Laura's Lines: We've Gone To the Bees, Part 1

Sunday, August 29, 2010

We've Gone To the Bees, Part 1

There aren't a whole lot of hot days left this summer. Truth is, it is now the end of August and before we know it, it will be sweater and hot apple cider weather. And in all actuality, it is already starting to feel like fall, especially in the mornings.

Knowing that our days of warm afternoons were quickly drawing to an end, and knowing that we needed to get honey out of our beehives before the cold weather set in, we dubbed last Wednesday "Bee Day."

But before Bee Day, there were preparations that had to take place.

The week before Bee Day, my dad went into his beehives to check things out and remove a couple full frames of honey.

The day before Bee Day, my dad went into the hives again and moved all the full frames out of the hive and into the garage (leaving behind as many bees as possible).

My job was to open the side door on the garage when my dad would bring the frames in (we kept it closed to keep more bees out) and lift the lid on the box that the frames were going in.

Bees really are amazing. Well, I guess I should say that God is amazing in that he created these little tiny insects that can do some amazing things.

For example. . .

When my dad went in and took out frames the week before Bee Day, this left more room in the boxes for the bees. But they did not want to waste precious space. So they created free-standing honeycomb. Perfect little hexagons that they started filling with more honey. I was quite amazed.

Anyway, here's some more pictures from the day before Bee Day. . .