Today is apparently World Bee day. I have to say there always seems be some 'day' or other, but having tried to keep them, with little success, and recognising their importance to everything that grows I'm only too glad to acknowledge them and to quote the Dowland song (not for the first time!):
It was a time when silly bees could speak,
And in that time I was a silly bee,
Who fed on time until my heart 'gan break,
Yet never found the time would favour me.
Of all the swarm I only did not thrive,
Yet brought I wax and honey to the hive.
Then thus I buzzed when time no sap would give:
Why should this blessed time to me be dry,
Sith by this time the lazy drone doth live,
The wasp, the worm, the gnat, the butterfly?
Mated with grief I kneeled on my knees,
And thus complained unto the king of bees:
My liege, gods grant thy time may never end,
And yet vouchsafe to hear my plaint of time,
Which fruitless flies have found to have a friend,
And I cast down when atomies do climb.
The king replied but thus: Peace, peevish bee,
Thou'rt bound to serve the time, the time not thee.
These words are attributed to the Earl of Essex trying to keep in the good books of Queen Elizabeth (he failed in the end of course and lost his head!)
The virus has led to much less pollution, and whether by coincidence or some weird side effect things seem to be growing better, flowers more abundant; or perhaps we have more time to observe what is going on. In any case, after a year or two in which things seemed really difficult for bees (ors died or fled, and even friends who were much more gifted in beekeeping found things tough) this year we have heard of swarms appearing and thriving for friends both in France and in England.
Our listening and watching these past few days have led us to one old favourite film, Quartet, about musicians in a retirement home, a good old fashioned romantic story involving people of our kind of age (!) with some fine performances, notably by Tom Courtenay; and - a first viewing this - Purcell's Dido & Aeneas directed by William Christie and Deborah Warner. Such a brief work, and one I've known since a student performance I was involved in, with many interesting things but notably very fine musical performances under Christie's baton.
On a more mundane note, I found the right moment to take all the gardening waste and more besides to the tip. It is very conveniently placed for us, but the queues have been too long until yesterday morning when I nipped in at opening time. By the time I emerged there was again a queue of 8 cars - they are only letting one or two in at- a time of course.
Finally, I'm grateful for the feedback to these blog posts. For those who commented, with some shock, on the loudness and persistence of the nightingale, I have to agree it certainly can keep you awake! The bird seems sto have abandoned us for now anyway!
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