The Slice: Going to meet the little honeys

What are you sort of excited about as summer draws near?

While I wait to hear from you, I’ll tell you what I am excited about.

A friend who keeps bees has invited me over to meet the little guys. He’s got one of those protective suits for me and all. I’ve always wanted to do that.

But I’m wondering. What does one say to a swarm of bees?

I’m open to suggestions. Meantime, here are the options I’m considering.

“I like what you’ve done with your hive.”

“Hellllllo, bees.” (If you aren’t old enough to remember “The Honeymooners” you won’t recognize my tribute to Ed Norton/Art Carney and the classic “address the ball” golf lesson bit.)

“Good bees. Nice bees. We’re all friends here.”

“Big fan of honey. Keep up the good work.”

“Stay healthy, you guys.”

“I am not a bear.”

“Bzzzzzzzzzzzzz.”

One more note about reel-style mowers: This is from Ellen Pardee, an 81-year-old North Sider.

“In addition to exercise, I’m convinced that pushing a reel mower at my age is very similar to pushing a walker, except this way I get my lawn mowed.”

Repurposed: Years ago, one of Annie Shiffer’s friends donated a box of items to Goodwill. Included was a crocheted or knitted tea cozy (tea pot cover).

“A week later, while riding a bus, she spotted the cozy, being worn as a hat. She was so pleased it had ‘found a good home.’”

Slice answer: “Broken pieces of glassware or bake ware has nothing on taffy,” wrote Carol Voogd. “My Girl Scout troop made and pulled taffy during an overnighter at our home. It literally was 12 years before the last tiny blue piece appeared, long after my daughter was in college.”

Today’s love story: “We weren’t actually high school sweethearts but the first time I noticed my wife was in a high school psych class,” wrote Jim Emory. “She was strong willed and beautiful and I never had the courage to ask her out.

“Fast forward a few months and my housemate talked me into a blind date with a friend of his girlfriend. And whom should get in the car when we picked them up? The psych class girl! We were married four months later and we celebrated our 40th anniversary last September.

“Destiny is a beautiful thing. You just have to recognize it when it happens.”

Today’s Slice question: The people who don’t like Spokane’s climate would prefer what?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Is Spokane a Clark Griswold town or a Cousin Eddie town?