getting used to her pheromones and vise versa. Basically they eat this candy wall until it no longer exists and the Queen is released from her box. Hopefully as I type this, this act has happened and she is busy being entertained by her subjects while requesting tea and cake and enjoying a mani/pedi. Oh the life of a Queen.

Well we couldn't see the Queen on Monday, too many bees about that box. We hope it's a good thing but one can never tell. We don't want anarchy. Sugar syrup - made by Annette, was placed in each box to feed the bees. Our fearless leader Deb donned in her bee armor - soon to be the latest fashion craze - opened those boxes without breaking a sweat. I was impressed. New frames of bees wax were installed so our bees can start doing what bees do. Amazing the jobs each bee has - male drones only role is to mate with the queen, worker bees (all female, no surprise there) tend to the queen, build the comb in which honey is stored and eggs laid by the queen, tend  young drones and defend the colony. Exhausting. The foragers scout out the pollen and nectar. Talk about busy bees.

This bee journey is so fascinating and I am so excited to be a part of it. There is much to learn. Our next visit to check on the Queen we will use smoke to keep this gang calm and sedated. Let's hope the Queen has arrived and is accepted by all. 

I wonder is she's wearing a fabulous hat?