Painful and scary at times, but many adventures in life are like that, I have found. Looking back, my idea of what it would be like to be a beekeeper turned out to be a lot different than the actual realities of managing a hive.

First, I never expected to be in the driver's seat for this project. Let me explain: This exhilarating hobby was my son's idea. At 14, he is a bit of a risk-taker (to put it mildly). He wants his first paying job to be cleaning windows on a skyscraper. I think now you get the idea. He applied and was accepted for a beekeeping scholarship at Trinity Valley Beekeepers Association. I was so happy for him, congrats and all that! I was supposed to be his trusty assistant because I am not so much a risk taker, you see. However, the first time he got stung on his ankle, he had a systemic reaction in the form of all-over body hives within minutes. So, I found myself vaulted into the position of the nervous hands-on bee whisperer and he got to be the trusty assistant/photographer.