Blog idle

From a completely different Irish context: "I haven't gone away, you know." But I have been blog-idle. So here's a little update before I depart for another couple of weeks.

The bell-jar bees are progressing slowly. But it's not as if there are not enough workers! I'm surprised they can breathe in such a crowded house. Nectar seems to be scarce, but it is dribbling in and being stashed in the cells. Hardly any is yet capped. I had planned to remove the jar before departing, but despite the travel-staining of the walk-about bees I think I should let them finish the job.

 

Apisaints

Tammy Horn, author of Bees in America, has kindly sent me some additional information about St Gobnat , also spelt St Gobnait, (mentioned in earlier post).

Apparently she was Irish, 6th century, and a genuine beekeeper. Her convent was in County Cork, and true to most legends, seemed to have used beehives to prevent thieves from breaking into the convent.

In Matrifocus, Cross Quarterly for the Godess Woman (I'm not making this up!), there's an interesting article about her with a picture of her standing on a skep. Her special day is 11 February and she is buried at Ballyvourney in Co Cork, Ireland.