Bees in Arizona

Mark's eldest son, Robert, and his lovely girlfriend Danielle (Hi! We miss you!) went hiking in the desert recently.

 Pollinators and other winged creatures are taking flight as spring transforms the earth and blue skies beckon.  Check out those contrails! It was a beautiful day for a flight.

Robert has a fascination with all things crittery, and the Lewis family loves to tell stories about him and his adventures.  "I'd come home and if there was a box with a rock and a piece of paper on it, I knew not to get in it," Mark says.  "Usually there would be some kind of snake or lizard . . . he was always bringing home something from the woods or river."  Feral piglets. Poisonous snakes. No big deal. Robert is also a great photographer.

One of my favorite pictures of Robert was taken when he was about 10 and is wearing beekeeping gear.  He's watching a honey bee crawl on his gloved hand and looks so happy.  I'm excited that he's interested in pursuing a degree in entomology here at Mississippi State so we'll have our very own bee expert in the family. In the meantime, we have to settle for great photos of bees who will make some delicious sage honey.