Some of you may have seen my old, long, boring description of my first couple of years as a beekeeper. I kept two hives, for two seasons, before I had to get rid of them beause I moved from Oklahoma to New Zealand (because beekeeping gear importation into NZ is severely restricted).
I always intended to start up again with some beehives in NZ, but somehow time gets away from you. It's been 14 years since I had any bees, but that will soon change. I've bought an empty hive and a small honey extractor, and I'm now gathering the remaining gear, and trying to make some connections in the beekeeping world here. I hope to have a colony, or maybe two, in my backyard this summer.
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Lake Isle of Innisfree
I will arise and go now, and go to Innisfree, And a small cabin build there, of clay and wattles made: Nine bean-rows will I have there, a hive for the honey-bee, And live alone in the bee-loud glade.
And I shall have some peace there, for peace comes dropping slow, Dropping from the veils of the morning to where the cricket sings; There midnight's all a glimmer, and noon a purple glow, And evening full of the linnet's wings.
I will arise and go now, for always night and day I hear lake water lapping with low sounds by the shore; While I stand on the roadway, or on the pavements grey, I hear it in the deep heart's core.
- W.B. Yeats
Oh God, I remember studying that poem in secondary school...
I enjoyed your long bee-keeping description. I look forward to reading more about it, as well as with the beer. How goes that endeavor?
The beer is still fermenting; It was very vigourous the first 3 days. I'll probably let it go for another week at least, to be sure it's done. I'll probably brew a porter next, on the day after I bottle this batch. I like to drop the new wort directly on the prior batch's yeast-cake - that trick always works well. In a month or so I'll have something I can send to you :-) But maybe I should wait a wee bit longer, so I can send you two different styles.
Ah yes, in that case wait. I'm excited! I will do a "beer" #tngpodcast for the occasion.