This past weekend I had a great experience being stung by a bee on the middle
joint of the index finger of my left hand.  When the whole back of my hand
swelled up and started itching, as well as adjacent knuckles and joints and I
had pain and difficulty in closing my hand, I didn't have a worry in the world
because I had just recently read on the bee list about the experience of
another beekeeper being almost identical, with a follow-up of their improvement.
Now, a day later, the swelling has gone down, and although there is still some
itching, I can close my fist and use my hand without any problems.  If I had
not read about someone else's almost identical experience and therefore known
about what to expect, then I might have been concerned yesterday.  As it was,
I just enjoyed the fact that I was having an experience that I had not before
had.  I think I need to get stung more often and maybe places other than right
on the joints of my fingers.  I appreciate the great variety of things people
talk about on this list.
 
Here in central Texas we are in drought conditions and today was record
breaking heat.  There has been no rain and it has been hot for some time, but
the bees are making honey very well--probably from Chinese Tallow (trees) if
I am not mistaken.  It's light amber and a fairly nice mild honey.  It seems to
be good honey producing weather here, even though very hot.  The old timers
around here say that the bees really make honey when the weather is hot.
 
Layne Westover
College Station, Texas