Journey Through Cancer Chapter 37 – Plans, Recovery and Reality

A colony of bees settled in the hollow of one branch of the trunk of my sister's oak tree. This is a very great blessing, because we have wanted bees to be pollinators in her garden. However, my sister is seriously allergic to bee stings. Fortunately, she has learned that bees are not going to sting her for no good reason and foraging bees pay little attention to human beings. Particularly, she has learned not to swat at them, because swatting or waving only increases the likelihood of being stung.
In order to preserve the bees and keep my sister away from their home, I need to get them out of the tree and into a hive. I have researched this and developed a suitable plan for this. However, it requires a helper who is not allergic to bee stings which, of course, keeps my sister from being my helper.
The plan is that I would cover the present entrance into the hollow branch and then cut into the top end of the branch until I uncover the hollow. I would then mount my hive box in such a way that the bees would now have to enter and leave through my box. Whenever they start building comb in my box, particularly brood comb indicating the presence of the queen, I will bring it down from the tree. At that point I will cut the hollow branch completely off the rest of the tree and split it. I will take the honey comb and brood comb out and mount it onto top bars in a second hive box. I'll stack the two boxes and let the bees have a rest from my interference for at least one day. Then I'll move them to the part of my sister's yard that she will have little reason to go.
Tonight we set my plan into motion. One of my sister's friends who has been around bees when hives were being worked came over to help me. When I thought that all the foraging bees had come in for the night, I smoked the colony and secured the screen over their entrance. Unfortunately, I was a bit premature. Soon there were at least fifty bees laden with pollen on the outside of the screen. I quickly removed it and waited longer. When we got to the point that I thought we would soon lack the light to work, I covered the opening again. I then climbed the ladder with the chainsaw and started cutting the branch. I soon tired without accomplishing much. I even moved the ladder to a new spot and again tired before I had cut anything off the tree.
I have a very limited time to finish putting my hive box on the tree. The bees can't get out and get any water. They will die if I don't get the opening cleared on top or reopen their old entrance soon. I'm trying to find a helper who can handle climbing the ladder and operating the chainsaw. If nothing else, I'll work on it repeatedly until I have completed the task myself.
I am certain than these bees are not Africanized bees. I worked without protective clothing, using a drill to fasten the screen and even using a chainsaw on the tree, only getting two stings in the process. That certainly is a mild response to so much interference.
Nevertheless, I can see that although I have been recovering from the radiation therapy for three months I have not fully regained my strength. I may already have the clear indication of successfully overcoming the cancer with a low PSA and the relief of all prostate symptoms, but I seem to still need to continue in my recovery. Nevertheless, I have had some measure of success in my weight loss plans. At the present rate, it should not be long for me to get my weight under 200 pounds, a significant milestone on the way to a more reasonable weight of 160 pounds.
With regard to our bees, I will get back to them in the morning. The first thing that I must do is to mist the screen over their entrance to give them some water. After that I'll have to get the hollow opened at the top. In this whole process I may not be able to save every one of the bees, but I will do my best preserve them all and chant the Amitabha mantra for the fortunate rebirth of any who die. Seeing every bee as a sentient being, places me in a difficult position with regard to state-required bee inspections. The inspector will ask for proof that the queen in each hive is not an African hybrid bee, expecting me to kill my feral queen and replace her with one whose genetics are known. How can I knowingly and willingly kill another sentient being, even under these circumstances? This is most disturbing since I know that there is no trace of African genetics in this colony based on their particularly docile behavior. These are some of the “mother sentient beings” about whom we so often pray.
In addition to the practical measures that I am taking for the preservation of the lives of all these bees, perhaps I shall also be chanting mantras for them at the shrines at the Wat Florida Dhammaram. When I am there on Saturday, I am not doing my devotions for my benefit only, but also for the benefit of all sentient beings.