So my friend saw an advert for Helensburgh Beekeepers Association which was holding An Introduction to Bees at a local church hall last night. She and I are both interested in flora and fauna, and she has always wanted to get into beekeeping. She asked if I wanted to come along because I was interested as well. So I said I would pick her up from her house.

I arrived in good time and her husband was home. His parting words to us when we left was “Don’t be getting any ideas!” To put this remark in context you should know that my lovely friend already has a menagerie of dogs and rodents, and her hubby was in no mood for any more animals, let alone bees! Anyway, this gave us a laugh because we know that once my friend puts her mind to it, she’ll get her way!

Anyway, we jumped in the car and went to the meeting which was being held in Rhu & Shandon Parish Church (a gorgeous old church built in 1851). Can I first say that the people who were there were lovely and made us really feel welcome. We saw a short film on bees and beehives, and then a member of the association gave a talk on the history of flowers and pollinating insects, bee friendly flowers and what attracts the bees to them. We were then given the opportunity to look inside an empty beehive and chat to members. It was a really nice wee night. I have no intention of getting bees – it may be something I’d look at again in the future because I really do like bees – but my friend…well she looked keen and wants to go and see a beehive with bees in it. Thanks to the beekeepers for the night, the tea and the lovely pancake and butter.

Anyway, I dedicate this post to the bees – they need all our help at the moment!!  Apparently if the bees die out (according to Einstein and you’d think he would know!) the human race would die out in four years because all our crops would not be pollinated and food would run out. Sobering thought.

Anyway, if you’d like to help the bees, there are plants you can put in your garden. Get more information here and here. Here’s a wee list courtesy of the Royal Horticultural Society:

Wild plants

• Achillea millefolium (common yarrow) • Cantaurea scabiosa (greater knapweed) • Digitalis purpurea (common foxglove) • Eupatorium cannabinum (hemp agrimony) • Lonicera periclymenum (common honeysuckle) • Origanum vulgare (wild marjoram) • Thymus pulegioides (large thyme) • Trifolium repens (white clover) • Verbascum nigrum (dark mullein) • Viburnum opulus (guelder rose)

Garden plants

• Caryopteris x clandonensis (caryopteris) • Dianthus barbatus (sweet william) • Hesperis matronalis (dame’s violet) • Hyssopus officinalis (hyssop) • Jasminum officinale (common jasmine) • Lavandula angustifolia (English lavender) • Lychnis coronaria (rose campion) • Monarda didyma (bergamot or bee balm) • Verbena bonariensis (purple top) • Weigela florida (weigelia)

Right, that’s me off bees now. How are you all? Hope you’re well. Poor hubby’s not been good at all this week. That chemo is just nasty, he’s totally floored by it. Hopefully, he’ll start feeling better soon and be able to get out of bed. It always astonishes me that they use poison like that to kill cancer. I wish they would hurry up and come up with something less harsh.

Anyway, started writing again this week. Please don’t ask what it’s about because I’m not really sure at the moment. The ideas are still mulling about in my head. I just know I have to keep writing it and hope that the story will unfold from there.

I have to ask the question: what is going on at the moment with celebrities? Now Prince has died!?! So since the turn of the year that’s David Bowie, Alan Rickman, Terry Wogan, Merle Haggard, Howard Marks, Victoria Wood, Denise Robertson, David Gest, Ronnie Corbett, Paul Daniels, Tony Warren, Frank Kelly. It’s just been a shocker of a year. I know some of them were older, but I don’t expect people to die in their 50s, 60s and early 70s any more. I always think everyone should live until their late 80s and 90s. You know what I mean: you hear someone’s died at 85 and you think ‘well at least they had a good innings’ but if they’re 69, you think ‘eh? too early’.  Maybe it’s just my age because I’m getting older! Who knows. Anyway, I hope that’s it for this year. I find it depressing. Anyway, as a huge fan of Prince (When Doves Cry was an early purchase of mine), David Bowie, Alan Rickman and Victoria Wood and someone who grew up watching Terry Wogan, Ronnie Corbett and Paul Daniels on the telly, I will end this with a few lines from the purple one himself: the rain will come down, then U will have 2 choose, if U believe, look 2 the dawn and U shall never lose!

Til next time!

Dawn xxx