Bee Happy

It’s Friday and time for me to throw open the curtains and let you peek in at the inner workings of my week.  And it’s been all about the bees…

internal landscape:  I’ve had my fair share of wonderful wacky dreams this week but my favorite was when a tiger morphed into a bee so it could be small enough to whisper directions in my ear.  It was offering instructions on how to be happy, which apparently was much needed advice as I had a couple really cranky days this week.  I’m glad to report that was only a temporary detour and I’m back with my feet on the joy trail.  My current energetic address:  at the juncture of Spring/Summer eagerly awaiting anticipating a busy bee magical season.

breathing the fresh air:   It’s been a crazy rainy week with only peeks of sunshine, but I’m happy to report I’m enjoying one of those brief interludes right now.  My newly planted rose tree popped its first blossom, and my newly planted tomato plant looks like its enjoying its new surroundings.  I was afraid it might get washed away in one of our record-breaking downpours, but it’s bravely held tight. And I’m delighted to report I’ve been seeing some fat bumblebees visiting the various flowers – they always make me laugh.

epicurean adventure:  Spinach Salad with Honey Dressing and Honeyed Pecans

on the work table:   I’ve been working on more writing and biz projects than art this week, but I did manage to make my second Summer of Color journal; continue working on my animal totem journal (which of course contains tributes to my beloved bees); and create a bit of jewelry.  I’m really hoping I get some large blocks of time in the studio this weekend – things are backing up and the muse is not happy.

While I was working on other jewelry, I decided it was time to restring a bee necklace.  I’m always switching out beads as I’m inspired.  Here’s the latest iteration with tiger eye, chrysoprase, and rhodochrosite.

good things:

• One of the fun things about Kickstarter campaigns is that often there is a lag between when the project has been successfully funded and when “rewards” are mailed out, which means fun stuff can arrive unexpectedly in the mail.  This week I received the Monthly Muse package which is the prototype of a monthly subscription program that offers a new novel and a tin of tea each month.  I’ll post about the book (and tea) when I’ve had a chance to dig in.  How fun!

• My brain is working overtime with ideas for my biz and one of the things I’ve wanted to do for a very long time now is a subscription program of my own.  Arrival of the Monthly Muse package just reminded me of how much I love this idea, and just like that I came up with 10 billion ideas of what I might like to do.  It’s always a delicious dilemma when you have so many wonderful ideas you hardly now which to focus on.

• With all the rain we’ve had, my brother’s house which is on a river, flooded.  The good news is the damage wasn’t too bad and clean up is underway.

•  Eyes to the sky.  Jupiter and Venus are putting on a fabulous show as they draw closer and closer to each other.  It’s a sky romance you don’t want to miss.

on the screen:   More than Honey, a documentary about my beloved bees.  It’s heartbreaking knowing the plight of our bees, but we have to celebrate and support everyone who is trying to make a difference.  Giving a shout out of thanks to my cousin for pointing me in the direction of this film.  She knows one of the beekeepers featured.  That’s probably as close as I’m going to get to someone famous in the seven-degrees-of-separation paradigm.

on the playlist:   We can’t be talking bees without listening to some classic Tom Petty Honey Bee

favorite word of the week:   arrhenotokous – producing males only.  As applied to bees, this form of parthenogenesis produces males from unfertilized eggs.

turning the pages:  River Marked by Patricia Briggs.  This is volume in an urban fantasy series with a shape-shifting coyote protagonist married to a werewolf.  A fun read, and using my floriography system of rating, I’m awarding this a bouquet of dogwood (love undiminished by adversity) and lupine (imagination).

fabulousities, curiosities, and brain igniters:

• This is lovely.  Take time to read it.  Stepping into Birdsong – Surrendering to the Sacred

• I adore cartoonist Lynda Barry.  She’s quirky eccentric and brilliant.  And this commencement speech she gives is a keeper.

• Achromatopsia, a rare condition that causes complete color blindness.  But check out this technology that allows colors to be experienced as sounds.

• Circular rainbows?  Oh yeah!

And there you have it – what’s been on my brain, in my heart, and on my radar this week.  What about you?  Seen any rainbows?  Find anything worthy of the bee’s knees label?  Do tell – you know I love to hear.