When you pursue what sets your soul on fire without hesitation, you open the door to true inner healing. Life is too short to wonder “what if?”
For Dona Dye, theatre in school wasn’t just a hobby—it saved her, and she wanted to give that gift to others. While earning her master’s degree at Texas Tech, she began teaching in Lubbock and quickly discovered her passion for guiding students. Over the next 30 years, she spent her time in classrooms, including at McNeil High School and Vista Ridge High School, pouring her heart into theatre.
“I spent a year at Lago Vista High School before I retired, and now I’m doing private acting coaching and teaching improv classes,” says Dona. “But my entire life, I wanted to keep bees. I’ve always been fascinated by them. So, I went to a beekeeping school in Brenham, and that’s where I met my mentor, Tara Chapman.”
Tara was a small-town Texas girl who spent a decade working for the CIA. After taking a beekeeping class with a friend, she never looked back. Today, she’s the proud founder of Two Hives Honey in Manor, offering public and private tours and tastings to share her love of these incredible creatures.
Meeting Tara inspired Dona to dive headfirst into beekeeping. She completed an apprenticeship and beekeeper certification, and is now a member of the Bastrop County Beekeepers Association. Dona has mastered everything from the essential tools to reading the subtle movements of her hives.
She currently cares for two thriving hives, each with upwards of 30,000 bees, and hopes to double that by spring. Through her beekeeping experiences, she sees the world in a whole new way.
“I think the most fulfilling part is how excited people get when I talk about bees, and that I can share this knowledge and this love of these bees,” says Dona. “It allows me to tell others what not to use in their gardens, how to look for things that are blooming, and how to take care of the environment around them so they’re not killing our pollinators.”
Another reason Dona is eagerly anticipating spring is honey. With real local honey, there are many benefits, such as for allergies, inflammation, and arthritis (which she herself has).
Her bees have been extraordinarily prolific, and friends and family are already clamoring for more after tasting her initial batches. She’ll call it Nine Pines Honey, a nod to her yard, where nine pine trees provide the perfect home for her hives.
Balancing life and wellness is key. Dona loves the beach, she loves yoga, she loves acting, and she loves her bees. With a supportive husband and life partner by her side through it all, she feels encouraged to follow her joy in any avenue.
“I know how precious life is and want to live every second of it,” says Dona. “I would advise anyone who wants to stay busy no matter what, that somewhere in their day, they find time to just sit. If you do yoga, great—our bodies need it more than we know. But if you can find 10 to 15 minutes, even if it’s first thing in the morning or right before you go to bed, take some time to sit still.”
Find out more about Dona Dye at: mamadyedrama.com