Tag Archives: Bee

June 16th: Happy National Fudge Day (USA)

After discovering it was International Fresh Veggies Day I remembered that the United States of America has many unique holidays and observances. I did a quick search for USA Observances and discovered that while the rest of the world celebrates Fresh Veggies today (along with Fathers Day) in the USA it is National Fudge Day.

I think I have nothing more to say – really you can draw your own conclusions on that one!

Veggies or Fudge? Which one to choose?

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June 16th: Happy International Fresh Veggies Day

So you know how the internet is just made for random browsing of clicking from this that and the other thing? I know you don’t do that – ever. However, in my boredom this morning I did just that and guess what today is not just Fathers Day!

NO – it is more than that. It is International Fresh Veggies Day. A day to honour fresh food from the garden. It is spring here in the Northern Hemisphere of the world – and autumn down in the lands of the south. So all farming parts of the world are enjoying the bounty of Mother Earth while celebrating Fathers Day. It is like a mom and pop event today – so nice.

So all you kids in honour of your Dad – today be nice and eat your vegetables! It is good for you. Really it is. I’m a Dad and I just said so is why…

How are you celebrating today?

Inspiration Inspired

Blank Generation

blank mind
blankly facing
blank page

bleak thoughts
bleakly racing
bleak words

I think of you and your lips
and feel the juices flowing.
Smell the memory of your scent
even though you’re miles away.
No longer searching for words
my mind is filled with action
so vivid – language fails me.

It is not a pen I crave
nor the flowing of ink.
Only what we’d inspire
and exchange with each other.

Come to me – be my canvas
so I can paint your body
with wordless inspiration
that requires no translation.

bold heart
boldly racing
bold hope

la page blanche
carte blanche
c’est ca!

Happy Fathers Day

It is Fathers Day, and so to all the dads both biological and psychological, to all the dads by choice and by circumstance, to all the dads of the past, the present and the future:

Thank you – and Happy Fathers Day!

I know that without my father I simply wouldn’t be here today.

Sugar Rush

Red Candy Apples

Red Candy Apples (Photo credit: Mason Long)

Lost
you stopped me
for directions

your
honey hair
candy-apple lips
toffee eyes
stuck my tongue
made my heart race
more than
glucose
fructose
ever had.

left and right
meaningless to my brain
I walked you to
your destination
hoping to find words
before we arrived.

The sweetest moments
end too soon
leaving only
timeless bitterness
for what might have been.

Candle

black wick
yellow flame

bees wax
burning scent

flickering shadow
your perfume

memory of the time
you whispered words
your mother never knew
nor could she ever imagine
how we’d enjoy
making them into reality.

Compelled

Nimphette in a woods...

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

We met by chance
I lurking in the arboretum
respectably disguised
behind a camera
enjoying budding sunshine.
Compelled by the scent of spring
and the fluid sway of summer skirts.

She was extra ordinary
and pretty in unexpected ways.
I drew near overtly fascinated
with the narcissus blossoming at her feet.
She unveiled my ruse with grace
and small talk about spring flowers.
Compelled by her voice to look up
and catch my reflection in her sunglasses.

She was pert in all the right places
and impertinent in all the best ways.
She glided us to the tea-house
for coffee and shortcake.
I grew jealous of the strawberries that
touched her lips and tongue.
Compelled by her laughter I followed
her willing down a side trail.

We walked beneath a pergola
covered in pale green vines.
Brilliant tulips bloomed by the path
each swarmed in noisy honey bees.
She reached out to draw my attention
to a nearby grove of maple trees.
Compelled by her touch I kissed her
and she complied adding her hunger to mine.

She slipped out of reach
taunted me with sassy swirl of hips and skirt.
Sylvan smile across her nymph-like lips
she danced barefoot on the grass.
And chanted ‘catch me’ as she
lured me down to the grove.
Compelled I chased – catching her when
she decided she might be caught.

Breathless we tumbled behind shrubs
entangled in the undergrowth.
She smelled of earth and heat
and slow dripping maple sap.
In springtime there is only one
appetite that needs attention.
Compelled we simply did as we desired.

IncredaBaby and the Missing Flower Mystery

A honey bee on a flower.

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Flying high above the city, looking for trouble and people in need of help – it is IncredaBaby! IncredaBaby has  gained her incredible super-power from a pair of magic purple tights – and now IncredaBaby is using her powers to do good – and fix problems. IncredaBaby is on her nightly patrol while her parents, unaware of their daughter is a crime-fighter , sleep peacefully.

As she flies IncredaBaby hears someone crying. There down below – it is a little girl, standing in a garden.

IncredaBaby glides down and lands beside the girl. “Whatever is the matter?” asks IncredaBaby.

The girl peeks up from crying and stares at IncredaBaby. The girl looks all around the garden. “Where did you come from little baby?” says the girl.

“Up there – but that doesn’t really matter,” says IncredaBaby. “I am here to help you. Why are you crying?”

The girl’s eyes grow wide in surprise. “You talked. You actually talked. You are a baby and you just talked. That is just so incredible,” says the girl.

IncredaBaby raises an eyebrow. “Yeah – I talked. And so did you. Whoopee-do-dah. Now let’s get focused. Exactly what is the problem?”

“Oh yeah,” says the girl. “Well this is my garden, and I came out to smell the flowers. Only I can’t cause all my flowers are gone. Somebody has stolen all my beautiful blossoms.” The girl flops down and begins crying again.

“Okay Miss,” says IncredaBaby, “I’ll find out who did this.”

“You?” says the girl. “But you’re just a baby. What can you do?”

IncredaBaby smiles. “I’m not just a baby, Miss. I’m IncredaBaby, and I’ll be back with your flowers.” IncredaBaby flies away to look for clues.

Swooping low over the neighbourhood IncredaBaby can see that all the flowers are missing. Someone has taken every blooming plant.

“Hmmm that is very strange!” says IncredaBaby. “Also very sad – who could do something so mean?”

IncredaBaby circles around until she finds some flowers still in a garden. She waits. Soon she hears a buzzing noise. The buzzing  gets louder as it comes closer. It is many honeybees. The bees fly to the flowers and grab the flower near the roots. Working together they pull up one flower and another, and then carry the flowers away. IncredaBaby sneaks after the buzzing flower thieves.

IncredaBaby is distracted by a shadow and the flap of a blanket below. Is someone following her?

As the bees fly along, IncredaBaby sees other bees also carrying flowers. Hundreds and hundreds of bees all stealing flowers. The bees are flying to a building on the edge of town. It was a big old warehouse with broken windows. On top is painted a large letter “B”

The bees fly inside the B-warehouse with their flowers.

IncredaBaby stops outside the B-warehouse and carefully peeks through the windows. Inside she sees some bees re-planting flowers. Other bees are collecting  the nectar and pollen. They carry the nectar to a large mechanical honey-comb. This is a honey-making factory.

From behind her IncredaBaby again hears a blanket. Yes, there is someone following her. But who?

IncredaBaby moves quietly into the building. She sees lots and lots of strange machines, pumping and puffing and moving the honey from the combs, through pipes and chemicals and into jars. As she moves closer the bees buzz angrily at IncredaBaby.

And then IncredaBaby hears a familiar giggle, “ Hehee, HeHee”. And a familiar voice, “You are just in time IncredaBaby!”

Of course the letter “B” should have told her who was behind all of this. It is her arch-enemy and the constant thorn in her side. That annoying and terribly bad teenage boy from down the street.

“What are you up to this time, Doctor-B?” asks IncredaBaby.

“Why IncredaBaby I have created super-goopy-honey – I call it super-B-goo” says Doctor-B. “It is pretty marvelous - if I do say so myself. All that pumping and chemical fiddle-faddle – and well here let me to show you how it works.”

Knowing she has only one chance IncredaBaby attempts  to use her super-stinky baby power, but she is  too slow. Doctor-B glops IncredaBaby with the super-B-goo . IncredaBaby is  stuck in the sticky mess and she is unable to move.

“Oh my you seem stuck – so what are you going to do now IncredaBaby?” laughs Doctor-B. “Oh my – hah-ha – finally I win. There is nobody that can stop me now. Using my Bee-O-matic controller I will make the bees obey my every command. Now they will fly out and super-B-goo everyone in the city. And then I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. It will be like summer vacation all the time! That is until I decide to remove the super-B-goo with this goo-B-gone spray.”

“You won’t get away with this Doctor-B,” says IncredaBaby.

“Oh but I already have – because there is nobody left to stop me,” says Doctor-B. “And why are you smiling like that?”

“Guess,” says IncredaBaby.

“And then guess again, Doctor-B,” says a voice from the window. “I’m Blankie-Boy and you are toast!”

In leaps a toddler with a blanket around his neck. He leaps straight at Doctor-B and knocks the Bee-O-matic right off his head. The Bee-O-matic bounces and bursts into pieces as it smashes on the cement floor.

Doctor-B stands up with his mouth wide-open. He snaps his teeth shut with a click as a loud buzzing comes zipping towards him.

“That is not such a good thing,” says Doctor-B. He tries to run for the door, but the bees swarm after him.  The bees no longer controlled by the Bee-O-matic are not in a pleasant mood. The angry bees cover Doctor-B in stings and super-B-goo until Doctor-B is no longer move.

“Ouch, ow, OW!” he yells, “I think I want to go home now. Ow! This is not so fun anymore…okay you can stop any time now”

While the honeybees swarm Doctor-B, the toddler goes to free IncredaBaby from the super-B-goo. “Hi IncredaBaby,” says Blankie-Boy, “I’ll just get the goo-B-gone spray and set you free.”

“Thanks Blankie-Boy,” says IncredaBaby, “already on it!” IncredaBaby uses her mega-drool power to dissolve the super-B-goo.

“That is kind of disturbing, yet also so amazing!” says Doctor-B. “I should have realized that nothing can stand-up to baby drool.”

Blankie-Boy is looking puzzled. “If you could dissolve the super-B-goo why did you wait for me?”

IncredaBaby smiles, “I wanted to see who was following me.”

“Now everyone stand back!” IncredaBaby uses her super stinky baby powers to fill her diaper. Then she throws the diaper right on top of Doctor-B’s head. The super-B-goo make the diaper stick to his head.

“Oh no!” cries Doctor-B. “That is a truly awful smell. Get it off, get it off! Oh my – it is so stinky!”

“Yes you certainly are, Doctor-B,” said Blankie-Boy.

IncredaBaby and Blankie-Boy use the goo-B-gone to get rid of the rest of the super-B-goo. Then with the help of all the bees they work on returning the flowers to where they belong. It is lots of work.

At the B-warehouse, the police arrive to take away the super-sticky and super-stinky Doctor-B. Only to find he has managed to escape.

After the heroes have finished the replanting, IncredaBaby asks Blankie-Boy to come over for some cheese and crackers. They go to IncredaBaby’s house. Blankie-Boy fixes the snacks while IncredaBaby goes to clean up and slip into a fresh diaper and sleeper.

When IncredaBaby comes back down, Blankie-Boy has already left. It is past midnight. “I wonder if I’ll see that toddler again?” says IncredaBaby to herself. She eats her snack, and then she goes up  to her crib to sleep.

The next morning, her mommy and daddy come to check on her.

“Oh look she’s all clean and dry again this morning,” says mommy. “It is almost like she changes herself.  And she sleeps through the night – my little incredible baby! Oh wait – what’s this in her hair?

Daddy looks also. “I think it is honey and cheese.”

Mommy looks at daddy with a frown. “Did you give her a snack last night? She is too young for that kind of food!”

“Oh no,” says daddy. “It wasn’t me…and we don’t have any honey.”

“Huh,” said mother. “That is very strange. Very, very strange. Oh well – come on dear let’s just go have some breakfast while our darling is still sleeping.”

This story is an original work by Stephen Mumble and his daughter – the original IncredaBaby. No reproduction is allowed without permission.”

Blathering On

Oxymirus cursor 3 bialowieza forest beentree

Oxymirus cursor 3 bialowieza forest beentree (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Finding the time to write a daily blog entry is one problem – and it gets solved by just doing it! A greater challenge is just finding a topic! Sometimes a topic or an idea just throws itself at me. Other times I sit down and the white screen with the blinking cursor mocks. There is a reason it is called a cursor. Or perhaps I am just the cursor…

When the writing ideas don’t flow I have been working on a tool-kit that I can fall back on to give me ideas. Things to inspire me.

The first thing I try is reading the news. See what is happening in the world. Sometimes a story catches my eye. Sometimes it is a word or a sentence.

If that doesn’t work I turn on the radio to a talk-show. The blather of the host and guests usually sparks something. It is the point of many of the call-in shows to get the audience riled up so they will call in and give a rant.

The last thing I usually try is the random page in a book approach. I grab a random book off a random shelf and open it to a random page. Then randomly point at a paragraph, a sentence, a word. And then I try and twist the meaning. Flip it around and over and backword.

If after those three ideas I still am not inspired – I write about “not writing”. It actually works out fairly well in the end! That is after-all how this piece came to be – by my complaining I had now idea what to write about!

In the end all the methods have the same basic principle at play – you just have to do it. All tasks, all problems, can be addressed by moving forward – no matter how tentative each step might be in the beginning. Once you get some momentum you’ll find the task is well underway – and things aren’t really as hard as you might have thought.

 

 

Blogging is a lonely task

I am slow today. I have been trying to post early enough to pick up random traffic and see if strangers will linger over my thoughts. Today work intrudes and keeps me from thinking too deeply.

I guess blogging is much like gardening. A task that is done as much in solitude as it is done for public display. I drop my seeds of thought in this internet soil and hope that others will stop to admire what I have planted.

Here and there bright splashes of colour to entice honey-bees to cross-pollinate my blog with comments creating hybrid ideas beyond any I could germinate on my own.

All writing is done in solitude. Small bits of the writer smudged on paper, or pecked into a keyboard. Here I am – do you see?

A European honey bee (Apis mellifera) extracts...

A honey bee visits an Aster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)