The trouble with being home so much is that I’m a sitting target for anyone who wants food. And suddenly, it seems as though everyone wants food, all the time.
Indoors, the twinnage want a snack. The answer is mostly ‘no’ because we’re being cautious with our supplies. Also they had a stonking big lunch about three seconds ago. So I offer them a lecture about how snacks weren’t even invented when I was a lass, and they roll their eyes and ask whether dinosaurs were around in my youth. By the time I’ve finished this well-worn lecture, they’ve usually given up and wandered off. Result!
Outdoors, Robyn-the-robin pesters me for food, too. And my tiny conscience pesters me to feed the hedgehog and throw an occasional snack to the mostly-self-sufficient sticklebacks. I can’t wait until the various crops I’ve planted reach maturity, so I can just tell everyone to go and forage. Until then, there’s half a packet of chocolate bourbons in the cupboard AND IF I FIND ANY CRUMBS ON THE TABLE, THEN EVERYONE IS GOING TO GET A REALLY DISGRUNTLED LOOK. THIS TIME I MEAN IT, OK?!
But how are you? Not being too hard on yourself, I hope? One day, all of this will be in the past, and we’ll look back on 2020 as the year when everything stopped, and the world turned itself upside down and shook itself about a bit until all the toilet rolls fell out.
We’re doing fine, other than worry about loved ones (my parents will not stop going to shops, despite our offers of deliveries), and a lack of success on the homeschooling front.
The Stoic Spouse is going in to work as usual, but as of a few days ago, I’m working from home, contacting patients by phone rather than seeing people face-to-face. We’re both running a lot, keeping carefully away from other people.
Crazy times, huh? But whilst humanity has paused, nature at this time of year has Stuff To Do. Our garden may be small, but man is it busy. So many types of bee. The bumble bees wiggle their fluffy bottoms enthusiastically as they discover each new flower. Other more serious-looking bees hover zen-like above the lawn, moving reluctantly every time some clumsy human lurches past. And there are bee-flies, aspiring hummingbirds trapped in an insect’s body:-
Dress for the species you want to be, not the species you are, they seem to say, and who can argue with that? (It’s the reason I wear this unicorn horn.)
And then, one of the twinnage found a bee on the ground, that was missing most of one wing. Both of my boys love wild creatures so now, it seems, we have a pet bee, whose name is apparently Smoothy.
Does anyone know what type of bee Smoothy is? We’ve set up a small tank with soil, planted with daisies and violets, and a tiny dish of sugar water. Smoothy seems fine, but the poor thing keeps trying to groom its missing wing.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: thank goodness for knitting. We can survive this.
Phil x
Looks like a honey bee to me. Missing antennae also. Love your blog you make me laugh. Love your knitting too.
Thank you. Ouch, I hadn’t clocked the missing antennae.
Love Reading your blog. Simmel cake made my mouth water.
The feeding is relentless, isn’t it? I am ever so grateful for the Easter Bunny’s visit yesterday, as for a few days at least I don’t have to think about the answer to “What’s for pudding?”!
Yup, it’s relentless, especially the NEED for chocolate.
It’s a honey bee, apis mellifera. There are loads of variations within that group, and they don’t all look the same! My Dad’s a beekeeper. I think you’d love doing that.
Lovely idea, Sara ! – let us all pressure Phil to take up apiary ! Imagine the joy of her photos !!
One of my friends keeps bees. She’s allergic to them, and she doesn’t like honey. She keeps them because her kids love honey. I was always amazed at her. It’s a Labour of Love for her.
And you should totally keep bees. More honey for your toast, and loads of new photos! Win-win for you. ~Lórienne
But, but, but, isn’t keeping bees difficult?!
I’d have to draw the line at pet Bees… yikes. Hope you and all your family and pets stay well and healthy.
But bees are wonderful creatures! (And I hope that you stay well, too.)
Love to see your garden and to hear your “voice”. It always cheers me up.
Here in Vancouver we are hunkering down with adult children and grandchildren. Thankfully we have room for everyone though it is close quarters. Grandchildren seem to think I enjoy waking up earlier than I do but we do have lovely times in the garden while their parents work.
Don’t worry about the homeschooling, they are learning constantly and the lesson plan is family skills and wellness. The garden and pond a perfect
classroom.
Thank you, I love everything about your post. I hope that all three generations are safe and well at your home.
I reckon we’ll survive coronavirus ok in this household but the baking as therapy makes us likely victims of lockdown obesity. I share your love of simnel cake but we had to have carrot cake as well for the non marzipan and dried fruit eaters and there were still hot cross buns in the tin. Might some of your bees be hoverflies?
Poor bee, it needs is family, just like we do. Maybe even more than we do. And that’s what I’ll remember 2020 for, the missing of my family. Missing listening to my wonderful children in the warmth of real life, rather than on a screen. Missing the wriggles, squirms and shouts of their children, the demands and offerings, the sticky fingers. And hoping it all comes straight in the end.
Tiggy, I hope that soon, it will be possible for you to safely hug your family again.
Isabel, you could be right about the hoverflies. If only they’d stay still for long enough to check!
I love your knitting and am looking forward to seeing your book.
Thank you!
I eye your knitted skirt in progress and hungrily think, “Hmmm, what else is she putting in that book?”
Agreed, Barbara ! 🙂
In my heart, I’d quite like it to be a whole book of skirts, but that might be a rather niche market.
It would certainly eliminate MOI ! – I haven’t worn a skirt for roughly .. oh, 45 years ? 😀
I do love your blog and heartily agree with you about the knitting, which I am finding solace in, along with crochet and copious games of Scrabble. Keep sharing your joy!
I’m glad that you, too, are finding some comfort in craft. We’re fortunate, really, that we have these things.
We can, Phil – but you must keep finding the time to blog, or our determination might fade .. There ! – bet that’s the best example of emotional blackmail you’ve come across in the last 20 years ! 😀
Remind me: what’s the timetable on the book ?
Wishing Smoothy all the very best: at least s/he is in A Very Good Place. That the twinnage has such a heart is joyful indeed (but scarcely surprising).
Robyn – well .. Robyn is so very nearly tame, the dear little creature.
Your garden is sensational, that’s all – apologies to Cole Porter.
Thanks so much for the glorious photos. I especially love the robins and the bees. And the flowers. Knitting and handspinning are my solaces, too.
Thanks for writing. Your blog is always a pleasure to read!
I also really like your garden, and your knitting looks amazing!!
We have bee flies here too, the way they seem to hover in front of you is a tad disconcerting. I also have the worry of ageing parents, Dad has at the age of 80 decided lockdown is the month to paint the outside of the windows, upstairs! Take care and keep knitting! I can’t wait to see the book! xx
Hello! I love your blog, keep up the great work! Also, I’m not certain Smoothy is a bee. I think they are likely a fly. Still a good pet! My fellas love when the Asian ladybeetles and cucumber beetles emerge – they can have as many pets as their hearts desire.
hi, i never heard of a simnel cake before … i looked it up and found 2 recipes on bbc website… sounds really tasty.
happy easter to you and your family and all your creatures!
best wishes,
daisy 🙂
Between knitting a baby sweater and sewing masks, then repeat, I’m isolating. Sunny days bring a visit or 3 to my deck, at the designated distance. The impulse to bake or paint must be suppressed, so back to knitting a baby hat with some sort of cables and/or bobbles, yet to be determined. The skirt patterns & colors are lovely.
Your comment about all the toilet rolls falling out made me laugh. I, too, am writing a blog post mentioning loo rolls and likening our spendy frenzy to tulip mania in the 17th cantury! Keep writing, and be well (or is the bee well hehe)
Not sure why some one commented that they draw the line a bees. They don’t sting you unless they’re threatened because they die afterwards, unlike wasps that can retract their stingers & sting repeatedly. I don’t recognize your bees, not surprising I live in Canada… I sure wish my forget-me-nots were blooming. Winter doesn’t want to go away here. It’s unusually cool here north of Winnipeg & IT’S SNOWING! I don’t usually complain about winter but I want to be in my garden!!!
Brilliant post as usual. Bee well (Haha!)!!
I always enjoy reading your blog. Robyn is quite amazing. I love that she demands her meal worms. I once had a Mocking bird wait for me to toss her cut worms while I dug up weeds. Whenever I got up to put the weeds in the green waste can she would fly down and go after the bugs I exposed. She knew I would wait for her to get her fill. I think she had a nest of hungry babies to feed. She would fly off then come back for more. Such trust and each time she got braver. It was an experience that I won’t forget.
Thanks for your lovely blog, and photos, very soothing in difficult times. I am highly impressed with the skirt you’re knitting – beautiful pattern and colours. And the chair cover – that has definitely given me some ideas for one of my own (smaller!) chairs. Will that be in the book? I intend to make cushion covers first though. Have a lovely day and keep knitting and writing!
Always love your blog , your style of writing is so cheery! Love that Robyn is still around! What would we do without our knitting during this strange time?
Hi,
Love your blog, and your sense of humour.
I’m pretty sure that is a fly, one of the bee mimics. Just as good as the real thing !
Smoothy is in fact, the long-lost and much-missed Eric, the half-a-bee. Play this to the twinnage, they’ll be singing it immediately:
https://youtu.be/MlrsqGal64w
I am a single mum and childminder working for keyworkers who are very much on the front line at the moment. I crochet usually but am currently venturing in to knitting a summer tunic. I felt slightly less alone reading this blog today. My two teens are constantly on the search for food so I have taken to letting them sleep for as long as possible to conserve food stocks. As for homeschooling – one has not sat GCSE’s but should pass them all thus he thinks this is one long summer holiday whilst the 13 yr old female has only just started to look as if she may do some school work. Picking my battles. Thank all that is wonderful that I can crochet, knit and drink wine!
Isabel is right – Smoothy is a hoverfly. Don’t ask me what species, I find them very tricky to ID. It still has its antennae, they are quite different to a bee’s, only 3 segments, the 3rd being largest (looks circular) and a wee point (the arista). The bee fly is a fly too – a Dark-bordered Bee Fly, Bombylius major. Great blog – thanks.
What a pure joy to discover your writing and knitting! Only wish I could hear you speaking in your British tongue while I listen with my native Pennsylvanian ears. The most difficult aspect of this challenging time is missing the children and grandkids, but thanks to Facetime and visits from ten feet, we consider ourselves blessed. More time to knit and play music–wish it could be achieved without a world crisis. Do pray that we exit this time with increased gratitude and more appreciative hearts.
Love the pictures of your garden. Our project for this year was to grow our own veg and continue the wildlife garden… who knew last Autumn, when we were looking through seed catalogues and websites, how much time we would have to spend on it.
I have been taking my knitting bag outside and listening to the birds and getting distracted by watching bees, butterflies and frogs in the pond.
Your blog makes me smile and keeps me inspired when overwhelm creeps close. Thank you
I agree with Lynne. I found your blog so soothing in this uncertain world.. My knitting keeps me happy and grounded but I’m not finishing one project – but having many thoughtful days.
Love, love, love your blog. My most favorite one and I don’t even knit! Although technically, I do know how to knit, but I can’t actually make anything. I am Spot on crochet however. You are such a talented writer and humorist and every time I see a new post in my email i cannot wait to read it. Your posts are always so charming and funny and often inspirational. Love especially the Robyn/robin posts. Keep it up! We need it nowmore than ever! Your friend fr VA, USA, Lucy
Your beautiful wildlife photos and stories are thoroughly uplifting. An absolute joy. I hope you have somewhere you can go to be equally uplifted and filled with joy.
Stay safe and know that you are brightening many days 🙂