Please be brutally honest about beekeeping!

How rewarding/frustrating is this hobby? My wife and I are interested in getting into beekeeping as a hobby (no more than a couple hives). We are avid vegetable gardeners, who grow fruit trees, berries, herbs, and flowers as well on our 1/2 acre suburban property in the northeast. We also do lots of food preserving and fermenting as well. Beekeeping seems like a natural fit with our interests. I’m reading books, watching videos and have joined the local beekeepers club. I’m learning about all of the diseases and pests and lost hives that seem to be pretty common as well as the initial investment. I’m a little concerned because virtually nobody around me cares for their own property, and they all seem to spray the crap out of them with chemicals. In a nutshell, please tell me about your experience with this hobby.

EDIT: I can’t believe the number of great answers I’ve gotten so far. Thank you so much. I appreciate it. This is an amazing community.