I have never liked the taste of honey. My Mom told me of the time when I was approximately 2 years old. We had gone to visit my Uncle Lee and Aunt Lillie in Gatlinburg. My Mom was feeding me some sorgum syrup and butter. (This was a Southern staple of the time.) Uncle Lee kept several bee gums to provide honey. He told Mom to stop giving me sorghum and to feed me some of the good honey. She told him I would not eat it. Uncle Lee said "she won't if you don't give it to her". He proceeded to mix me some honey and butter, all the while making a big production of it. He gave me a big bite and I spit it out all over him. He then told my Mom "this kid doesn't have a lick of sense". He didn't try to feed me any more HONEY.

I remember when I was a child watching my brother-in-law getting ready to rob the bee trees. He always wore protective head gear, long sleeves and gloves. Even then, he sometimes got a sting or two.

My father-in-law, (my oldest child's grandfather) also gathered honey. He would watch bees when they came around the different flowers and blossoms in the spring. He would then follow them. Sometimes deep into the woods a couple of miles or so, until he found the tree in which they were making their nest. He would remember where the tree was. Best as my feeble mind remembers, in the late fall was the time to gather the honey. He always had someone go with him to help carry the honey as he would usually get several full buckets. The amazing thing that I remember is that he wore NO proctive head gear or gloves. He seldom even got a bee sting. The only honey I ever ate and thought it might have a good taste was honey that he got. I still do not care for honey. But, it brings back memories and just think how amazing something so tiny as a bee can manfacture a food most people find delicous.