Bzzy , Bzzy, Bzzy!

I have had THE most wonderful kind of day!  It was an unexpected pleasure to meet Anne Marie and Charlie Hammond, beekeepers extraordinaire.  I had called them a few days ago to see if they would allow me to take pix of their bees and ask some questions.  Today Anne Marie called and said "How 'bout this afternoon?"---I was so happy/shocked/unprepared/delighted and said yes, see you when I get geared up and off I went to greet the bees. 

 Shortly after I arrived, Anne Marie suited me up(sacrificing her own hand while giving me her gloves) and we went out to the hives.  They had some camphor bits smokin' up around the hives to better control the darlings and it was a beautiful breezy afternoon.  I was given a good dose of background information on the social side of bees and some biological info too--how they are affected by pest control, disease, mites, climate-- and of course,how they make honey.  HONEY!  That alone would have been worth the trip.  I was treated to some Tupelo honey and their homegrown wildflower honey, which was far richer and more complex than the store stuff, what Anne Marie called Baker's grade--still sweet but bland.  Amazing. 

 Well.  Everything was happening so quickly I really didn't have time to be nervous or scared, which is one of the big reasons I wanted to do this.  My decision to do this project on bees grew out of concerns I have been made aware of lately having to do with CCD, or colony collapse disorder.  While that is more a problem for larger beekeeping operations, it drew my attention to bees in general.  I started digging around the local and Florida organizations to find out what the general state of beekeeping was in our bountiful, pollen dependent state.  There is a ton of info on the net about how to become a beekeeper, regulations ( inspections are required), the medical treatment of bees for both their health and ours, introducing new Queens to established hives ( I really enjoyed that stuff!) and much more.  Anne Marie mentioned the possibility of fighting allergies with honey in season.  I plan to pursue that trail.  Honey has been used medicinally like, forever.  

And speaking of forever, here is where the full circle comes in.  In Minoan culture, as in many cultures around the world, Bees were very highly regarded and had a significant role in their world view.  The Malia Minoan Bee sculpture in the picture  above shows two bees joined by pollen with drips of honey from their wings and bodies.  So important to the cycle!  Like Corn Mother, they are providers and important to the food chain.  There is even  a Bee goddess with the face of a woman and body of a bee.....And the final part of the circle for me personally, is that I am switching to using only beeswax in my batiks.  I think it will work effectively, smell wonderful, and be much better for my health.  Beeautiful!

As far as the social part of the bees go, I love the worker bees.  Little girl bees, cleaning and busting out of their birthplaces until they can forage for pollen and return triumphant to the colony.  All the while working for that Lazy @#%*! Queen.  I call them my Cinderella Bees.  I figure if I can personalize them it helps me get past the fear part.  That's how I am going to show them in my art, my bee girls.  

Many thanks to the Hammonds! Informative and generous ( Charlie gave me fresh radishes, Anne Marie gave me skydiving tips!) as well as kind.  Can't wait for the orange blossom honey to come in...

"Busy, busy, busy..."--Kurt Vonnegut