In this Christmas Day Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew offers listeners something intentionally different. Rather than focusing on hive management or seasonal techniques, Jim invites listeners into a reflective conversation shaped by memory, family, and the passage of time.

Jim begins by acknowledging that Christmas has never been a strongly beekeeping-centered season for him. From there, he shares a formative story from early in his beekeeping life—one that begins with his passion for woodworking and building his own beekeeping equipment and ends with a Christmas Day epiphany. Surrounded by stacks of partially built frames and running a saw while his family gathered inside, Jim realized something important had been lost. That moment marked a turning point, changing how he balanced making things with simply being present.

The episode weaves through additional Christmas memories, including childhood disappointments, restored gifts that went unappreciated at the time, and the slow understanding that comes with age. Jim reflects on his father's quiet sacrifices, the meaning of reuse and repair, and how perspective reshapes memories long after the wrapping paper is gone.

Jim also shares a humorous and thoughtful story about his childhood realization that Santa Claus might not arrive the way he imagined, marking another moment of growing up without spoiling the magic for others. He closes by reminding listeners that not every Christmas needs to be perfect to be meaningful, offering gratitude for shared stories, past experiences, and the opportunity to simply talk together—one more time.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

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Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this Plain Talk episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew settles into his shop on a cold winter day to reflect on the many ways beekeeping appears odd to those outside the craft—and completely normal to those who practice it. Sparked by casual comments from friends asking whether he still "does that bee thing," Jim explores how deeply beekeeping reshapes perspective.

He begins with one of the most obvious oddities: beekeepers accept being stung as part of the deal. While that alone is a deal-breaker for many, beekeepers normalize pain, protective gear, and the inevitability that bees will occasionally get through even the best equipment. Jim draws thoughtful comparisons to other pursuits where risk and discomfort are accepted without question.

From there, he examines how outsiders view hive inspections as breaking and entering—smoking bees, dismantling their homes, and rearranging their world—actions that feel routine to beekeepers but astonishing to others. He also reflects on the long-standing discomfort some people feel about taking honey, and how the language of "robbing" bees gave way to more ethical framing over time.

Jim discusses the near obsession beekeepers have with queens, the deeply philosophical nature of beekeeping conversations, and the surprisingly medieval jargon that still defines the craft. He closes by reflecting on how beekeeping alters one's sense of time, seasonality, and awareness of the natural world—quietly reshaping how beekeepers see everything around them.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC

In this week's episode of Honey Bee Obscura, Jim Tew invites listeners into an apiary winter wonderland, where a fresh blanket of snow becomes one of the beekeeper's most revealing diagnostic tools. While the bee yard is silent on the surface, the snow tells its own story—tracks from deer and other wildlife, drifts shaped by wind, and the scattered bodies of a few dead bees shed light on how colonies are coping with single-digit temperatures.

Jim reflects on the unmistakable signs of winter stress, including the loss of one colony and the resilience shown by others. With a characteristic blend of curiosity and humor, he brings along a stethoscope to listen for the faint hum of winter clusters—an experiment rooted in both science and playfulness. Even without opening the hives, he gathers clues about colony strength, cluster placement, and the harsh realities of overwintering bees.

As he contrasts the vibrancy of summer with the quiet austerity of winter, Jim shares a thoughtful perspective on what it means to simply visit the apiary during the cold months. Sometimes the best beekeeping involves observing rather than intervening—letting the season speak and learning from what it reveals.

Join Jim for this meditative walk among resting colonies in the heart of winter.

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Thanks to Betterbee for sponsoring today's episode. Betterbee's mission is to support every beekeeper with excellent customer service, continued education and quality equipment. From their colorful and informative catalog to their support of beekeeper educational activities, including this podcast series, Betterbee truly is Beekeepers Serving Beekeepers. See for yourself at www.betterbee.com

______________________

Honey Bee Obscura is brought to you by Growing Planet Media, LLC, the home of Beekeeping Today Podcast.

Music: Heart & Soul by Gyom, All We Know by Midway Music; Christmas Avenue by Immersive Music; original guitar music by Jeffrey Ott

Cartoons by: John Martin (Beezwax Comics)

Copyright © 2025 by Growing Planet Media, LLC