Category Archives: Culture, or lack thereof
Honey bee song from the honey bee country
The link to this video came to me from Gorazd Pavčnik, who lives in the land where two of my grandparents were born. These Slovenian singers have incredible harmony. Singing and beekeeping are national pastimes in Slovenia – here they … Continue reading
World Bee Day 2021
World Bee Day, 2021: World Bee Day is on May 20 of each year. It’s not just about honey bees. Although the idea arose in Slovenia, a little country that’s really big on honey-bee keeping, it’s also a celebration of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, History, Native Bees, Outreach, People, Save the Bees
Tagged Anton Jansa, Native Bees, Slovenia, World Bee Day
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Sylvia: The Red Comet
I discovered Sylvia Plath in the ’80s. PBS asked my oldest brother to pose as Sylvia’s father in their documentary of the great American poet. PBS was looking for a man who resembled Sylvia’s father, a German immigrant named Otto … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Culture, or lack thereof, Movies, People, Personal
Tagged documentary, PBS, poetry, Sylvia Plath
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The hills were alive with the sound of buzzing
You know the story of Sister Maria, the governess for Georg von Trapp’s mess of singing angels. Today, January 26, 2021, would have been her 116th birthday. Maria Augusta von Trapp, or Baroness von Trapp, was stepmother seven of the … Continue reading
Visit the UK National Honey Show – Free!
I’ve always wanted to visit the UK National Honey Show, renowned as the ultimate in honey judging. But, it’s in the UK and I’m in Canada. Well, because of COVID-19, the event has moved on-line and we all have a … Continue reading
Posted in Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, Hive Products, Honey
Tagged England, Events, honey judging, Honey Show
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Remembering Susan
I never met Susan Rudnicki, but we sparred regularly right here on this blog. She was passionate about her California Africanized bees, about young women’s education (especially in developing countries), and about the need for us to take care of … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Friends, People
Tagged Africanized honey bees, California, natural beekeeping, Susan Rudnicki
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The Perfect Cup of Tea
The perfect cup of tea starts with honey. At least, that’s how the royals do it. It’s hard to argue that anyone else would know better. They’ve got history, experience, connections and money. And tea is important in their part … Continue reading
Seeing 20-20
What will the new year (and decade) bring? Although “20-20” denotes perfect vision, I doubt we’ll be so lucky. I suspect that we’ll continue with our near-sighted attitudes toward . . . everything. We can’t help it. We’re hardwired that … Continue reading
Goodbye, 2019
As 2019 draws to a close, let’s look back at some of the year’s beekeeping stories. Honey prices were lower again in 2019, forcing some beekeepers out of the business. Still, many countries now have more honey bees than anytime … Continue reading
National “I Love Honey Day”
I’m not sure how serious this is, but someone somewhere has declared December 18 to be national I Love Honey Day. I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do. But here’s an idea: Go out and buy some honey. Then … Continue reading
