*bee calm

 Do you know what this means?

YEP!  We got our first hive today!  We have been on a waiting list with Mr. Bundrick for a hive for a couple of weeks and now it is our turn.  I met Mr. Bundrick at his shop this morning at 8AM, I drove Eric's truck so I could bring the hive back (myself) this morning and put it in place.  Mr. Bundrick must have sensed that I was a bit nervous  because he offered to follow me and set the hive up here on the farm for me.  I was so very grateful!  He has been doing this for many many years and didn't even wear a hat, netting, gloves or anything - oh, he did use his smoker though!

The hive weigh about 45lbs at the present and he was a bit worried about me being able to pick it up and set it in place. Such a sweet heart of a gentleman!

The screen on the front of this hive was to keep the bees inside the hive while he traveled from his home, to his shop, then of course on to our house.  The strap around the hive is to keep the top plate in place.  This comes off so you can add a supra when that time comes (which for us is now!) Mr. Bundrick actually has had this family of bees for us since Easter weekend, and normally  when he cannot get in touch with the person on the list, he goes on to the next one.  Since Mr. Bundrick is so patriotic and so committed to showing his appreciated towards Eric for his service to the country, he kept these for us in one of his hive boxes until we got back with him.  The swarm has of course grown since that date and are now in need of more space, so the supra is getting painted today so it can start to cure. 

I asked him if he would mind if I took pictures, he told me to just make sure I was taking pictures of the bees and not of him.

He here is taking off the screen that was put there for the purpose of travel.  LOOK.. NO GLOVES... NOT FACE PROTECTION... Um.. you wont see me out there like that any time soon anyway.

So I fed the animals and then went back out to get some more pictures of the buzzing madness, and was chased off by a drone.. He was caught in my hair, got loose, continued to chase me from the hive area to the barn.. I was hitting myself in the head, accidentally of course, with my camera. Running along like mad, my pants started to fall off my non-existent waist even though I had a belt on.  Fortunately my next door neighbor, who is always out working in his yard was up the road helping a friend this morning, otherwise he would have likely had a good laugh.   Needless to say any further... this is the last picture I got of the bees on that walk.  I think I will wear my hat with netting next time I go out to "visit" the bees. I am also assuming they would have liked a little longer to get acclimated to their new surroundings.  Lesson learned.