At breakfast this morning guys tucking into home-made breads and jams together with honey from our bees were visited by Marco who recounted a tale of passing by the hives last summer whilst on his tractor. He fancied taking a short-cut to Bellaugello Gay bed and breakfast and instead of coming via the road, came over the top of the hill and infront of the bee hives which he did not know we had moved there.
Yes the honey is excellent, but the bees are not very friendly, Marco told us he had to put his tractor into fastest speed (still slow I guess) as the bees decided Marco and his big blue tractor were fair game. Never again he said will he pass infront of the hives. Silverio countered with a story of how when he was very young he was exploring a cave on the island of Ponza when he suddenly saw a swarm of bees heading his way. The bees attached themselves to him and he was stung repeatedly on the face and chest. Francesco countered with his rendition of a windmill in full sail as his method of keeping bees at bay! I too have a bad experience with bees when they got inside my veil and decided the way out was through me, all very unpleasant experiences – yet we all enjoy honey.
Which is why I have a specialist bee-keeper. Emilio looks after the bees with tender care, he is always kitted in impenetrable clothing, and tells me he rarely suffers a sting. The honey here in Valdichiascio is from a mix of flowers and the bees are busy throughout the summer, withtheir hives safely far away from the house and garden. We benefit with jars of the delicious honey which I serve at breakfasts here at Bellaugello Gay Guest House