Wednesday, June 10, 2020

Stay cool

When the rain moved off to the north, it left in its wake a blanket of humidity. We picked blueberries early, and by the time I walked back into the house, it felt as if I'd showered with my clothes on.

I cooled off and cleaned up in time for breakfast.  I needed to check on a couple of beehives, so I put on blue jeans, a tee-shirt, and my new bee veil. It's much cooler than my bee suit.

It worked well, but when I opened the third hive, I accidentally dropped the lid as I was lifting it off. The bees were not amused. They buzzed all around, and I did get to make an inspection, but before I finished, I got stung on the forearm.

I decided to close the hive and head to the house for a cold glass of water.

Again, I was soaking wet – not from the heat but from the humidity. For the rest of the day, I've laid low. Tonight, I feel as limp as a well-done noodle.

Fortunately, I did snap a picture of another Elderberry blossom. We bought some of these earlier in the spring, but as it turns out, there are elderberry bushes all around us. This one is next to the barn road.

Y'all stay cool.


  1. Spent many years engulfed in humidity. Do you have a/c.?

    1. Yes, we have central heat and air conditioning. That was not always the case.
      When Jilda and I married, we lived in a 12x60 ft house trailer with no air conditioning.
      It was brutal in August.
      In 1980, I worked for the phone company and I had to got to Mobile after Hurricane Fredrick. We lived in a Howard Johnson’s for almost a year.
      When we went home in late August, all the candles in the trailer had melted into puddles.
      Not long after that, we built the house where we now live.

  2. I appreciate your answer above. I can certainly remember no A/C. LOL I jut think you are one lucky dude to get only one sting after bothering your workers. Imma wondering if the stings get more tolerable when you actually know it can/will happen? think we all would like to know. I have heard about controlled bee=stings to some illnesses. Is anything to that?
    Sherry & jack

    1. Yes, at one of the conferences I attended last fall, there was an expert there that talked about bee sting therapy.

  3. This hot weather would have me wilted if not for air conditioning. Again you have pretty flowers.

  4. Stay cool. I appreciate bees but blew up in a spectacular fashion the last time I was stung.
    Are you and Jilda going to make elderberry wine?

    1. And heat and humidity turn me into a sad, soggy and grumpy mess.

  5. it’s such a joy reading your posts. Great job!

  6. You were very brave to tend to your bees without your full outfit. A veil only goes so far, but I can understand you wanting to be cooler. For a couple days we got a taste of heat and humidity here and all I did was keep cool inside. It's not good feeling like a wet noodle. It's good you are not allergic to bee stings. Bee keeping does have its hazards. Keep cool and don't stir up those bees.


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