Hello, and greetings to all of you in our hive. The holiday season is upon us and Jazianzza and I hope that you can slow down long enough to sense the wonder of life itself. Jazi wanted me to ask you to take the time to notice not only bees flying from flower to flower but to appreciate the birds, squirrels, and even the ants as they go about their day. You may not live in an area where you can do this, but even taking the time to notice the sunlight on the leaves of a tree will help us to slow down and appreciate this marvelous gift of life.
So, what’s this about bee bread? Yes, that’s what it’s called. It’s an ingenious mixture of pollen and honey or nectar used primarily to feed the worker bees and larvae. They mix it with their saliva and pack it into the honeycomb cells to create a fermented, nutrient-rich food. It’s their super-food, complete with proteins, vitamins, minerals, and little microorganisms that are an invaluable food for the hive.
It turns out that bee bread is also a thriving health industry for human consumption, and it’s expensive! I just couldn’t bring myself to spring for a container of it, even though I could have used it as “research” for this newsletter. It somehow doesn’t seem right to me that we take not only their honey and honeycomb but their bee bread as well. But if anyone has used it, I’d love to hear your thoughts…
In honor of bee bread and the holiday season, I found a recipe to make some little biscuits using almond meal, eggs, olive oil, and honey. Even though my last name is Baker, I rarely do anything like this. They were tasty, but Jazi assured me they were nothing like their bee bread, though she was happy I made the effort! 😉🐝
Whatever holiday you might be celebrating, be it Bodhi Day, Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Winter Solstice, New Year’s Eve, or…, decorating is often a part of it. And why not have bees celebrating along with you and create a fun thing to do for the kiddos in your life? Here’s a cute idea that uses egg cartons to make bumble bees for table decorations, ornaments, or…whatever! Enjoy!
https://www.dltk-kids.com/animals/mbee-egg.htm
And of course, please remember that Bee-Coming Strong is available as a lovely gift for young ones.
So again, as we move into this holiday season, Jazianzza and I wish you a month filled with countless blessings and much grace. May we all take the time to notice the small things, whether it be a bee or a stranger in need of a smile. We can all do our part to help uplift this marvelous creation; we can give a child a greater feeling of assurance, help non-profits that are doing important work in the world, plant a tree or some native plants that will help feed the pollinators, or just pick up a piece of trash that is on the sidewalk. We have no idea what the future will bring, but we can be conscious in the present moment to collectively create a better future.
Together, may we thrive!