PATIENCE IS TRULY A BLESSING AND A MIRACLE

So there we stood..........side by side........hive tools strewn all around us.........the smoker lying in the grass still billowing smoke......... some dead bee's near our feet......the ones who "took it for the team." Sadness filled us..............but I was not defeated. I made good my inner promise to think positive. "She'll come back." I told Donna. "Don't give up, we'll just keep a good eye out for her and give this some time......." barely did the words leave my lips and Donna cried out with such excitement. " I think I see the Queen!! Look, look on the concrete block holding up the hive." Well, I'll be damned. There she was sitting statue still as her "attendants" crooned and groomed and gushed over her. It was almost too good to be true...........but prayer takes you to places you never thought you would be. So I just don't question its beauty anymore.

We were beyond giddy with relief and a joy that filled us from the inside out and then back in again. It was an amazing feeling!

Donna was on it this time. I don't think she wanted to take any more chances giving me too much space. "Get the marker! Hurry, get the marker! I stooped over and grabbed the green bee pen from my box and then quickly colored her ............she was a beauty, florescent green wings and all.

I tried to pick her up.......ever so gently............but she just kept moving.........quickly.........avoiding my fingers at every turn. I was afraid I might crush her if I pressed it any longer. Finally I picked up the queen cage and believe this or not, after 2 or three tries......she just waltzed back in. Another amazing!

We were rolling along so nicely now. The queen was marked, in her cage and we plugged up the end with a marshmallow. The queen will start eating her way out from one side, while the house bees start eating their way towards her at the other. We lower her cage into the hive now full of all the bees. During these three days they will continue their acclamation process. And when the queen is finally released..............she will start laying the eggs..............and the magic begins. Before you pick up your box of bee's, the Queen has already completed her "maiden flight." This is the only time she is every outside the hive. She takes off and finds a male or males................fills her baskets up with a lifetime of sperm............and back to the hive she goes................and begins her 5-6 reining years of doing nothing but laying eggs.

We fed them sugar water, put the hive back together again, and walked away......tired but happy. In our way, we had just made the world a little better. It wasn't a huge thing.......it wasn't a small thing............but it was something.

It was after 5..............we were hungry.....and so drove down to the old Paxton Grille and had a nice dinner. We were still shaking our heads............unable to end the mystery of the extra four bees in the queens cage.

When we pulled back into Grailville we spotted Mary Lu........her hands holding a basket full of herbs and onions. Mary Lu is my bee mentor and a long time resistance at Grailville. Being a grail member, she works the land, teaches classes on permaculture and works the few hives on the property. He duties, accomplishments and teachings reach beyond all that. She lives a simple life by choice and the love she has shines in her merry little face.

Donna stopped the car..................Mary Lu was heading for home after her gardening class, and she was excited and anxious to hear how we did. I immediately repeated the story. She grew very still, and with a look of utter disbelief she spoke softly, "those 4 bees were her attendants. The queen cannot live without them. Did you kill them?". Ok............that hideous, jaw dropping awareness hit me hard....very, very hard. I had intentionally destroyed ( I will not use the word kill) an innocent little bee that gave up his life for his queen. I was a slug once again.

In defense, I told Mary Lu that I had to, as the bee wouldn't let me have the queen. Her eyes deadlocked with mine, "She was protecting the queen from YOU.

Imagine that.................

We planned to meet later to further discuss our beekeeping techniques and the things that went well, and those that went didn't. We all sat on the veranda of the old Victorian house and talked.......and laughed...........our smiles wide and full of mirth as a gentle rain began to fall.

We planned to meet the next afternoon. I asked Mary Lu to check the hive and make sure we were in good shape. She starting teaching and we started learning..............the queen is safe and snug inside the dark warm hive. They had even started building comb!

What a day it has been...........full of disappointments and wonderful, magical surprises.

I eagerly await my next visit. I will be all alone this time.

I feel ready.

So much to learn..............but I know the bee's will be the greatest teachers ever!