Lockdown As I write this, much of the world is under a ‘Lock down’. Businesses closed unless absolutely necessary for distributing food, power and medical supplies to each nation’s population. Many have been ‘Furlonged’, sent home under the Government’s generous payment of 80% of their wages. Others of the vast self employed and tech industry, […]
Plastic beehives, good or bad?
Bad Plastic Recent years have got me to thinking that anything plastic is a bad thing and I’ve been doing my best to stop buying anything that contains this unsustainable product. I could write a whole piece on this but I want to focus on the dilemma […]
Wisdom from an 8 year old
Bee Safari We all learn from children, but wisdom I received from an 8 year old gave me reason to think about my own behaviour. Yesterday I had to change the plans for my weekly Bee Safari at The Newt. The high winds making walks through the woodland dangerous. Instead my group joined me in […]
Making dreams come true
The vivid dream Twenty eight years ago I had a very vivid dream. It was such an extraordinary dream, that when I awoke I shared it with my then husband, mother and anyone else who would listen. It went like this: I was sat in the window seat of an aeroplane, next to my mother. […]
Do the Bees know it’s Christmas?
Torpor As I am busy preparing for the festivities, the bees get swifter visits in between more pressing activities. During the winter months, it’s not so necessary to check on bees daily as they are mostly in a state of torpor, closely clustered together deep inside the hive. The colder temperatures and rain prevent them […]
The gifts of 2019
I do get excited at this time of year, but not particularly because of the usual hype of the festive season. I really love saying ‘thank you’, and writing cards to those I have met over the years and think fondly of. This year, I have been able to make the time to make some […]
More imaginings coming true
Nine years ago, during the darkest times of being bedbound with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, I would pass the time imagining a future where I would be able to walk and partake in life. Grief I had a lot of grief with accepting that my career as an artist was over and so to try and […]
Bee Lady
Telling the bees Unfortunately, I had reason to tell my bees of a dear friend’s passing recently. The tradition of telling the bees goes back far longer than anyone can remember. As my learning about bees increases, the more sense all these traditions make. It feels as if we are all just remembering past wisdoms […]
Field Honey
Annual walk My former neighbour and long term friend, was staying in Swanage, so our annual meet up for a walk, swim and chat was due. We have one of those friendships that just carries on in between the sometimes lengthy breaks. Wendy is sporty and has had a long career in teaching sports and […]
Drone Congregation areas
It was when listening to Jacqueline Freeman’s book on my way to visiting Clare Denesley at Buckfast Abbey that I first heard about Drone Congregation Areas (DCAs), and I was absolutely fascinated. DCAs at Ancient Sites The thought that drones left their hives each day and gathered together with other neighbouring drones, simply hanging out […]