Welcome to The Hive
Field notes, stories, and seasonal observations from Backyard Bees.
The Hive is where the quieter side of Backyard Bees lives — field notes from the bee yard, reflections on place and season, stories from books, gardens, shoreline walks, and the everyday wonder of paying attention.
Once upon a time, a girl from Queens found herself in an orchard in Sicily.
She didn’t speak the language, but with the help of a translator, she learned that the nearby apiary—quiet and empty—wasn’t abandoned. The bees had been moved to another orchard, busy pollinating the apricot trees.
Someone handed her a piece of fresh honeycomb. Golden. Dripping. Still warm from the sun. She took one bite—and that was it. She fell in love.
Not just with the honey, not just with the bees—but with the quiet miracle of it all.
(And yes… she was on her honeymoon. So technically, she fell in love twice that week.)
She didn’t know it yet, but that bite of honey was just the beginning. The bees had her heart—and they’ve never quite let go.
“Bees are a miracle—so small, so hard-working, and still essential. Even without honey, they’d still amaze me.”
Explore The Backyard Bees Hive
The Hive is the storytelling side of Backyard Bees — a collection of field notes, seasonal reflections, hive observations, shoreline walks, garden wanderings, and the everyday wonder of paying attention.
Some stories begin in the bee yard. Others begin in books, gardens, kitchens, or quiet moments outdoors. Together, they explore the curious ways bees, nature, place, and people shape one another.
So come wander the hive awhile.
Thoughtful, sustainable living inspired by the rhythms of the hive — from natural body care and green gifting to everyday rituals, seasonal traditions, and small ways to live a little lighter on the earth.
Books, folklore, history, traditions, and reflections exploring the relationship between bees, nature, place, and the people who live alongside them.
Seasonal observations, honeybee encounters, bee-friendly backyards, blooms, gardens, and the quiet details noticed while moving through the world as a beekeeper.
The Recent Buzz
Sustainable body care, thoughtful routines, seasonal traditions, small business life, and practical ways to live a little greener every day.
There’s always a story to tell. Seasonal observations, field notes, books, bee-friendly backyards, and reflections from life around the hive — gathered here, one story at a time.
A Walk with a Beekeeper: The Purple Edition
A spring walk through Glen Head, where purple flowers were everywhere—but the bees had other plans.
The Sound of Bees Buzzing
A single line about the sound of buzzing bees, buried in a war story, and why it stayed with me long after I closed the book.
A Walk with a Beekeeper: Early Spring in Sea Cliff (April 2026)
We’re three weeks into spring 2026, but overnight temperatures are still dropping into the 20s, with frost warnings lingering. The bees are stressed—and as their keeper, so am I. Last week, I visited a bee yard in Glen Cove where…
