Happy Saint Ambrose Day!

 A fine day to raise a glass of mead; today is the feast day of Saint Ambrose, patron Saint of Bee Keepers.  It is also my birthday.

Let's celebrate with some pictures.

Me and my dad.  First ever honey harvest.

Checking the hives.

In her lifetime a single worker bee will produce 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey.  Her life's work; one twelfth of a teaspoon. 

My grandfather was also a beekeeper.  I remember a story in which my mother was very little and helping him hive a swarm.  She was afraid of the bees, who wouldn't be.  He told her that they were very gentle, to be calm and quiet and not afraid.  And then accidentally dropped the entire damn swarm on her head.  She held still, probably out of terror, but didn't get stung.   

And so it goes.