Watch Out For That - Bee!

This MooseBoots journey can be very exciting ... almost like Christmas with some additional bells and whistles (or buzzes and hums).  I have been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bees.  We ordered them a couple of months ago.  We ordered the hive a month or so before that.  I called again yesterday to find out when they were coming.

Today, they arrived.  Wendy and the girls took a trip to Brown's Bee Farm to pick them up.  Please note that we have no experience with bees, beekeeping, and beehives other than a few previous stings.  Also note, that we desire a conscious connection with nature and all of its creatures.  Said another way, we are a bit masochistic in that we do not plan to use, nor did we use any protective garb in today's endeavor.

Boy, ten thousand bees sure do look intimidating.  But, ...

So, according to the video, to install the bees:

Step 1 - lightly spray the bees with sugar water syrup.  Piece of cake.  Note, this picture is out of order ... I sprayed a few extra times.

Step 2 - remove the queen cage.  OK this is a little spookier ... bees actually start coming out of the box.  But look, isn't that nice a few bees flying around ... that is, after all, why we got bees.  Oh yeah, remove the plug on the bottom ... damn, I pushed it into the cage.  Wow, look they are moving it around and hey one of the bees came out ... OK.  Now, hang it on one of the bars and put it into the hive.  Sheesh, this seems really easy and nice.

Step 3 - remove the feeding can from the box.  OK, who designed this to fit so tight?!$#@.  Let's pry it with a screw driver.

 Holy cow!  There are 10,000 bees in there and now there is a big gaping hole for them to SWARM through.  Quick, put the cover back on ... ouch!  Don't swat!, Run!

"Little Fire Faerie, are you OK?  I don't know why she stung you.  I know you didn't deserve it.  Wendy?  No stings?  Do I still have the stinger in my lip?  Ouch, another got the on the arm.  OK, but we still have to finish the job."

Step 4 - hose them down one more time and then drop ... bonk ... the cage on the ground and wad them up in a ball.  "No, forget the damned camera and help put these boards back in place when I shake the bees up and dump them into the hive."  Now, pour them lovingly, spelled Q-U-I-C-K-L-Y, into the hive.  "Let's go before they figure out they are free.  Wow, look at that cloud of bees!  Are we done?  OK.  Put the roof on, but don't squash any of them."

Who knew that along this MooseBoots journey, my metaphorical journey to a hand-made pair of moose boots, that I would be initiated, welcomed even, into the world of bees.  The bees have had their say and christened me properly.  May we, the bees and I, develop a mutual beneficial relationship of love and trust.  In spite of the fleeting moments of SHEER TERROR mild panic, it was a good day and I am glad to have made their acquaintance.