It’s been a quiet couple of weeks around here, at least until we went “Yellow” last Friday.
Yellow for my house looks a lot like Red. Unlike my neighbors, we are not racing out to dine in a restaurant, shop at the mall, or get our hair done. It will be interesting to see in the next few weeks if the cases in the county reflect the colossal stupidity I see happening all around me.
But enough with the rant, how about some distractions!
While I have been gone, I have been doing lots of thinking about this blog and how to make it feel fresh to me. Some ideas are percolating around, but nothing concrete yet. For the time being, I will continue stopping in here at least a couple days a week.
Yesterday, we had a swarm of special visitors (who were welcomed, admired, and applauded). This immense swarm of honey bees is festooning on our trimmed bushes waiting for the Bee Scouts to come back and direct them to the new location of their hive! Somewhere in that swarm is their Queen, who left her previous colony and took about half of her workers and set off to find a new place to live. In a week of absolute shit news, this swarm lifted my spirits. I did not know that swarming is evidence of a healthy bee colony…yep, they don’t swarm if they are sick! I wish you could see the size (and weight!!) of these bees – the size of the swarm is about 15″x10″ in size and they are weighing down the sturdy branches so much that they are resting on my neighbor’s chain link fence!
My iPhone does not quite do justice to the magnificence that these bees are!
As you can see above, sweater knitting is moving right along, I have divided for the sleeves and am now just mindlessly knitting body. I am hopeful to have this done by next Wednesday!
These past couple of weeks I have been mourning the loss of singing – specifically choir singing. The realization that there won’t be any choir, or singing in church (if and when ‘in-person’ worship resumes) makes me very weepy. Who ever thought that singing would spread germs faster…certainly not me. So I spent a good bit of time watching all the “separate but together” choirs on YouTube – and there are lots of them, but this one kind of sums of how I am feeling…
I also have been practicing with “the big camera” this week. However, the weather conditions were either too windy, too sunny, or today – too rainy!
Lamb’s Ear makes me smile
Even in the rain, they don’t let go of each other. There is a lesson here for all of us!
That is all I have for today. I will be back next week to share an update on my word next Tuesday with Honoré! Have a good weekend everyone!
I also love Lamb’s Ear (could it have a more appropriate name?) and those bees! Thanks for sharing the good news!
P.S. Love your sweater, too!
Swarms absolutely fascinate me, Kat. We have a beekeeping friend who has moved them, and it’s one of the most suspenseful things to witness. How lucky for you to have this up close & personal experience! And Zoom choirs…I love listening–AND, they move me to tears in no time flat. This one being in NYC, to boot… Have a good one there. xo
That swarm is very interesting! Who knew making a joyful noise could have such adverse effects 0.o. Hope you have a wonderful long weekend.
what a pretty sweater and you’ve made so much progress! I have been LOVING the weather and our daily walks when I don’t have a care in the world!
That is so interesting about the bees. I wonder where they will head next. I would be worried about getting stung but I admire your braveness in welcoming them. There is a lesson for us to learn. Thanks for sharing!
Bee swarms are SO COOL!!! (You know . . . from a distance. . . ) I went to “bee school” a few years ago because I had decided to get my own hives. Then my mom got sick, and I just never followed up after that. But, still. I would love to do it someday! (Tom is less than thrilled about the idea.) For now, I just stick Mason bee houses all over my garden. Which is cool, too.
Enjoy the holiday weekend, Kat!
Thank you for sharing the How Can I Keep from Singing clip! I too am devastated by the loss of group music. Its 100% the right choice but just. so. hard.
um yep, my Ranunculus self-control is waning! Kat, it’s gorgeous! Have a wonderful weekend!
Beautiful sweater! The swarm is so cool. Our son is contemplating raising bees!! Enjoy the long weekend Kat!
Your sweater is gorgeous! I’m grieving about choir as well. I sing in my church choir and I sing in the oratorio society at our local university and I will miss both of these groups so much! A couple of weeks ago I was the cantor for our live streamed Mass and it felt so strange to be leading the singing in an empty church. I’m scheduled again for the first weekend in June, but singing in choir is so much better!
I am so happy to see a post from you today! I miss your blog and am excited to see what changes you’ll be making!
I love your sweater! And your pictures in this post are perfect. The bees!! I’m dying for bees! I would be so tempted to buy some supers and put them out, just hoping that they’d be satisfied with living in my own backyard!
You are so good with your BIG camera. I wish I had one… I think I’m going to ask Santa Claus for one!
Swarming bees are a sight to behold! Hope you enjoy your weekend however you decide to spend it.
Wow – what great photos. I hope to see a swarm of bees someday.
Very cool. The yoke on that sweater is gorgeous. I’ve looked at the pattern but never seen the detail in a close-up. I too have felt a very deep sadness at the loss of choir music in church so your video was wonderful. Two weeks ago our church service streamed the choir using that technology and singing the benediction – “The Lord bless you. The Lord Keep you. His love ever always surround you . . . ” I just lost it. Music is a big part of our services and is such a loss.
The video was wonderful. Music is magical, it unites us in something larger that ourselves, it is calming, it is uplifting, it gives us solace, it brings us joy. Thank you.
Oh lordy. It’s great about the honey bees but also BIG TIME HEEBY-jeeBEES OVER HERE!
Love the sweater and the bees! What a great thing to see. My cousin is a big time choir director and is devastated by all of this! (Youth choir too…so sad!)