The year-1955 and the location was just north of the old homeplace, in a neighbors woods. A BIG red oak had a hollow in it about 12 ft from the ground. It was where a limb had been and it'd died, fell off and partly rotted out. Those little honeybees had found that hollerd out place and taken up residence in it. Ole jeep and I were always lookin around in the summer time and tryin to locate "bee trees" for the winter. The temps had to be cool or you'd get stung rite smart and that 'ain't' no fun. Well, come wintertime jeep and I took a crosscut saw, a smoker, bucket and big stirrin spoon. The temps were cold enough that we had no trouble cuttin the tree down becuase they were too sluggish to bother us much. When the tree hit the ground it broke in two ---right at the bee's point of entry. The smoker was workin and so were we! We made short work of that beehive and honey. We never took all of it but left enough for'm to make it through the winter. Some city folks would cutt'm down and take ALL the honey. The bees died from starvation when the greedy people did that. Well anyhow, some years we may cut 6 trees or even more. We had honey run nin out our ears when we did that much "bee tree" cuttin. We never sold it--just gave most of it away to neighbors, family and friends. Most people nowadays don't know what you're talkin about when you tell'm about cuttin "bee trees". I haven't cut any in well over 30 years and don't even know where any are at present. Take a hunk of honeycomb and eat some right at the tree--AIN'T NUTHIN LIKE IT!!!! If you have old, crippled or sick neighbors you might wanna check in on'm every day or so this winter. Take'm a hot loaf of homemade bread, pie or a cake. It'll not cost you much and will give them a boost when more of their life is gone than what remains. We are to look out for each other while here on earth. Matt. 24:44

-- hoot gibson (hoot@pcinetwork.com), October 18, 2000

Answers

Hoot, what a neat story. I sure enjoy your posts. You are so right that we need to check on the old and sick, sometimes just a hi and a hug will make someone's day, ya know? Many of those old timers don't ever hear from their own grown kids, and it's pretty sad. Thanks for the reminder! Jan

-- Jan in Colorado (Janice12@aol.com), October 25, 2000.