Beekeeping

A few years back, we decided to trade city living for a house with enough land to host a small soccer game — minus the actual soccer players, of course. Our neighbor is a beekeeper and has multiple beehives. This meant our water feature — aka the neighborhood’s favorite bee spa — was often buzzing with winged visitors. I quickly developed a soft spot for these little guys. Every time I strolled by, I found myself playing the role of bee lifeguard, rescuing those whose wings had taken a dip and turned into soggy messes. I’d gently pluck them from their watery grave and place them on the edge to dry out, like tiny fuzzy towels waiting for the sun. It was during these heroic bee-saving moments that I got inspired to dive into beekeeping myself.

As I got my hands dirty in the garden, I stumbled upon the shocking revelation of just how essential bees are for our food supply. Sure, I knew they helped with pollination, but I hadn’t really thought about how our dinner tables would look without them — spoiler alert: very sad and empty. If bees were to go extinct, we might as well wave goodbye to our brunch plans too!

For the last two winters, I’d resolved to become a beekeeping expert, armed with nothing but determination and a YouTube account. But like many grand plans, it never really took off. Fast forward to this spring: I finally took the plunge and ordered my very own bee package! Yes, I’m officially a proud bee parent now. Expect updates on my blog throughout this first season as I navigate the wild world of beekeeping — complete with lessons learned and hive status reports. Who knew being a beekeeper would come with so many buzzworthy tales? Stay tuned!