Worth a Silver Spoon

A swarm of bees in May is worth a load of hay.

A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon.

A swarm of bees in July is not worth a fly.

I was thrilled when John told me he'd spotted a swarm of honeybees at the edge of one of our fields. We've often seen them browsing on clover but this is the first swarm we've noticed. Thanks to Justin for the pictures! (I have no idea if the video will play.)

The old nursery rhyme is a reminder that the earlier swarms will have more time to establish themselves and make honey to get through the winter.

 

Pollinators!

                                                                                    

Beeing There

 

The beautiful weather lured me out to do a little preliminary cleanup--cutting back dead stalks and stems of lemon balm, sedum, daylilies, and iris. Unfortunately, I can't do this for very long before my back begins to complain. So, I took a seat on a low rock wall and enjoyed the blaze of pinky-coral of the flowering quince. 

Soon I noticed that honeybees were at work. (Hoorah!) I tried to capture them, but, as I didn't have a tripod, the results are 

not very good. 

But still--bees! Such a welcome sight.

Then there was the matter of getting up from that low stone wall . . .

I don't mind being old--the number doesn't scare me. But I really dislike the physical limitations. 

Though I had to laugh at myself and my contortions--trying to stand without risking pitching over onto the stone path and landing on my pathetic knee.

It took about five minutes, but I managed.

Small victories.

 

When the Last Bee Has Been Poisoned . . .

When the last bee has been poisoned,

When the last sweet drop of honey is gone,

When precious plants are pollinated by hand

(Produce too expensive for the likes of you and me,)

When the busy buzz of wings is forever silenced,

then will we at last see that, blind and unaware,

 we had been entertaining angels all along?

Bzzzz . . .

. . . bzzz . . .

. . . bzzz . . .

. . .bzzz . . .

. . . bzzzy day!

And the winners of the bound galleys are Joan in NZ, Merisi in Vienna,  NCmountainwoman, and Deanna in Missouri!  Congratulations and you all will need to send a snail mail address  to  vicki__laneATmtnareaDOTnet