Category Archives: Culture, or lack thereof

Bee A Valentine

Posted on February 14, 2019 by

Beekeepers are not sentimental. For most of us, Saint Valentine’s Day is a day of intense panic when male beekeepers rush out to buy something special for some darling or pigsney. (It’s not like we didn’t know February 14 was … Continue reading →

Posted in Comb Honey, Culture, or lack thereof, History, Hives and Combs | Tagged | 2 Comments

The Death of Sylvia Plath

Posted on February 11, 2019 by

Instead of a birthday anniversary, it’s a memorial for the poet Sylvia Plath. She was 30 when she made her final suicide attempt. Did she want it to succeed? Some of her biographers say no. But her preparations were elaborate … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, People, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , | 10 Comments

Nuns of honey

Posted on February 7, 2019 by

I bumped into this photo a few days ago when I was writing an article for Deutches Bienen Journal, Germany’s beekeeping magazine. I was trying to picture sisters at a convent in Quebec, tending their hives in the 1920s. This … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Yards, Beekeeping, Culture, or lack thereof, History, People | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Turner’s (belated) Birthday

Posted on February 4, 2019 by

I can’t believe that I missed reminding you yesterday that it was Charles Turner’s birthday. Here’s the story of the man who figured out that honey bees can think. 🐝 🐝 🐝 🐝 You probably know that Karl von Frisch … Continue reading →

Posted in Bee Biology, Books, Culture, or lack thereof, History, People, Science | Tagged , | 1 Comment

The $3 Billion Vacation

Posted on February 1, 2019 by

I’ve heard ‘three billion dollars’ as the ‘permanent’ cost of giving 700,000 US government workers an unexpected 35-day vacation. There were also thousands of consultants furloughed because of the federal shutdown.  According to economists, who mostly look at lost income … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Diseases and Pests, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Is bee-talk keeping you awake?

Posted on January 13, 2019 by

So, you’re hauling bees across the country – and you’re drowsy. Or having trouble staying awake while doing the dull, repetitive manual labour we call extracting. What do you do? A lot of people keep their eyes open by listening … Continue reading →

Posted in Beekeeping, Books, Culture, or lack thereof, History | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Hot Bee Topics in 2018

Posted on December 31, 2018 by

Well, what a year for the friends of bees! I give thanks. First, for the bees. Then, my family. I’m also grateful that my body held out for another year. I feel privileged to have readers for this blog, too. … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof | Tagged , | 8 Comments

Beekeeping Barbie

Posted on December 29, 2018 by

She got her very first Barbie from her Great Aunt Jane. This Barbie is a super cool beekeeping babe with her own bee hive and honey stand complete with an honor system cash register.  I wasn’t sure if we were…

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, Outreach, Reblogs, Strange, Odd Stuff | Tagged | 5 Comments

A 70-year-old beekeeper

Posted on November 14, 2018 by

The king-in-waiting (that sounds dreadful) is celebrating his 70th birthday today. The current controversy surrounding Prince Charles is a question over how his role as an environmentalist and erst-while supporter of occasionally odd pseudoscience may interfere with his job as … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, People | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Where poppies grow…

Posted on November 11, 2018 by

In much of the old British Empire, November 11 is commemorated as Remembrance Day. The warring parties, which had sent their young people into trenches to shoot each other, finally created a cease-fire. It was set to begin at 11 … Continue reading →

Posted in Culture, or lack thereof, History, Honey Plants | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments