A Bee and Her Basket

Song - Queen Bee by Freakwater

Two bees and their pollen baskets

Enjoying my Camellias earlier this spring



"The hum of the bees is the voice of the garden."

-- Elizabeth Lawrence

Sanctuary

Song - Wish You Were Here by Sierra Eagleson (Pink Floyd Cover)


 So I went out in the garden this morning to feed the birds......

and to check on what needs tending in the yard.......lots! 

And then I spotted a red headed woodpecker on the suet feeder so I ran inside to grab my camera.  But by the time I got back the woodpecker was gone but this little Black Capped Chickadee was there.  So I sat down and watched the animals come and go.

Two ducks appeared in the creek and the female started a wild bathing routine while the male duck looked on. Finally she settled down and swam over to a little island where the male was waiting.

I picked some lemons.....some Grape Hyacinth......and some Camellia's.......

I picked a big bouquet of Daffodils.....both yellow and white.

 

The Quince bushes are blooming.

 And the white Primrose's are popping up from last year......

The Star Magnolia is sweet and frilly.

Here in California we have not had much rain and even worse - NO SNOW!

I worry that my beloved garden may not have any water this summer and then where will the songbirds play?

"A garden is a grand teacher.  

It teaches patience and careful watchfulness; 

it teaches industry and thrift; 

above all it teaches entire trust."  

--Gertrude Jeckyll

Bee Yourself

Song - No Rain by Blind Melon

As to the above song - "Shine on little bee girl......."

I have this Camellia shrub outside my office window and right now it is in full bloom.  The bees just discovered it today!

Pollen on Camellia's was something I never have thought of (probably because they don't have a scent) but the bees know.

Stopping my work for awhile, I put my camera on a tripod and went outside to watch their activity.  I saw them remove the pollen and place it on their back legs.  When they had a sufficient amount, they would fly away and come back clean & ready to keep working.  How do they know when they have gathered enough pollen or too much to fly? What do they use the pollen for?

Actually they store the pollen to use when it's too cold or there are no flowers pollinating.  Stored pollen is mixed with mouth secretions to make brood food/bee bread which is essential for new little bees!

Pollen is not readily available when the bees start to rear their brood early in the year.  They rely on stored pollen.  Nurse bees consume bee bread as a stimulus to produce royal jelly for very young bees.

The bee in the above photo was taking a little break to "re-distribute" his heavy load. Now I know why they call busy people "worker bees"!

"What a kid I got, 

I told him about the birds and the bee 

and he told me about the butcher and my wife." 

 --Rodney Dangerfield

A Winter Walk

Song - Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head by B.J. Thomas

After a good rain storm and spending way too much time indoors, 

I took a little walk around my garden today.

The creek in our backyard was roaring.

The lettuce in the vegatable garden was happy.

The Alyssum growing on the rock walls surrounding the vegetable garden smelled wonderful 

and is bright and cheerful. 

 

The Narcissus are ready to open!

My wild Violets are a little bug eaten but blooming. 

  My Mother Ferns are unfurling and......

...growning baby ferns!!! 

The Camellia's are outdoing themselves this year! 

Even our woodpile is growing!  Maybe some Rainbow Bracket Fungus?

Buds on the Flowering Quince

 And the biggest shock is that my brown lawn (ugg!) has turned green (sigh!)

The Spring Snowflakes are budding

And I have several blooms on my Sea Foam Rose!

After my garden walk, Mika and I came indoors and lit the fire and curled up with a cup of tea.


"We cannot stop the winter or the summer from coming.  We cannot stop the spring or the fall or make them other than they are.  They are gifts from the universe that we cannot refuse.  But we can choose what we will contribute to life when each arrives."
 --Gary Zukav

A Winter's Day

Song - I am a Rock by Simon & Garfunkel


Painting and prepping for Christmas has kept me indoors for the last few weeks.  But today I needed to drain some water from the swimming pool due to the amount of rain we have had lately in California!  On my way out to the pool I passed a few beauties....

Even though it is Winter, there is still activity in the garden this time of year.

My Sweet Pea's have begun to climb......

And fragrant Alyssum is growing everywhere!

Camellia's are budding and flowering.  I had just picked three beautiful flowers from this bush which is one of the few remaining plants from the previous owners.  Thank you Nancy!

There is one last leaf left on our Callery Pear trees.

The Rosemary is blooming.......

Mother Ferns are still growing baby ferns......

Lemons are ready for picking.......

The roses are making one final attempt....

My large urns of Salvia are beautiful this time of year......

The Primroses return year after year.....

My Daphne bush is ready to scent the entire garden!

Sweet little Forget Me Not's are blooming everywhere! Little darlin' - I won't forget you!

A few lingering Hydrangea blossoms....

A hopeful Geranium bud......

Time for some tea and garden lemons.....


I know you will find some beauty in your winter day today!

"Every gardener knows under the cloak of winter lies a miracle...a seed waiting to sprout, a bulb opening to light, a bud straining to unfurl.  And the anticipation nurtures our dreams."
 -- Barbara Winkler