Propolis for a Fractured World

FOREWORD In 2016 or so I became a beekeeper. I knew almost nothing about keeping bees, so I relied on the cumulative knowledge of my wife, who'd kept bees several decades ago, in her twenties. We bought a new type of hive, called a "Flow Hive(TM). It was a revolutionary design which vastly simplified the gathering of honey, reduced the amount of equipment needed, and made it possible to tend to many beekeeping tasks without ever disturbing the bees, without their noticing our presence. But, we were not legal. The town where we live has city regulations that prohibit the keeping of "livestock" in city limits. And, yes, bees are considered livestock; but chickens are not. Please, don't ask me why.

We talked to our city councilman, a neighbor, who advised us to be quiet, be sure our neighbors were ok with it, and don't tell him anything further wink wink>. So, we have been stealth beekeepers of one hive, under the radar, for several years. We did consult with our neighbors, almost all of whom are avid gardeners and they were thrilled. And even more thrilled when we shared the riches of their robustly flourishing gardens, and they received our fresh and pure honey.

Thus began my many years of fascination-borderline obsession-with bees, and my deep affection for them. We joined the local beekeepers' guild, made some friends, and garnered a great deal of advice-some of it confusing, even conflicting. And as we embarked on "parenting" our first colony, I read everything and watched every YouTube video I could get my hands on. Soon I began to realize the more I learned about bees, the more there was to learn.

Bees are complex creatures. Social creatures. Efficient creatures. They communicate in many ways, some of which we know, and many of which we do not understand. Most of all, I realized we are co-inhabitants of this physical space. We all do well if we take care of each other, bees and humans alike.

I sometimes sit for an hour or more beside our hive, watching "the girls" come and go, industrious and dedicated. At these times, I begin to feel peace. I feel part of them and part of something larger than myself. These are times, unequivocally, of meditation.

This short collection is my tip of the hat to my bees, and all bees. A gesture of gratitude. And a plea for their help as we navigate a physically and spiritually collapsing planet. There is a lot to be learned from bees. Greg Stidham