There are a few things you should know about my dad:
1) He goes through phases like an adolescent. From dirt bikes and
reloading to ocean kayaking and pig farming.
b) He will thoroughly research each hobby to learn
everything about it and
then find out how he can make it better with his own two hands.
3. He practically raised himself in the Nevada wilderness thus
fostering an appreciation for the ways of nature and the importance of
self-sufficiency.
4. I am his favorite child.
On the 4th of July I met up with my parents for a BBQ. Dad can't help
himself when he sees me. We talked at length about bikes and work-outs
and the camera he gave me for my birthday (all things he has studied
well). He wanted every detail about the mileage I was putting in. Was
my women's specific seat comfortable? Do I know how to use all the
setting on the camera and how many bikes do I sell a day? I am really
that exciting to him. Then
he shared his own exciting news. For the last couple of years my dad
has been reading about beekeeping and dreaming of raising his own bees
and thus putting an end to his dependence on foreign honey. His dream
was about to come true on July 1, 2006.
He was at work when he got the call to make his way to the shop (he
works at a co-generation plant- my dad makes power). When he got to the
shop the guys pointed out the
honey bees
swarming in the corner. The shop guys wanted to gas them but Dad
stepped in and spared their lives. He asked for a little time and a
paper bag. That night he downloaded the instructions for the Make Your
Own Bee Box and set to work. Every step of making the bee box is
documented in photos which he showed me in a slide show presentation.
It went a little something like this: "This is the box with the lid
off. This is the box with the lid on. Here I painted it blue." The
excitement was mounting. He couldn't believe his luck. "To buy a
nucleus is $60 on-line and a queen is $18. I didn't have to pay
anything for these!" He was quite pleased with himself.
Two days ago I had dinner with Mom and Dad again. After some chit chat
Dad started telling me a story about working in the garden earlier in
the week. It was a hot afternoon and he heard a loud humming over his
head. He looked up and saw a large cloud of bees above him. He reveled in
the phenomenon and was smiling as they swarmed a little longer. Buddy
(his dog) nipped at them in the grass and then the bees flew away. He
decided to check his own little hive. When he lifted the lid he found
it empty. The girls had left him. That was
his swarm floating above his
head in the garden.
I asked if the swarm had formed into a large waving hand like in the
cartoons. He said he wasn't too sad cause they were a free bee. They
were bee-moaning the heat in the bee box and were bee-seeching a new
home. I forgot number 5: he likes corny jokes.
[Yes I really am reading The Secret Life of Bees. You should too.]
Comments (9)
Though it is cool to read that you have a cool dad. :)