With uncomfortably hot temps and then an excessive amount of rain last week, there wasn’t much outdoor time for me. I had to do faux gardening by putting together images in a junk journal, and I did most of my bee-watching through reading.
I’m filing my next entry in the 100 Untimed Books challenge under prompt #43 – Honey.
Laline Paull’s fantasy novel The Bees is set within a hive, and her characters are the bees. One bee, designated Flora 717, is an unlikely creature. Born in the lowest caste, a sanitation worker, she doesn’t quite fit in as a silent, mostly invisible worker. She’s bigger and considered incredibly ugly; but she’s also a fast learner and she can speak, which none in her group can do. She manages to attract the attention of one of the hive’s priestess bees, and through a combination of luck, skill, and courage, as well as unwelcome interference by others, finds herself assigned to different jobs. Hive mind requires compliance to the rule “Accept, Obey, Serve” and Flora 717 does, except until the something incredible happens, she commits a crime, and then must live a double life trying not to be discovered. No spoilers here – you’ll have to read the book if you want to know what happens.
But I will say this is as much parable as novel, and I genuinely loved the peek into the author’s ideas of what hive life might be like.
In keeping with my practice of awarding a rating based on floriography, the language of flowers, giving a hint at the plot as well as my appraisal, I would offer a field of flowers for the bees to gather nectar and pollen from. The garden would include wax myrtle (discipline, instruction, duty); monkshead (danger is near); garlic scapes (courage); and a huge patch of bee balm (irresistible).
Thinking about bees and community, I can’t resist sharing this image with you. It’s a vintage photo that’s been made into a rubber stamp and I adore it. I keep it propped up on my work table so I can look at it often, and I love imagining stories about these little girls in costumes. Aren’t they fabulous? I can even imagine myself as the little bee on the bottom right standing on one leg. One of the few photos of me as a child is standing like that, so it looks like I have only one leg. Perhaps that IS bee-me, experiencing some sort of time travel magic. Who knows?
What do you think? Don’t you wish you had a bee costume? Have a wonderful bee story to share? Love honey? Do tell – you know I love to hear.
I love bees but not honey. No desire for a bee costume though!
I’m not sure I understand your costume preferences Margaret. 🙂
Hari om
Love the write-up today and now I have to know what happens to Flora! Will look this one up when gEt back from travels. YAM xx
I’ll be interested to hear what you think Yamini. Hope you’re enjoying your travels.
Hi Deborah – I see the bees fluttering around here busily visiting … I really should know how to identify them … but don’t. Fascinating woman – she obviously has lots of stories to tell – so thank you for bringing her name into my realm … and this would make an interesting read. Cheers Hilary
Identifying bees can be an ambitious project Hilary – I think there are more than 250 species in England, 800 in Canada, and 4000 in North America in general.
Bumble bees dont live here in aust but were very much part of my childhood in new zealand – they are very bumbly flyers in the garden and look good enough to cuddle. My sister kay has a bumble bee outfit that she has worn to fancy dress parties on a few occasions . I have seen the photos – not quite as adoring as the stamp – very cute. I have actually never asked her why she chose that outfit .
my partner kept hives for years and we loved our own forest honey – the girls grew up with waxy chewing gum . a couple of years ago he built a kenyan hive and then some mite got in and he hasn’t had the heart to reengage with them…
love your floral bouquets deborah
I didn’t realize Australia doesn’t have bumbles. I can never see one of those fuzzy little creatures without thinking about how wonderful they are, and how in heaven’s name they manage to fly around.
I think I like your sister’s idea of fancy dress wear. I would be seriously tempted to not speak during the party, but simply practice Bhramari Pranayama, the buzzing/humming bee breath. Of course I’d probably start falling off invitation lists pretty quickly. 🙂
How sad about the loss of your hive. I certain understand your partner’s reluctance.
Hari om
Not native to OZ, but is an invader (link below)… had them in my Sydney garden. Yxx
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pest-insects/bumble-bee
How interesting Yamini. It’s quite curious to think of something we hold as so wonderful as being an invasive pest. Another reminder of how perfectly attuned our eco-systems are and how careful we need to be not to mess them up with our interference.
I’m not meant to be part of a hive. Free spirit here. I’d do better as a butterfly or a dragonfly. That being said, I do think that drinking glasses and decorative objects with bees on them are cute. Not sure what this says about me, but there you have it.
You wear free spirit quite well Ally!
To bee or not to bee … I love bees and it’s been a delight to see them here in various parts of Europe as we buzz around where lavender is prolific. The novel sounds intriguing indeed. I love that the collective and individual are juxtaposed. Yes, I am a fan of honey … Now the question as to whether radiated or unradiated is better … Long live the humble bee. Thanks Deborah I enjoyed this!
Your traveling sounds fabulous Susan (and aromatic)! Long live the humble bee indeed!
I love the idea of this book, it sounds so clever and different. I adore bees and my sister has a special connection to them, she even has a bee tattoo. Much like pooh-bear, I’m very partial to a bit of honey.
I’m very partial as well Tizzy. 🙂 Yay to bee love!
That vintage footage reminded me of how much fun I had during Carnaval, a yearly three-days event in the south of The Netherlands. One part I always liked most; dressing up in a costume. Although I never was ‘a bee ‘ myself, some of my little girlfriend were. So much fun we had 🙂
Thank you for bringing a smile again, dear Deborah.
Fun memories Patty! Perhaps the next time you have an opportunity to wear a costume you’ll be a bee too. 🙂
I inadvertently came upon a review of this book today and thought it sounded familiar so I looked back here at your blog and realized I heard of it first here! Of course, it’s bees! Anyway, it was $1.99 today for kindle so I couldn’t resist. Soon I will meet Fora, too.
How fun – I hope you enjoy reading it! You’ll have to let me know what you think of feisty little Flora.