Bearding weirdness brought me here.

[Beersmith]

I hope it is not off topic to report that as a beginner I too have found the process of learning and discovery to be fascinating. High points - successful comb exchange, first honey harvest, a beautiful productive first queen. Low points - initial trouble with wax moth, not spotting signs of an impending swarm and losing that wonderful queen. Then luck to have a cast swarm successfully retrieved and put into a new brood box. Then concern as the two colonies appeared queenless. Then back to high as I found a new queen in one and successfully requeened the other. Still optimistic as I now have two smallish but growing and healthy colonies.

Until I started I had no idea how absorbing and addictive this pastime would be.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Until I started I had no idea how absorbing and addictive this pastime would be.

Welcome to the madhouse
I have been keeping bees for 12 years and I still dream about bees and I can talk the hind legs off a donkey well past the glazed expression in my victim

 

[Beardy Weirdy]

Wow! Miles ahead of me, but I'm getting there slowly. I totally agree Beersmith, the first thing I do when I return home from work is rush out into the garden and say 'Hi' to the ladies. They have fought off numerous Wasp attacks and even a stealth raid by a solitary Hornet. Sometimes the comings and goings of the bees has my heart in my throat!

 

[Millet]

Welcome to the madhouse
I have been keeping bees for 12 years and I still dream about bees and I can talk the hind legs off a donkey well past the glazed expression in my victim