When Aerial Gilbert was blinded by tainted eyedrops in 1988, she thought she’d have to give up beekeeping. But she didn't: “I can hear ... if there are other bees trying to get in the hive, or if it’s too crowded or too hot or too cold.” KQEDnews
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“When I worked with my bees, the information I was paying attention to was visual,” Gilbert said. “Now it’s the other senses.”Gilbert is in her early 60s, but looks younger. She has a crop of black hair and an athletic frame. She used to be a nurse, and with the decisive yet gentle way she moves her hands, you sense she was good at it.Gilbert doesn’t hesitate to open the hives in her backyard and reach down into the humming mass of thousands of bees.
“They came in the mail, along with the hive,” she said. “The postman was terrified. He got to the door and my mom was there, and he just shoved them in her face and said, ‘These your bees, lady?’ ”“When I first started beekeeping I was afraid of them,” Gilbert said.“There's so much visual information you get by looking at the honeycomb and the brood nest,” Gilbert said. “I didn't think I could be a good beekeeper without being able to see.”Gilbert lost her vision in an instant.
She then went to the state school for the blind in Albany, living there for six months and learning braille, how to orient herself and daily living.A few years ago, a friend had some hives she needed someone to look after. She asked Gilbert if she could. At first Gilbert hesitated, but she decided to give it a try.
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