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Mar 14, 2024
Media: oil on birch panel, shellac undercoat, unframed
Size: 6x6 in
I love bees. Growing up, my yard was filled with clover. We had to be careful as we ran barefoot throughout the summer. Many of us got stung on a regular basis, because there were just so many bees. Now I celebrate whenever I see one. They face stress from a lot of factors, which makes it harder for them to thrive. So I worry about them. In our neighborhood in Maine there is a beekeeping supply store. A lot of friends have added hives to their small, urban yards to try to help the species survive. About a decade ago we spotted a wild hive in a tree near the family orchard in Michigan. It was thrilling to see them flying in and out, busy with their work. The colony probably came from a locally kept bee hive that swarmed when it needed more space. These bee boxes belong to a cousin in Michigan. She tends them and then harvests some honey each year. My father-in-law turned part of his property into a pollinator garden, filled with local, native plants. It supports bees and butterflies that help to pollinate the food grown nearby. Both help bees to continue. But that's all background. What I feel, when I look at these hives, is a sense of wonder at these little insects. They provide such delicious bounty while doing essential work, which feeds us. And I'm instantly back in my childhood garden, excited and happy to see them. I love bees. Growing up, my yard was filled with clover. We had to be careful as we ran barefoot throughout the summer. Many of us got stung on a regular basis, because there were just so many bees. Now I celebrate whenever I see one. They face stress from a lot of factors, which makes it harder for them to thrive. So I worry about them. In our neighborhood in Maine there is a beekeeping supply store. A lot of friends have added hives to their small, urban yards to try to help the species survive. About a decade ago we spotted a wild hive in a tree near the family orchard in Michigan. It was thrilling to see them flying in and out, busy with their work. The colony probably came from a locally kept bee hive that swarmed when it needed more space. These bee boxes belong to a cousin in Michigan. She tends them and then harvests some honey each year. My father-in-law turned part of his property into a pollinator garden, filled with local, native plants. It supports bees and butterflies that help to pollinate the food grown nearby. Both help bees to continue. But that's all background. What I feel, when I look at these hives, is a sense of wonder at these little insects. They provide such delicious bounty while doing essential work, which feeds us. And I'm instantly back in my childhood garden, excited and happy to see them. |
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