Two years ago last month this blog started. I continue to be amazed at how many people visit the site. This year has also been quite extraordinary – having caught about 8 swarms of bees. We now have a total of nine colonies. Quite an increase from single old Faith at the start of 2008!
The local government bee inspector rang me last week and asked to inspect my hives (for the second time this year) so he could take samples of bees from five of my hives. Unfortunately I had to go to town that day, so I did not accompany him on the inspection. But all was well. Only Joy is Queenless. The remaining eight hives are doing well – though there was not as much honey as I was hoping for as July was quite wet.
A little over a year ago I stopped working at the corporate grindstone and the last year has been interesting – with my attention being turned to smaller companies and more local initiatives with my new company, Objective Designers. More at: www.objectivedesigners.com
Last year I was wondering why Tears of Ra, the Sun God (https://beelore.com/2007/08/24/tears-of-ra-the-sun-god) is the most popular page by far. Someone told me that there is an American TV series called Stargate Atlantis where RA is one of the main characters. Perhaps that is one of the reasons for the page’s popularity. Interested to know if anyone else has other theories.
My most favourite story was the one I posted in July (https://beelore.com/2009/07/21/a-gift-from-the-bees/). I would love to have more stories like this to post. Please do send me any stories from your past or ones you have heard of so they can be posted!
So what plans for beelore in the coming year?
I have finally started to write more on the Bylaugh story (https://beelore.com/category/bylaugh/)…..which is beginning to turning into a book about the practical and spiritual side of beekeeping as well as research the connection between the health of bees and the state of the planet. I want this to be multi-media – perhaps eventually making a film or a series of videos. I also want to use some of the material to create a course for beginners in beekeeping. I think that there is so much about bees that can be taught alongside the basics side of practical beekeeping. And this site will continue to collect that type of material. So all contributions are welcome!
Bee Lore 
Congrats, Lorne. Keep it up!
This past Sunday I went hiking in the Eastern kanton of Appenzell. There in a small village I saw what looked like a portable fruit-stand on wheels in front of one of the houses. The only difference was that there were neither fruit nor flowers for sale. Rather it was a portable beehive! Being new to this incredible activity of beehiving, I was quite surprised. And naturally thought of you.
Thanks, Sid.
If you have a photograph of the beehive, I would love to put it on the site!