Tis the dight before Christmas (or is it the ‘eve’?
What’s politc’ly correct? Don’t know what to believe.)
Tis the EVE before Christmas and all through the yard
The bees are at rest
after working so hard.
The workers are clustered, the queen in their midst;
The drones are departed (I bet they were p….d.)
The honey is stored, egg-laying’s on hold;
Tis only the ‘keeper whose out in the cold
…
Well, she and some mice, who are very frustrated
Though feelings of mice are much overrated.
It’s been a hard year - covid and all -
hand washing and masks, and missing y’all
At our
November meeting, the state of the bees,
Visiting speakers and desperate pleas
For help at the Fair, for talks to some classes,
For demos of hives to young lads and their lasses …
(Not wanting to raise the
ire of the masses
I had to avoid a word rhymed with grasses.)
Socially distancing? Not for the girls
Who live tight in the hives with the queen amidst whirls
Of aromas and resin, nectar and
honey,
Clustered up tight, prudent and chummy;
Pollen and brood, sweet scented propolis
All that I know of the winterized hive is …
…leave them alone, trust in the bees
They’ve known how to survive
over millions of years.
Not only survive, but so I have heard,
They do it so gently not a leaf is disturbed.
Through the winter we sit, our hearts in our mouths,
Are the bees still OK or will they go south?
Do they have enough food? Will they survive?
Can they keep all that snow from colding the hive?
Oh what I would give for a quick cleansing flight
Just to have a few ladies back in my sight
And know they are safely back
in their home
With their bowels all clean … but enough of this tome.
It’s OK to worry, it’s OK to moan
When your hands are frigid and you’re chilled to the bone.
It’s time for some dreams
of two twenty one
Of covid-19 all over and done;
Of beekeeper meets, of friendship, and plenty
Of girls in the hives, of warmth of the sun,
Of hive tools and smokers and oodles of fun…
Enough
of this pretentious and pompous mailing,
Sent with warm wishes and none of the wailing;
But a tip of the veil to all in the country -
Beekeeping friends who share in the bounty
Of fellowship, caring and mutual
affection
For the bees in our lives, our shared attraction.
Before I conclude this festive-time letter
Let me remind you next year will be better!
A wing and a prayer and plenty of trust –
That’s
all that is left so finally I must
Get under the blankets and turn out the light –
MERRY Christmas to all and to each a good night.
Apis m shakesbeere