Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Queen Bee

Click to Enlarge Pix

Beekeeper Bob brought my first bee hive one week ago.
Today marked the first hive inspection to find the Queen Bee.

 I pulled my first frame looking for the Queen Bee
under Bob's watchful eyes. 

The empty frame position (right) 
held the Queen Bee in the short wooden box (left side, vertical).
She has eaten her way out of her transport chamber.

The workers have already started producing honey.

Ah, here's the Queen (the big one, left center).
She directs traffic and has already begun producing new workers.

 The new Queen transport cage and the first wax comb.
The hole in the cage (red circle) was filled with wax
that had to be eaten to free the Queen.

Another sculptural work of art for the top of the piano.

~~~

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Missing Friends and Loved Ones

There is nothing that can prepare you for the death of a loved one.
Even when it has been expected for days, months or years.

As a survivor, you are left with an incredible sense of loss. 
There is nothing more you can do for them.

Days pass and you hear nothing.


What is left of them are the waves of grief
that bring you to a stop
moisten your face
and choke you
with the deep sobbing
brought home by love.

So, you are left with
memories,
Waves of Grief,
and the things they left behind.


And so it is with our loss of John and Cheryl.




Somebody said "You are your things."







I tend to take that notion seriously.







Looking at some of the things they left behind
you might grasp the idea
that our friends
are worth the pain
of loving
to the end.

~~~ 

Thursday, September 1, 2011

A Dragonfly Day

It was drizzling rain yesterday when I went to vacuum our swimming pool. A slight breeze and rain drops created a disaster zone for dragonflies who like to zoom to the water surface, land briefly, drink, and fly away.

I spotted a single dragonfly who had just been submerged, fished him out on the end of a pole, straightened a sopping wet wing, then coaxed him onto my finger. He seemed to like dry finger and he held on.


Since the wings were still wet, I brought the creature into the house to dry off. Blowing gently on the wings, I removed a drowned ant from its attachment to an underwing and fumbled again for the left-handed camera at my waist.


Ninety minutes or so passed and the dragonfly stuck to my finger, making it difficult to continue my pen-and-ink doodlings. We were attached. I didn't have the heart to shake him off my finger.


So, I brought my finger back into the humid air of the front yard. Dragonfly wings fluttered, a good sign, but they went nowhere. Back into the house for further drying. 



Finally, after some gentle coaxing, the dragonfly attached itself to a sturdy, blue-foam, pool-noodle. Fifteen minutes later, the dragonfly lifted off the noodle and flew away. 

Namaste.
~ ~ ~

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Watering Hole

Let us not argue
about shape or color
at this watering hole.


Shapes change. Colors shift.
And all of us will be gone
soon enough.


~



Monday, August 1, 2011

Friday, July 29, 2011

Farewell Cheryl - RIP

Why do some people release balloons?
Why do others look to the skies
as friends evaporate
on earth?

Why do some people fear the unknown?
Why are some always angry?
We travel in clouds of ignorance.
These are some ways of earth-bound creatures.


~ ~ ~

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Right Angles - Squares


Pam's mock-up for an early quilt.
Squares, agreement, conformity, compatiblity


Edible Scrabble game played with Pam.

E  T  F H L 
(R P D B) 4




Algae cleaning block for my frog pond,
level, ordinary,common place bourgeois, 


Sidewalk tile on Main Street, Sarasota

enclosure, fair, familiar, market, trap

~ ~ ~

Thursday, July 7, 2011

Lines

Beginnings. Endings.
You, me, thick, thin, wide, wiggly, wonder-filled

Harrier Hawk, Florida


Attractions & Desire
 Hard, soft, contoured, connected, broken, blurred

 Bougainvillea, shadow and shutter


The Power to Act
 bridge, crossed, parallel, cruise, trend, battle

Viaduc de Millau, France


~ ~ ~

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Circles

No beginning, no ending.
Tao, Ring, Hoop, Halo, Disc, Latitude 

 
City Street, Nimes, France


Attraction and Desire.
Areola, Group, Clique, Sphere, Orbit 

Bignon (Trumpet Flower) on yellow plate


The power to confound.
Circle of confusion, Nameless

George Pompidou Center for the Arts, Paris

~ ~ ~

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Faversham Creek


I don't know how long these flood gates
have been working to control
intertidal Faversham creek
in the United Kingdom.


But Faversham Creek has been serving
King and Country since the 1400's 
when flat boats under sail
transported gunpowder down the creek 
to the Royal Fleet.


The latest gossip in Faversham 
suggests that the Chinese are interested 
in the fine clay silt of the creek
to make dinner ware.

Gossip, like the tides, comes and goes
in Faversham
and elsewhere.

Thursday, June 9, 2011

Rhubarb

Every once in awhile
you have to stop what you're doing


and bask in the beauty


 of rhubarb on its way
to the pie.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Tidal Shells and Writing

We were walking along the tidal zone
enroute to sunset
when the scripting began to appear



The sun going down, the tide moving out
the stirring of ancient ones
 writing scripts in the sand



Look! Even the ancient ones
struggle for direction &
tire of their burdens


There are no answers
only countless tides and
countless stories

written in the sand



~ ~ ~

Thursday, May 26, 2011