I just read nhbeekeepers post further down on the forum and reminisced a little.
Even though this is the beginner forum, a lot of seasoned mentors lurk around here just as well.
Dana, my "mentee" last summer came to mind.
Never before have I seen a man do so much in his first year of beekeeping as I saw last year. We hived more swarms than I can remember and talked about bees for hours on end. Just like a little boy, he soaked up every word and pondered questions relentlessly as the summer progressed.
One swarm retrieval was on the eaves of a two story abandoned house. The bees had built a rather large series of combs out in the open and we set about to bring them home.
Fifteen minutes into the project, the sky let loose with a severe electrical storm, but we pressed on high atop aluminum ladders soaked to bone by the run-off from the roof. With the aid of our flash lights, and a burst of lightning here and there, we were able see the task at hand. Finally, two hours later, as our wives happily chatted in the pickup truck below, the swarm was ours.
I've helped several fellow beekeepers get started, but never before have I had so much enjoyment as last year.
How many of you mentors have your new recruits chosen for this year?