Birthday Party, Swarming, and Cajoling

This weekend we are celebrating the 10th birthday of The Southside Messenger.  Way back on June 4, 2004 we published our first issue.  All of the smart money was betting we wouldn’t survive. “It’s just another one of Averett’s crazy projects.”

Oddly enough The Messenger survived. Who would have thought it? Even more oddly, in spite of the mistakes and growing pains Averett did a couple of things right. Who would have ever expected that?

The stories in this column are true. Averett lives a dull life in rural Southside Virginia with his wife Management, two children and a rotating assortment of goats, dogs, cats, snakes and other local fauna.Birthday 

Still the one key to the Messenger’s success is you. Our readers, our supporters and our advertisers are why we survived.  Thanks to all of you.

Last weekend we had a crowd of folks over for a cookout, several of them in fact. I know the food was good and I think everyone had a nice time.

I only had one problem-well, actually three problems. The first was that I had strict orders from my bride Management to not cajole any of our guests into “helping” me with a project. That one was tough. Imagine several dozen people and I was not allowed to even say, “Hey, while you are standing there can you give me a hand with…”  I’m probably scarred for life.

The next problem was I was expected to behave for several consecutive hours.  I doubt if I succeeded at that one but Management apparently thought I did which is almost the same thing.

My most obvious problem was that at about 30 minutes to lunch, a swarm of bees left one of my hives.  Now you might think 30,000 honeybees flying around was the problem. You might think I would be worried about someone getting stung.

Generally swarming bees don’t sting so I wasn’t worried about that. I was worried that my bees might leave before I could put them in a hive.  They finally settled on a large silver maple about forty feet high.  It was the most beautiful swarm of bees I’ve seen in twenty years.

About that time Management announced it was time for lunch. Well, that was the problem.  I was perfectly comfortable missing lunch and ignoring our guests for a while.  After all, bees don’t wait for anyone and this was an exceptionally beautiful swarm. I wasn’t concerned that the bees were forty feet up or that I had agreed that I shouldn’t climb that high for a swarm anymore.  It was a beautiful swarm.

The issue was how to convince Management that I should get them.  After some careful negotiation I finally got permission.  Then I had a decision to make.  Should I attempt to just get the swarm or should I cut the limb or the tree?  As much as I like trees I like swarms of bees better and for a while that tree was in serious danger. I finally decided to shanghai some help and put a ladder up to the limb.

I carefully cut a notch in the limb. The plan was to hinge the limb and gently let it swing down until the swarm was only a few feet from the ground. Never having cut a large limb from a silver maple I was unaware just how brittle the wood is. Halfway through the cut the limb broke and the limb and the swarm hit the ground.

For some reason it did not upset the swarm or knock the ladder down which is what I would have expected.

I hived the swarm and made it to lunch and my world was happy.

But back to the birthday party. It’s this Saturday, June 7, from 10:00- 2:00 in the lot beside Keysville Station on King Street. We’re having ice cream and cake and music and fire truck rides. Come join us if you can.