I HUMBLY remind those who know and inform those who don't know, BLAMMER:
THAT the cover image of Beekeeping for Dummies is MY PHOTO :) likely helped you choose the book - here is a little history that many new members DON'T know. I took that photo in June of 2001 specifically for the Dummies Book - I was lead photographer in the colaborated project led by Author Howland Blackiston.
There are always lots of new people here and occasionally I like to mention that Howland Blaskiston hired me for many images (about 16 internal and the cover photo) which relative speaking is the SINGLE MOST SELLING POINT of the book (this from the Author himself) and the link below takes you to a shot FEW PEOPLE EVER SEE, the original layout of the book.
www.beemaster.com/bkd.htmlIn this photo (compare it to your copy) has the bee facing the wrong way and some of the text content has not been placed yet.
If you read my monthly logbook entries
http://www.beemaster.com/honeybee/beelog.html you can follow the daily adventures of my humble life as beekeeper, mentor to a young man, and colaborater for the dummies book. By July of 2001 I was stricken with (what is now called) neurological Lymes which has (THANK GOD) only left me with short term imparement, not the terrible crippling diseases that many poor souls suffer. I was blessed to 1) live, 2) only have memory problems and 3) not be incapacitiated as so many people are ONCE lymes reaches the spinal column and then into the brain. It was a scary time that I will never forget.
So welcome aboard, hope you learned a little about your host - I hope the forums are able to answer any questions you have and frankly, I think you have found the best resource on the net for prompt and learned assistance - this membership is a collection of centuries of knowledge, who could as for anything more :) thanks for joining up and best wishes in beekeeping.
Just a little behind the scenes of Beemaster's International Forums and Website - thought you'd get a kick at the back-stage look of what makes the site tick.