1999 - 2007

We move to the yellow house. After two years of dreaming, reading Seymour and other similar books, we finally have a garden large enough to grow vegetables, keep hens and generally do all the things that are now so fashionable. Bees have been discussed and dismissed. The garden, although sizeable, is long and narrow. Neighbours are in close proximity. A huge Leylandii hedge, while protecting our privacy, crowds us in and keeps us in shade until early evening. "It is not suitable for bees," we say firmly to ourselves.
Nevertheless, on one of our many evening trips to Borders bookstore in Glasgow, I buy a book - Guide to Bees and Honey by Ted Hooper. It is fascinating, but too scary to contemplate. I have decided not to get bees.
We subscribe to one of the smallholder magazines - they have a monthly feature on beekeeping. I read it avidly. "Its not for me though" I say...decisively.
We visit the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston. The first tent we come across is that of the Scottish Beekeepers Federation. We admire the honey and beeswax exhibits, have fun rolling candles, sample types of honey, marvel at the live bees in their glass case, buy jars of honey, bars of wax and soap. We talk to the beekeepers, telling them of our unsuitable garden. "Not a problem" they say. We talk some more, they give us local contact addresses. "Yes let's" we say. Later we change out minds.
The Highland Show scenario is acted out in this way for several years. In 2007, we decide, after another long conversation with a beekeeper that we will never get bees - and that is definite.