Home sickness

[dbest]

How many of you struggle with this? I heard a song on the radio today that brought me to tears. I spend better than half of my year away from the place I call "home". I am wondering, how do you deal with it. I grew up in this, it was semi normal for me that my father was in another state for 4 or 5 months out of the year. I am now closing in on my 7th and I am having a hard go of it. I was just wondering how others deal.

[Tom G. Laury]

Real good you are acknowledging those feelings.
Funny, life has different stages like baby, child,...young man must go and provide...But Life is so short and children grow up and don't wait for you.
I spent a lot of nights and days moving bees and have many cherished memories, but now I am much happier with an itinerary close to home.
I try to manage things so that I have recreation time, vacation time, QUITTING TIME!
Once I was Superman but not no more. The body wears out, especially with a lot of hard labor. Good to try to see ahead. Tom

[Action]

Nothing like Home!
Jack

[Bud Dingler]

is the the shrink board or what the heck does this have to do with bees?

[jim lyon]

I hear you; my dad always lamented being away from home when his father died and when I was born. Life is about trade offs I suppose. Just so it dosen't get to be more about keeping score than what is necessary.

Toby Keith:
"Under an old brass paper weight my list of things to do today. Go to the bank and the hardware store, put a new lock on the cellar door. I cross em off as I get em done but when the sun is set, there's still a few more things that I haven't got to yet.

Go for a walk, say a little prayer take a deep breath of mountain air put on my glove and play some catch it's time that I make time for that. Wade the shore and cast a line, pick up a long lost friend of mine, sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss, start livin that's the next thing on my list"

Some times I feel like I'm on a treadmill turned on high... I'd like to get off I'm just not sure how to go about it. Well got to run, bees to move. Hope I didn't make you feel too much worse.

[jim lyon]

... and if Bud doesn't understand what being away from home has to do with commercial beekeeping I guess I can't help him.

[The Honey Householder]

Once upon a time I worked out on the road trying to make my living. I was always home on the weekend, but I know what you mean. I miss the kids a lot when I was on the road. Ya the wife a little too.

Now remarried with a great wife and 8 great kids, and I'm home for good.

I had to find a better way of running the bees and keep it close to home. I did have to make some cuts (the exwife). Much happier staying and working closer to home. I just work the bees for the honey and sell a few packages, and that is good enough any more.

Life is to short, and money is just money.

Best of luck,

Ron

[tecumseh]

as someone who constantly moved about in their younger years I just got to say... I can relate.

the mountains still sings to me even when I am far away.

[sqkcrk]

is the the shrink board or what the heck does this have to do with bees?

Bud,
You seem to ask this question every now and then, here and on Tailgater. What's up w/ that?

What do you have to do w/ beekeeping?

For those of us who are over the road beekeepers this Thread is a good topic for discussion. For alot of the "real" beekeepers that I know this topic could be a good round table discussion at the beekeepers diner. If it didn't get to morose or maudlin.

Years ago when I started migrating south I got back home after almost 3 months, just in time for my youngest sons' first birthday. He acted like he didn't know who I was. Right then and there I decided that going to FL was too far for too long. So I went back to wintering the bees in SC. Over 600 miles closer to home and I usually spend 6 weeks instead of 12 away from home. Or 3 weeks away, home for one and then another 2 or 3.

[high rate of speed]

Join the club,Its a rough life but someone has to do it.

[pahvantpiper]

Being away from home is what I struggle with more than anything else in beekeeping. Whether it's in the almonds or moving bees all night - night after night - into and out of honey locations close to home. I haven't figured out the answer yet. I don't always do what's best for the bees just to be home more. I have 6 kids from 2 weeks to 13 years and I get really homesick too when I'm away for long.

Sometimes I secretly hope the almonds will go away so I won't have to go anymore. Unfortunately, without almonds I would have a hard time making it on the small amount of honey I make in Utah. Anyway, I would love the know the answer.

This thread hits close to home.

[Keith Jarrett]

Well, we all have & make choices.

I choose to drive NO futher than 100 miles from home, is there orange honey to go after or apple & cranbeeries to pollinate... you bet, but that's for those beekeepers who like to drive & buy trucks.