The Life of an Urban Beekeeper

I have learned that urban beekeepers must be resilient, creative problem solvers with lots of gumption. When we arrived at the Metropolitan building with a family van filled with planters, plants, and tons of soil, we didn't anticipate that the old elevator might be opened on someone's floor, and thus inaccessible until that person closed it. Said person actually witnessed our dilemma, stepping over all of the gigantic, elevator-bound goods on his way out the door. Only upon said person's return did he decide to speak up, (after many trips up the grueling yet extremely photogenic staircase,) pretending to be a "nice guy" and offering to "check" if his floor was the culprit. Of course it was. Instead of manning up and walking back up to his loft to close the elevator, he chose to be a Selfish Sally and run his own errands first. Lesson: D-baggery is an inevitable obstacle in the urban beekeeper's life and should thus be anticipated. Patience and a willingness to do things the old fashioned way are an urban beekeeper's requisite character traits.

Up on the roof, the sky was mercurial.

Once we got the majority of the plants up, it was time to get down to biznass.

The boys moved the beautiful (and very heavy) planter built, painted, and donated by Jon's friend Seth, to it's new home.

Twas windy, and I feared that the culture shock from the warm shelter of the greenhouse would prove too exasperating for the dainty Feverfew and elegant stalks of lavender blossom.

In the end, we planted the rosebush with the sun roses in one half of the planter, and the rosemary and various sages in the other half. Rosemary and sage are complimentary plants, which means they work symbiotically. Each one helps the other become a better version of itself.

Urban beekeepers get to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their labor...

The sun finally emerged and I lost track of time enjoying it, and got a mean parking ticket. Saw it's orange wrath from the roof and trudged down the seven flights. At least I got support from my friends:

The delicate plants will spend a few more days in the sunny stairwell, and the hive will continue to await its inhabitants...

Urban beekeepers never take the simple pleasures for granted.