Hi Beekeeper Friends.

How often do we stop to consider the impression we make on the public as
beekeepers?  There have been a few threads about ethics, etc.  My
husband, Dave, and I are very aware of this impression.  Quite often we
do bee removals, swarm calls, and just get that nest of wasps out of
here, please, type calls.  It sometimes occurs to us that the cost of
fuel for the auto is climbing, the cost of time spent becomes more dear
as the years pass.  Ahhh, if only grampa could see us now.  But thanks
go out to all of my Bee-L friends for adding to my knowledge and causing
me to become the proud owner of a wonderful 'bee book library'.  And
then there is George (Imirie).  I cannot tell you how many times this
man has taken the time to answer, or force me to answer, some of my
questions.  He has YELLED at me almost as many times as my mother.  But
his willingness to share information, and force us to think, has been
our local bee club's monthly topic for discussion many times.  And Andy,
also, was such a help, when he was around.  Amazingly, the personalities
of these two encouraged my reading of Bee-L.

What a strange opening for a post.

I would like to invite everyone to take a minute and visit our local
beekeeper website.  We have posted our 4h beekeeper entry into the NHB
annual essay contest.  Unfortunately, this essay was not a winner, at
least monetarily wise.  But, oh what a winner it is.

I am so very proud of this essay.  The writer was 14 years old at the
time.  (She is no family relation, just one of our 4h beekeeper members)

Special thanks and recognition go to Dave Green for his wonderful
website.  Patricia (the essay author)  visits it regularly.

Many, if not all, of our 4h beekeepers are aware of beekeeping issues
and the latest in beekeeping research.  We are still working on a
'traveling bee show'.  I told each of our kids that they must become an
expert on some topic of beekeeping.  And that they would be expected to
accompany us to various presentations and be the 'expert' on their
topic.  And I promised them that they would never be expected to answer
any question that was beyond their expertise.  And, the best part, they
would be excused from school for the presentation and travel time.  Most
of our 4h'ers have one or both parents that are interested in bees.  You
should have heard some of the comments that 'bet you didn't know'.

I am constantly reminding these youngsters that THEY are the reason we
do what we do.  The essay pleases me more than you can know.

Please enjoy it.

Judy in Kentucky, USA

http://home.fuse.net/backyardbees/