bee sting Archives - View from the Front Porch

By Chicken Wrangler Sara

There are many things I have been told throughout my life that I have come to realize are just not true. For example, I’ve always thought that a bee can only sting someone once and then it dies. I learned this weekend that is a myth.

We had an unusually warm day on Saturday so the bees thought it was Spring and were out gathering pollen. One of the hives sits on the back porch right next to the path I take to the chicken coop. During the real Spring, I alter my path so as not to disturb the bees. This being February, I didn’t think about walking around the busy bees.

Halfway to the chicken yard I felt a sting on my back. I instinctively reached back to brush away the bee and quickly felt a sting on my finger. Then there was buzzing in my hair. I began to walk quickly around the yard saying “go away, go away.” This was one of the times I was grateful for the privacy fence. Then the buzzing stopped.

I took care of the chickens then went back inside (via the alternate path) to have Brian check my back for a stinger. There was none but I had definitely been stung. Then the buzzing started again. I headed for the door but Brian called me back so he could find the bee. It took every bit of self- control I had to stand still while he searched my hair. He knocked the bee to the ground and then used a napkin to pick it up. It had lost its stinger but was still alive – until Brian squished it. That reminds me of a song – I’m bringing home a baby bumblebee…..but I digress.

So the myth of bees only stinging once is busted. Next, I’ll tackle the myth that only roosters crow.

Miller Farm Friday: Bees in the Bonnet

By judythemorgan|2012-11-09T07:36:11-06:00November 9th, 2012|Miller Farm Friday, Uncategorized|0 Comments

Well the inevitable finally happened – I got stung by a bee.

I really can’t blame the bee. It flew into my hair while I was filling the chicken waterer and it got lost. The bee panicked and burrowed into my scalp and stung me.

I understand. I panic when I get lost too so I can feel its pain – literally.

I managed to avoid doing the frantic bee dance and walked quickly to the water hose where I “washed that bee right out of my hair.”

As I continued my morning chicken chores, I had two thoughts:
1. Where are the epipens?
2. How long would it be before someone found me if I passed out in the yard?

Fortunately, I did not have the same reaction to the bee sting as Beekeeper Brian so I didn’t need an answer to either question.

Later as Beekeeper Brian was checking my head for stingers, he suggested that I wear a hat or bandana to prevent a repeat of the incident. This was a great idea.

I remembered the bonnets you made for us to wear at Sturbridge Village on the 4th of July a million years ago? I still have one, or at least one just like it and it works perfectly for keeping bees out of my hair.

So now, if the neighbors did not have enough entertainment before today, they now can watch me doing my morning chicken chores wearing a blue gingham bonnet.

Ah – what a life.

Our other daughter immediately responded:

I am not sure, the bonnet might make things worse. For, as the song goes, don’t women frequently get a bee in their bonnet? Or is that just me to whom that happens?

Either way, I am quite impressed that you still had your Sturbridge Village ephemera. All I have left is fond memories of a picture taken on a canon, with either Sandra Kay or some other random individual.

With our family, you just never know who it might be… friend, foe, fowl, feline or canine.
Cheers, Steph

Interesting to me that both girls remembered the bonnets and not the reading of the Constitution or the fireworks. Which were the reason we originally made the trip!

Steph is correct we did always have a house full. Someone who needed a place to stay or escape or an animal or bird that needed rescued.

That’s why there are so many characters in my stories. Every visitor came with his own backstory which spawned a new story idea for me.

I’d recommend a trip to Sturbridge Village if not on the 4th of July then one of the other seasonal events. It made quite an impression on our children as you can tell.