Month: August 2025

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Daily Journey

12 Pounds of Backyard Honey—And a Renewed Sense of Purpose

12 pounds! That’s how much golden goodness our 30,000 “daughters” produced this season. From just two backyard beehives, we extracted 12 pounds of honey—enough for us to enjoy while leaving plenty behind to sustain the colonies through the winter. For the first time in two years, my dad and I were able to rob the hives, and it felt incredible to suit up again and harvest honey for our own personal use.

From removing the frames to uncapping the wax to spinning them in the extractor, it turned into an all-day affair. I even treated myself to one of the last few sips of homemade mead I crafted a couple of years ago—back when our harvest barely filled a couple of gallons.

This year’s honey tastes amazing—sweet, floral, and uniquely local. I chewed on some fresh honeycomb too, which brought back great memories. For now, I’m letting the bees clean the leftover honey from the extracted frames and cut-off comb. Next step: learning how to melt down the wax to make homemade beeswax candles properly. As I mentioned in [yesterday’s post], I still consider myself a beginner beekeeper—but I’m eager to learn the ins and outs of this amazing craft.

New Honey Season, New School Year

On a personal note, today also marks the beginning of Year 14 of my teaching career, as in-service meetings kick off. While there’s still plenty of prep work on my mind, I feel more organized and motivated than in years past. I’m walking into this school year with a new mindset—full of joy, energy, and purpose.

I want my students to feel that I care. I want to radiate enthusiasm, show them what’s possible, and inspire them not only in academics but in life. I pray they see my love for teaching and coaching—not just as a job, but as a mission and vocation.

I want to be a light that leads others to Christ. I want to be the kind of teacher that students remember, because they felt seen, supported, and encouraged.

From backyard beekeeping to classroom teaching, I’m learning to savor the sweet moments and stay committed to growth. Whether it’s the hum of bees or the quiet of the early morning before school, I’m reminded daily: keep showing up, keep learning, keep leading.

The Journey Continues…

Categories
Daily Journey Health

Robbing Day: A Sweet Reward from Backyard Beekeeping

No—this isn’t the kind of “robbing” you’re thinking of! After two long years of struggling with hive loss and patiently waiting for colonies to establish themselves, it’s finally time to extract honey from the two beehives in my backyard here in Covington, Louisiana.

Even after 7–8 years of working with bees, I still consider myself a beginner beekeeper. I’ve yet to dive deep into the literature or fully study the ins and outs of apiculture. Still, it’s been an incredibly rewarding and humbling backyard hobby. One of the best things you can do as a beekeeper? Set up your hive—and let your daughters (the worker bees) do what they were born to do.

It amazes me that a single worker bee lives only about six weeks and produces just a tiny fraction of a teaspoon of honey during her lifetime. Yet, together, they create enough for us to harvest. I recently came across a post on social media that reminded me: one out of every three bites of food we eat is made possible by pollinators like the honeybee. That’s powerful.

Today’s honey harvest is more than just collecting liquid gold. It’s a moment of reflection—and motivation. I hope to continue learning more about the benefits of honeybees and backyard beekeeping. The more I hear from others, the more I’m convinced of the impact these tiny creatures have on our ecosystem, food supply, and health.

Stay tuned—there’s more to come from Drivon’s Backyard Honey. The journey continues…

Categories
Daily Journey

Year 13 as a Teacher and Coach: Starting Strong with Purpose and Passion

Yesterday was one of those unforgettable days. From 6:30 AM to 3:00 PM, I poured my heart into my responsibilities as a high school teacher and football coach. For the first time in over a decade, I felt an aggressive, renewed energy—an intense drive to not only prepare my classroom with intention, but to shape it into a space where learning life lessons becomes just as important as mastering content.

It feels like I’m finally hitting a stride I’ve long hoped for. I’m not just showing up to teach—I’m showing up to transform lives. If only my students could see what I see in them: potential waiting to be unlocked if they’re willing to take that first step and try.

This isn’t just about teaching academics or coaching plays. It’s about building something lasting. For the first time in ten years, I’m tackling every duty with precision—crossing T’s, dotting I’s, and staying ahead of the game. I’ve always had good intentions, but I’ve let time, fatigue, and life distractions wear me down. Not this year.

Today marks the beginning of my 13th year in education—and my 10th year at my current school. While students return next Thursday, I’m already deep into formation, preparing for the journey ahead. I truly love the responsibilities entrusted to me, and I’m committed to growing through continued education, reflection, and action. If there’s a next step—whether that’s school leadership, instructional coaching, or something else—I know it starts by giving everything I’ve got inside the classroom.

The journey continues—with fire, focus, and faith.