Behold! The wee box, holding the queen and her attendants.
"Her name shall be Nefertiti", said the beauteous Mimosi. "As you wish", I replied.
One look at her face will tell you that I couldn't have chosen a finer bee-christener than my dear young friend. Miss Mimosi has a bit of the royal look herself, don't you think? Well, you know what they say, "Once a queen in Narnia..."
With my first hive, the bees were installed for me. So this time, introducing ourselves was just a tad more nerve-jangling. It was suggested that we mist the bees down with a sugar-water solution to calm them, so mist we did.
And here we are, gingerly prying the lid off a box of 12,000+ buzzing bees.
Attaching the queen's tiny apartment to a frame. She's kept in with a plug of candy, which will be eaten by the worker bees so to free her in time for her coronation.
I thought at this point it'd be a good idea to put my veil on, as I had to
And they all lived happily ever after. Thank you, Mimosi! I love the name Nefertiti, but don't forget, I love you more.
To be surrounded by so much royalty is blessing indeed!Sounds like a wonderful adventure.- hugs, Dee
ReplyDeleteand blessings on her reign! May her kingdom be firmly established and her authority be supreme over the ant goblins!
ReplyDeleteI think this is wonderful. Every tiny bit of it. And you're braver than I. I don't know that I was cut out for bee handling. It's nice to watch you do it though.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved bees. I think it was encouraged by something I read in an Elizabeth Goudge book long ago and far away. I wish I could remember the title of that book. Maybe it will come to me in time...One of my best friends was a bee keeper and so was my mother in law, in Hungary. And another relative there, Paul's cousin's husband. I think they are exceptionally special people!
ReplyDeleteWell, googling Elizabeth Goudge and bees brings up three of her titles that have them -Linnets and Valerians and The Rosemary Tree and Gentian Hill, and I don't think any of these is the book I'm trying to remember which is perhaps about a school in England long long ago and a student who ends up the new bee keeper after telling the bees that the old one has died. Perhaps not by Elizabeth. Definitely a book for older children.Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteKristi, are you thinking of Lark Rise to Candleford by Flora Thompson, or Keeper of The Bees by Gene Stratton-Porter? Both books have bee keepers that talk to their bees. I've read most Elizabeth Goudge, and I can't recall any bee keepers, except maybe her book White Witch? I don't own that one, so I'll have to look it up.
ReplyDeleteKristi, oops I forgot to tell you, I love the bee skeps in your Buddapest photos!
ReplyDeleteDear Jodi, when mama first showed me this story you wrote about the bees, and the queen and me naming her I was so happy inside. I felt like I was overflowing with joy. It was really special for me to get to pick out the name for Nefertiti (don't you like how it kind of sounds like Mimosi, 'cause it has an *i* on the end? Like Jodi--my dear friend!). Thank-you for asking me to. It was so kind of you. Oliver says that when he gets his bees he's going to have you name his queen. Oliver, loved reading about the new bees and Queen Nefertiti, too. We all did. The only thing I'm sorry to say is, no, you're wrong (and everyone knows it), *I* love *you* more!
ReplyDelete::Dictated to (the) Mama by Mimosi (with everyone here gathered 'round getting in on the action) all sparklie-eyed, wigglie, gigglie, buzzing with delight, her day having been entirely made! She *at first* said, "like I was going to burst", but {with some hand-flapping} then backtracked and changed it to...no...no....say "overflowing with joy" {meaning, I guess, that the overflow *of joy* was to near-bursting}! Know, that *you* are the "buzz of the hive" *here* today (as you have likewise been a good many other days). You're a very thoughtful, kind, and loving friend, J~Bee {a true and precious "sweet of Love", His love}. Thanks, for so beautifully being you, in Him. xo
B~Jay::
How nice to be able to see Queen Nefertiti! I have heard much talk about you bees and the naming of The Queen from the wee ones here~there was much excitement as to the naming of her (okay, to be honest, not *just* the wee ones were excited ;)
ReplyDeleteI loved all the pictures you got too, it almost felt like I was there!
By the way, talking of bee keeping/bee keepers stories, have you ever read "Chalice", by Robin McKinley? I think you would like it, I have never heard honey described in a more delightful way~nor bee keeping for that matter :)
~~Rosie
i LOVE this! (especially mimosi's excitement over the whole thing.) i love that the two beekeepers are wearing coordinated outfits, too :)
ReplyDeletehappy beekeeping!
p.s. found a nail color that i think you would like (weren't you looking for a beautiful dark blue?) essie's "bobbing for baubles." you're welcome.
Mimosi, I'm overjoyed that you're overjoyed! Tell Oliver that I'd be honored to name his queen. And sorry Mimosi, but "I" love you more. :)
ReplyDeleteRosie, I'll definitely check the book out. Thank you! I was given an amazon gift certificate for Mother's Day. Woot!
ReplyDeleteLes, "Bobbing for Baubles"? Loverly! And thank you. And yes, Mike and I coordinate our outfits all the time. ;)
ReplyDeleteI love this post, we would like a hive one day too, when D is a few years older. Mmmmm, i love honey, we probably eat it every day!
ReplyDeleteAqeela xx
What interesting reading this comments section makes too! xx
ReplyDeleteI now think the book I was remembering is called A Swarm in May by William Mayne. I may be confusing parts of that with something by Goudge, but am not sure what.....Glad you liked the bee skeps.
ReplyDeleteCompletely OT and about my blog post that you commented on. I suddenly realized that I left out dill from the cucumber salad recipe. For something with so few ingredients it's dreadful to leave out a very important one. They are all important. So sorry.
ReplyDeleteOhmygosh! I so enjoyed reading this and the pictures
ReplyDelete...so very interesting.
I have always dreamed of a small piece of land where I could grow a garden and keep bees and a cow and some chickens. I'd give up Target for it. (and I LOVE target:)
So glad to see you got more bees Jodi! Can't wait to meet them when we come over xx
ReplyDelete#1: That child is quite a beauty! She has a regal appearance that reminds me of the old portraits of a wealthy children.
ReplyDelete#2: Apitherapy - let them sting you, see if it helps.
Reading your posts on beekeeping brings back good memories my aunt used to raise bees on her farm. Thanks for sharing, hope you have an abundance of honey in season!
ReplyDeleteOh how exciting! Please keep us posted.
ReplyDeletecan somebody please spray me with that sugar watery mist ?!
ReplyDeletelook at you two -- you totally look like you know what you're a doin'.
x
Long may she reign. Great photos of you setting it all up and tucking them in. How happy they must be.
ReplyDeleteI had a hornet on me this weekend. It was there for 10 minutes before I realised. It didn't sting me, but I did run out of the house, ready to wriggle out of my dress. Brushed it away and it just flew up in a spiral and that was it. I think I can cope with bees.
You are fearless. And so abundantly, awesomely cool.
ReplyDeleteNefertiti is the PERFECT name for her. And I'm glad you had some sugar water handy to calm them down... that would've been a whole lot of angry bees!
ReplyDeleteDear Jodi,
ReplyDeletea realy good name that is!
May Queen Nefertiti long live.
I used to HATE honey,until...
one bite of my dad's honey and I wanted to eat the whole jar.Honey is the best!
Love,
Audrey C3------------
P.S The "C3" thing is a bee with a bee line.