A POEM

Another long one but worth the read I think.

You stand and face the mirror

And you magnify your flaws

You focus on the features

That are so uniquely yours

But their uniqueness doesn't matter

For they simply don't conform

To the criteria of beauty

They've convinced you is the norm

They make believe that beauty

Doesn't go beneath your skin

That you simply can't be pretty

If you have a crooked grin

They say your eyes can't be too small

Your nose can't be too big

That your lips must be just right

Not over full and not too thin

They say your ears must not stick out

Your hair can't be too wild

Only those with tick-box beauty

May be physically admired

But those obsessed by beauty

Are the ones who can't be free

Because they're limited by what

Somebody else says they should be

So next time you face the mirror

And you smile your crooked grin

Remember beauty's just a tower

That society's trapped you in

And you think you can't escape

Because you think there is no key

But you simply need to re-define

The walls of your beauty

by

Becky Hemlsey from her book 

Talking to the Wild - The Bedtime Stories We Never Knew We Needed

Poem: The Tower

Preface: "What is a beautiful face without a beautiful soul?"

Page 27

Becky is wise beyond her years. 

Becky Hemsley is an author I discovered last year and am so happy I did because when reading her poetry, I find myself saying, "Wow!" Becky lives in Leicestershire, UK, with her husband, two boys and their dog. She was formerly a primary school teacher for 15 years but now writes full-time and has written four collections. The first - entitled 'Talking to the Wild', which features the poem 'Breathe'. Also, another book now which is a follow on, 'What the Wild Replied. I treated myself to these two books. She also has two further regular collections, and one of loss and grief poetry, as well as three children's books, one of which is an illustrated version of 'Breathe', which I have also shared here, and a children's book of the poem 'Starlight'. She is drawn to, and moved by, nature and its consistencies with human emotion (this I can attest to). In her words, "I often think the phrase 'human nature' is a good one to describe my thought process when writing. I aim to make a difference with words by helping people realize they are not alone."  She really is an amazing poet!

FAIRY GARDEN AT MEADOWLARK GARDENS

Well, from yesterday's blog post on bees, to fairies today. We were at Meadowlark Gardens on Wednesday, May 7th. It felt good being back as it is the first time this year. I walked around the fairy garden next to the visitor center. It was a real tonic to see them. There were old and new, they gave many smiles. 

The flying pig taking a rest from his flying schedule is always a welcome sight for the fairies, and for me. No doubt he has been busy these days. In this fairy world they enjoy telling him about what they have been doing between his flights.

The gnomes too! They always hold the welcome sign out.

This little dragon...

is about to take his first flight and join Flying Pig in the sky…

and the gnome told the little dragon to be very careful. Mr. Gnome has been taking care of him since he was a wee egg. 

The fairy on the snail nodded in agreement.

As did the other.

This is a similar photo to the one I took the other day. There were two different shades of Columbine growing next to each other.

The old shoe has been around for many years…

as have these fairy houses.

This one even has a bird house on its roof.

Some of the fairies were having a quiet snooze. It had been raining hard so all were a bit muddy. 

What a pretty leaf! I haven't seen one like it in this part of the garden before. In fact, the fairy garden has filled in quite a bit with plants and bushes. It is called Caladium, and also Elephant Ear with thanks to Linda at Linda’s Relaxing Lair - thanks for that ID Linda - botanical name Caladium bicolor. I found more interesting information, "Wild caladium has evolved with a deceptive defense mechanism. The plant's bright leaves signal toxins to ward off hungry insects - biodiversity's version of a 'do not eat' sign. Additionally, Wild caladium can hibernate, with leaves wilting in tough climates, giving it the illusion of death. Yet, this clever plant resurrects once the environment turns hospitable, showcasing its enduring spirit." Also, "While Wild caladium is well-known for its ornamental value, it has a unique, lesser-known application as a bioindicator. In scientific studies, Wild caladium’s sensitivities to certain soil metals can be harnessed to gauge environmental pollution levels, such as arsenic. Although not yet widespread, this application could revolutionize environmental monitoring, offering a cost-effective and natural means to track soil health." 

And that was it for the fairy garden for this trip. When we arrived there were two large school buses, and the children were just getting off them. We were also noticing four legged friends on walks.

My first thought was that they were service dogs but there were no vests identifying them as such.

When we stepped into the visitor center on our way to the exit, this joyful little soul was wagging his tail at us as we walked by.

We found they have started Pup Stroll Wednesdays. I was very surprised and delighted at the same time.

The weather was perfect that day.

As it was lunchtime and it was on our way home, we headed to our pasty shop for a car picnic. We drove by this place with all the garden art. It was on the way.

Here is The Pure Pasty Co. We have been coming here off and on for years.

There are the other stores nearby and they all share the same parking lot.

Best of all, here is our pasty. Car picnic time! I forgot to take a picture before I had a bite, or two.

It was a fun day and we look forward to keeping company with a few more dogs on our next visit there, and the fairies of course.

Thanks for stopping by and I hope your day is a great one.

SWARMING BEES IN WILLIAMSBURG

I saw an extraordinary sight when we visited Williamsburg with our family a few weeks ago. They had gone off to explore the town, Gregg was looking for a much-prized parking spot as it was very busy, and I was having my usual sit-down on a bench while waiting for him, enjoying the warmth and sunshine, and people watching. 

I don't know what made me look up, maybe it was the sound of them, I don't know. 

I raised my head and there they were, literally thousands upon thousands of bees. I think I must have heard them first and I gasped at the sight of them. I couldn't believe what I was looking at. I had never seen anything like it before. A dozen bees at the most on a plant I was photographing. You can click on them to enlarge for better detail.

For some reason I wasn't afraid that they were going to sting me. I was mesmerized and I quickly looked to see if anyone else had noticed them. I couldn't see anyone with their heads turned upwards like I was. I was sitting on my own of course, and everyone else seemed to be busy with their families, small children, dogs, etc. I felt like I was in a world of my own with all those bees putting on the best show. They seemed to be heading in one direction. This went on for at least ten minutes as I followed their movement. It was the most surreal experience I have ever had. It seemed as if they were all only a few feet above my head, probably higher but not so high that I couldn’t get these photos with my cell phone.  And then they were gone!

Gregg found the following info online. (He had joined me not long after they had disappeared, and our family an hour later.) It read as follows:

"What you witnessed is almost certainly a mass swarming event, likely involving honeybees, and here's what is probably going on.

Late April in Virginia is peak swarming season for honeybees.

When a hive becomes too crowded, the old queen and about half the worker bees leave to find a new home. This swarm can involve tens of thousands of bees.

The bees swirl in the air (sometimes for 5-15 minutes) as scouts search for a new nesting site. It is dramatic but usually harmless - swarming bees are gorged on honey and less aggressive.

It is a natural, healthy behavior for a thriving hive. Beekeepers actually hope to catch these swarms, as it is a way to grow or start new hives.

I have gone on a curiosity adventure in researching these very important, beautiful little creatures. Some facts I knew, others not at all.

A single bee can produce 1 tablespoon of honey in its lifetime.

683 bees fly roughly 32,550 miles to gather 5.93 lbs. of nectar from about 1,185,000 flowers in order to make one 9.5 oz. jar of honey.

(Now, you can take all these little bits of info with a grain of salt as I found them all over the internet. I went to dozens of websites. Once on that curiosity journey, I found it hard to stop.)

Did you know that honey contains a substance that helps the human brain work better?

Did you know that the honey is the ONLY food on earth that can sustain human life alone?

Did you know that a teaspoon of honey is enough to sustain human life for 24 hours?

Did you know that propolis produced by bees is the most powerful natural antibiotic.

What is 'propolis’?

Propolis, also known as "bee glue," is a sticky-like resinous substance produced by honeybees from plant sap, combined with their saliva and beeswax. Bees use propolis to seal cracks in their hives, protect against pathogens and maintain temperature and humidity. Humans have used propolis for various medicinal purposes due to its antimicrobial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Historically, propolis has been used for wound healing, treating infections and even as a component in embalming.

It is available as a supplement, ingredient in topical creams and ointments, and in oral products like mouthwashes and throat lozenges.

Propolis may help with various conditions like cold sores, swelling and sores in the mouth, and may even slow blood clotting.

While propolis has shown promising results in research, the claims about its medicinal properties haven't been fully supported by scientific evidence, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Did you know that honey has no expiration date?

Did you know that to gain 1 kg. treasure, you need the nectar of more than 1,000,000 flowers?

Did you know that bee grazing is the healthiest food in the world? (Bee grazing is also known as bee pasturage or bee forage, and refers to the vegetation that provides honeybees with nectar and pollen resources. This included flowering plants, trees and shrubs that bees use to collect food for the hive and for the production of honey.)

Did you know that pollen can have over 1500 colors and shades?

Did you know that bees are the ONLY insects that produce food for humans?

Did you know that in peak season a healthy Queen Bee, according to Penn State Extension, can lay more than 2,000 eggs in a day, which is more than her own body weight in eggs? 

Did you know that bees flap their wings more than 11,000 times per minute?

Did you know that the only honey that can be enjoyed by people allergic to beekeeping products is manuka honey?

Did you know that manuka honey is the best honey for women?

Did you know that acacia honey is not sweetened.

Did you know that a bee lives less than 40 days, visits at least 1,000 flowers and produces less than a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime?

And there you go, again more information that you probably want to read about. However, I am always fascinated, and I like to read back on my posts about such things. 

I would definitely check up on these facts if you want to expand your knowledge even more.

Thanks for taking a look and 

I hope you day is going well.

TODAY WE WENT TO THE ....

 

Bakery and Museum Co. 

The last time we were here was a few weeks ago with the family. We had fun chatting about them, enjoying that special time we had. 

It has been lovely coming here.

We both had different sandwiches. They were a nice change of pace.

Our next stop was the garden center, which is my favorite one, even though it is not the closest. I had noticed this truck when we passed by during the last few weeks. I have also shared a yellow one before. In that post I identified the make but not sure about this one today. Any experts out there? I will continue looking for an ID in my spare moments.

The hibiscus flowers were putting on quite a show.

I have been looking for something to put on the trellis out back and was quite taken with this. 

Made out of metal butterflies. 

I appreciated the skill and creativity of the artist, but the price was out of reach and more than I was willing to even contemplate ($220). I think whoever purchases it will be a happy person. Whenever I see these things, on my next visit they are usually gone. My mind was more on plants and plant pots, though I didn't see any that I wanted to buy today.

I liked these two fountains and thought the one above looked lovely among all the ferns and was my favorite, picturing it in my mind's eye at home.  Again, not serious about buying fountains, so...

off we went home without buying anything. It was fun to look though.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Have a great day!