May 07, 2008

Bees! Bees! Bees!

This weekend, after much anticipation (and a year hanging around the San Francisco Bee Keepers Association like some sort of kid brother) I finally received my first package of bees. I'm thrilled (and a little nervous). It's a big responsibility looking after thousands and thousands of these gorgeous little gals. Truthfully, they do a heck of a job looking after themselves, I'm just going to do my best to keep them happy, healthy, and comfortable. I'll be doing periodic little updates here on Smarts & Crafts, in the meantime here are a few pictures.

Here's where I bought my gear, Beekind in Sebastopol.

My gear! The hive bodies, smoker, safari hat(!!) and veil.

The "package" containing 1 queen and a couple thousand of her subjects.

The cutest bee ever, dappled with a bit of sugar water.

The hive, ready for the bees.

Happy bees coming and going from the hive!

4 comments:

lisa solomon said...

i'm so impressed!!!
you'll let me taste the honey right? :)

Anonymous said...

WOW, are you immune to bee stings?
YOWIE, those hurt and swell up and then ITCH!

Up here at Gopher Flats we are noticing not so many bees. Maybe when our clover gets to blooming.

Conn said...

Finally we get to see what all the BUZZ what about. Congrats. Looks like fun. Now where does one get bees here in hawaii? Time to do our research.
Yeah more pics... Especially in "costume".

Jessamyn Harris said...

wow! I didn't even know you had a place to put those bees... exciting! you should teach my parents how awesome beekeeping is, I've been trying to encourage them to get their own hives but they are chicken.