and then there were none

...



On Saturday night, I responded to a call about a swarm of bees in the Berkeley Hills. I had poor luck with this swarm, and only got about a third of them into a hive box. The other third were either tangled up in a blackberry thicket, or very, very angry. I decided to leave the bees alone overnight, hoping that they would decide that the hive box I had provided was a suitable place to live.

Sunday morning, Robb and I were all ready to leave the house, armed with a few newly made bee catching tools, when we got a call from the homeowner who told us that the bees had all moved into the hive box. Great. We'd wait until sundown, when they all went to bed, and pick them up.

Except things didn't work out that way.

At some point during the day, all the bees flew off, who-knows-where. Good luck, ladies! I hope you found a safe new home.




After Robb and I picked up the empty hive, we drove the colony we had picked up last weekend over to Allie's house. Robb built this adorable hive for her back yard. I have to say that driving on Grizzly Peak Road, after dark, and with a car full of bees is more than a little bit stressful.




I'm dreading listening to the news today. I do not celebrate anyone's death, as doing so will not undo the destruction that has occurred since September 11th. It will not bring back all of the thousands who have died in the wars, or heal those whose bodies have been shattered. It will not get back all of the money spent. It will not mend the wounds.

Comments

Kristin said…
The colors of the newly-painted bee hive are gorgeous. The photo with the crosses is fantastic. Your comment about not wanting to celebrate death is poignant. I agree wholeheartedly.
Sorry the ladies moved on to another abode, but I love that little hive that Robb built. Too cute! As for the day's events, I couldn't agree more.
Emily said…
A friend posted this on facebook and I thought it reflected what you wrote, and how I feel as well...

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate…only love can do that"
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
Cinderellen said…
That bee hive is too adorable. Nearly makes me want bees right away - and I will be moving to a new garden in just a few weeks...
That beehive is absolutely adorable!!! What did you use for the roof? What's the inside of the roof like? I want to make some just like it, now!
Lisa said…
Summersweet -- this is *loosely* based on Brushy Mountain's fancy garden hive. There's an inner cover, and the little circular holes have screen behind them for ventilation, rather than passage. Everything is made of recycled 1920's lumber.

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