Now we are ready to start.

Morning starts at about 7. I can be packing orders or out driving the little tractor when Donald, my husband, says: “I haven’t been fed yet.” I get cereal, and toast for him, he doesn’t like eggs. Donald leaves for his steelworks and I make a cheese sandwich and some coffee and sit at the computer. During the day I just have coffee and honey.

Living in the country doesn’t mean you have to look plain. Some days I’ve only got bees and hens for company, but you never know who’ll come through the door. I am not casual about what I wear, washed-out T-shirts and jeans aren’t my style. I put on a white cotton beekeeping suit only when I am near the beehives. If not, I wear a skirt, a blouse and shoes. I walk seven or eight miles a day and ought to look like a top model, but I can’t get below 70 kilos. I think it’s because of my peaceful life. Even going on a diet does not help. I don’t see any point in it. You usually hope to lose some kilos, but I actually put on weight.

I pack the internet orders and get my cousin to drive them to the post office. I have my own car, too. It costs a fortune but I had to have it. I’m invited all over the country to talk about health and how bees can help people. There are lots of other jobs, such as driving a van with buckets of honey, to the nearest town and so on. We (Donald and I) also grow thousands of Christmas trees — our marriage between bees and trees was made in heaven.

Around 4, when Donald comes home, I start thinking about supper, and we sit down at 6. Then, in less than an hour, I’ll be back to work. I am writing a book about beekeeping. There are lots of books of this sort, and most of them are quite informative and well-illustrated, but they have a lot of technical terms without any explanations. It’s almost impossible to understand them! My idea is to write something light, a book that could really give a good start to someone looking for a new hobby and also turn them into a bee enthusiast.

Beekeeping is a slightly "different" hobby; it's not a simple hobby like video gaming, or even bottle collecting. First of all, for many people it's hard to find a reason to go out and exercise. In beekeeping, you'll find a great way to get outside, get moving, and get some fresh air! Then, it’s a hobby where you learn. Bees are the most amazing creatures on the planet. Watching them isn't the same as reading a dry school textbook. Each little hive has its own personality. For me, it’s the most fascinating thing about beekeeping. And don’t forget the honey!Taking your first taste of that fresh honey is a great feeling!

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Дата добавления: 2015-11-04