Hi Lara:
As everyone said, you found a fun place to learn all about beekeeping and a great place too to make friends along the way.
Beekeeping for Dummies 2nd edition is out soon, I did the photo for the original printing in the first edition which came out in 2001 and got to know the author quite well - within a month edition 2 should be everywhere - I think Amazon is doing preorders and have competitive prices, so wait for the new edition release unless you can borrow a copy of printing no.1 :)
The Author Howland Blackiston is a member of the forum, although not very active - he and I have talked hours and hours over the phone since our photo project for the first book and as recently as a few weeks ago. I received my payment from Whiley Publishing (the printers of all Dummies books) for 5 images that they have reused, so I know my complimentary copy will be coming shortly - just an interesting note: I actually had a full copy of the first edition in PDF format as Howland and I worked on the photo needs for the book, I need to search my old laptop for that digital version, it is (at least to me) a real collectors item - I think I had 23 photos in the first printing total.
My point though, beekeeping has changed a lot since 2001, with topics like CCD (colony Collapse Disorder) and more current info on all topics, it should be a GREAT book to have.
But nothing beats the interactiveness of the forum, where we also have VOICE and TEXT chat. It is a blast actually talking to members around the globe in near FM quality live voice chat. See our Voice chat forum on the main page to get all the details if you are interested, it is free of course, easy to install and setup - you'll be talking in minutes. Even you you prefer to just listen in or type rather than talk, everyone here is always welcome to participate.
Best wishes and all of us will tell you it is an amazing hobby which is very relaxing and quite meditative at the hobbyist level. It does have its trying moments because you are dealing with living creatures and many uncontrollable conditions like weather, hive preditors, mites and diseases to name a few. But through all these experiences you become a better beekeeper and with the support you have here, you are NEVER alone.
And to expand on what Annette said, we have many wonderful lady beekeepers here, so many that we could easily have the Beemaster Forum Ladies 2009 Calendar, I can see Annette now scadily dressed in her beesuit and umbrella - what a centerfold that would make - hubba hubba :yippiechick: as she said, we sure do have fun here too!
Thank you for joining us, you are one of the first members in our FIFTH year as a forum.