Wacky Wednesday #58: Bees

What’s yellow and black with stripes, and is super fast? A racecar, yes! Now if only I could explain how this relates to the hive on my head. It all made so much sense at the time…

Well, since I have no knowledge about racecars, instead let’s talk about bees. Many people are scared of them but seriously, they deserve a lot of thanks.

Sure, I’ve had my share of bee stings, but you can’t blame these tiny creatures for acting in self-defense when scared. If I were a bee and faced with a giant a zillion times my size I’m sure I’d use my stinger. But bees are beneficial and I’m honoring those hard-working little critters today.

I’m wearing a hat that looks like a hive, decorated with one real bee and a handful of bees that I made. My hive is made of chicken wire, an old towel, hot glue, brown fabric, yellow paint, bubble wrap, and felt. Everything was from my sewing/craft stash except for hot glue sticks ($1.50).

I tried a few different ways of making my bees. Fabric. Paper. Pipe cleaners. The pipe cleaners worked the best, in my opinion. Their wings are from thin sheets of Styrofoam I saved from packaging. I like that the Styrofoam gives the wings some structure but it’s also a little bit translucent.

As you may know, bees once were believed to be sacred. In the Mycenaean culture, tombs were designed with a dome—the same shape as the beehive. Bees represent creativity, wisdom, and productivity, among other qualities.

Fun fact about bees: Did you know that there are approximately forty species of honey bees around the world? The most common type is the Western honey bee. Queen bees live for a number of years but worker bees live between one and ten months.

Years ago I blogged about bees when a swarm landed in my garden bed at the local community garden. There were hundreds of them gathered around a wooden trellis at my plot and I studied them up close. As I’ve learned more about gardening I’ve come to appreciate bees greatly. They pollinate so much in their short lives, and we really benefit from what they do. (Thanks, bees!)

Well, it’s time for me to say bye for this week. I’m feeling guilty, sitting here at the computer while bees fly miles every day and barely sleep a wink and never get a “me” day. They’re so hard-working. It’s inspiring. I feel an urge to be like a bee, and to go do hundreds of chores before bed, with such speed that my feet don’t even touch the ground.

Oh, please. Who am I kidding? These workaholic bees are making the rest of us look like slackers, but we don’t have to cave to the pressure! Chores, shmores. Instead I think I’ll just go pick out tomorrow’s clothes. I’m thinking yellow and black. Maybe some stripes.

 

 

www.instagram.com/sarahconleyartist