I Pick Up Mum's Coloured Pencils
When I went in to hospital for the operation, I took in my suitcase some mending (Wendy had some favourite socks that had become threadbare), a sketch pad, and the large plastic case with Mum's coloured pencils.
With hindsight, and thinking I was about to undergo surgery, was it such a good idea to take in needles and thread and scissors into hospital? Possibly not! and I did not one stitch of darning whilst I was there. However, I did get the paper and pencils out, and had a go at drawing a red admiral butterfly, which kept my mind off what I had to face the next day.
I'm not an artist (I'll stick to poetry!) but I enjoy using Mum's old coloured pencils - she was good at drawing - and I like to try and capture something.
I also love bees. Although we don't have a hive, there's a little area at the bottom of the garden where we just threw down some wild flower seeds and they all "took." Everything came up, flowering energetically, to the great delight of the bees and butterflies that visit the garden.
There are also a lot of lavender plants and last summer I saw one little bee working incredibly hard, visiting every flower. She worked so enthusiastically, and for so long, I had time to draw a little picture of her; it's one of the few drawings I've made that I'm quite pleased with!
I know there is a huge interest in keeping bees. You need a protective hat with the veil, in case they get a bit lively, and probably the suit as well (I wouldn't want to risk getting stung!) but I don't think it's that difficult to get started, and there are many clubs and associations with members very willing to help with advice.
There's also a blossoming interest in having hives in cities; Fortnum and Mason have (I think) 5 hives on the roof of their shop in Piccadilly, and even though they are in the middle of London, the bees do so well, they produce enough honey for it to be on sale in the shop. Having just written that Fortnum and Mason is in the middle of London - which it is! - of course London is blessed with many green spaces and parks, which give the bees a wide area of floral choice!
If we ever see a bee that has "run out of steam" and is lying exhausted, we make a little dish of very shallow sugar water, and take it to the bee; this usually works, and, after a few sips, she will have gained enough strength to fly again and land on some better nectar producing flowers.
I read in the paper recently that 20th May was World Bee Day, so there is a huge interest out there. If the bees stopped carrying out their (free) work, pollinating all the crops, it would be a disaster for the world economy. I can't remember how much it was estimated to cost if farmers had to do it, but it was billions of pounds/dollars/euros ... a prohibitive amount. We are so blessed to have the bees doing it for us, freely.
The only other thing I know about bees is that, if you keep them, you have to visit them regularly, and tell them all your news. I don't know where that tradition comes from, but I think it is really charming; if we ever have any hives, I will definitely confide everything to the bees.
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