'08 first SWARM
March 27, 08
Well I don't normally tell stories on this blog but I think this is worthy of telling.
I was getting ready to leave the office and my cell phone wiggles. (vibrates) I said hello and a voice I could hardly understand begins to explain to me about a swarm of Honey Bees. She evidently was on the back of her 5 acres examining a wild pear tree and there it was "A SWARM" in a cedar tree about two feet off the ground. She wanted to know how much I would charge, I said, "Where are you located?" Turns out, it was right on my way home, so being the bee-man that I am, I said, "No charge." She seemed surprised. I looked for a piece of paper to write down the address and phone number. "Say again, Okay." I could hardly understand her, I just hope I got it right. Off I go on another adventure.
I arrive at the address I wrote down and there is not a drive way or mail box there. Well, I just hope I wrote the phone # down right. I call and I got it right. She tells me the address again and I only got one # wrong, It's just down the road.
As I pulled up to the house and get out of my pickup, this small elderly Asian woman comes out of the house. In one hand is a small metal pot with a pair of rubber gloves, and a steak knife. In the other hand she is carrying what would appear to be a white plastic sewing machine case, on top of the case was a small box of matches.
As I watched her slowly walk to the gate in front of me I came to the conclusion that I wasn't getting this swarm. "DO YOU WANT THE BEES?", I said. "You put in box", she said. After a little thought I now understood why she was surprised that I wasn't charging. "Of course," I said, "YES, I will put them in the box."
As she started walking around the house, talking all the way, I fell in behind her and we were off. There was no need to try to understand her I just said uh huh ever few steps. I attempted to explain to her as we were headed through the tall grass that she needed to get a wooden box and some frames but it became evident that she already knew what she was going to do with those bees, after I put them in that box.
There it is she pointed. It was a small swarm a little smaller than a volleyball. I took the box, removed the bottom , started to move a small limb out of the way and she said, "NEED SMOKE?". I said, "NO." She immediately started moving backwards, away from me. I waited a moment and then put the box under the swarm , hit the limb and put the bottom back on, in almost one motion. Then I looked up at her and she was smiling.
"Where do you want them?", I said. We started off again, her talking and me saying, "Uh huh." We arrived at the spot. I put the box where she wanted it, looked up at her and she said, "YOU CUT HOLE IN BOX?" I took the knife she was handing me and cut a hole in the box.
I started back to the pickup and she thanked me 3 times between there and the pickup. YES, I said, "Your welcome" three times back.
I hope you enjoyed reading this experience as much as I enjoyed helping this nice lady with her swarm of honey bees.
TOM
Well I don't normally tell stories on this blog but I think this is worthy of telling.
I was getting ready to leave the office and my cell phone wiggles. (vibrates) I said hello and a voice I could hardly understand begins to explain to me about a swarm of Honey Bees. She evidently was on the back of her 5 acres examining a wild pear tree and there it was "A SWARM" in a cedar tree about two feet off the ground. She wanted to know how much I would charge, I said, "Where are you located?" Turns out, it was right on my way home, so being the bee-man that I am, I said, "No charge." She seemed surprised. I looked for a piece of paper to write down the address and phone number. "Say again, Okay." I could hardly understand her, I just hope I got it right. Off I go on another adventure.
I arrive at the address I wrote down and there is not a drive way or mail box there. Well, I just hope I wrote the phone # down right. I call and I got it right. She tells me the address again and I only got one # wrong, It's just down the road.
As I pulled up to the house and get out of my pickup, this small elderly Asian woman comes out of the house. In one hand is a small metal pot with a pair of rubber gloves, and a steak knife. In the other hand she is carrying what would appear to be a white plastic sewing machine case, on top of the case was a small box of matches.
As I watched her slowly walk to the gate in front of me I came to the conclusion that I wasn't getting this swarm. "DO YOU WANT THE BEES?", I said. "You put in box", she said. After a little thought I now understood why she was surprised that I wasn't charging. "Of course," I said, "YES, I will put them in the box."
As she started walking around the house, talking all the way, I fell in behind her and we were off. There was no need to try to understand her I just said uh huh ever few steps. I attempted to explain to her as we were headed through the tall grass that she needed to get a wooden box and some frames but it became evident that she already knew what she was going to do with those bees, after I put them in that box.
There it is she pointed. It was a small swarm a little smaller than a volleyball. I took the box, removed the bottom , started to move a small limb out of the way and she said, "NEED SMOKE?". I said, "NO." She immediately started moving backwards, away from me. I waited a moment and then put the box under the swarm , hit the limb and put the bottom back on, in almost one motion. Then I looked up at her and she was smiling.
"Where do you want them?", I said. We started off again, her talking and me saying, "Uh huh." We arrived at the spot. I put the box where she wanted it, looked up at her and she said, "YOU CUT HOLE IN BOX?" I took the knife she was handing me and cut a hole in the box.
I started back to the pickup and she thanked me 3 times between there and the pickup. YES, I said, "Your welcome" three times back.
I hope you enjoyed reading this experience as much as I enjoyed helping this nice lady with her swarm of honey bees.
TOM
posted by Tom Thornton at 7:30 PM
2 comments
