Some of my followers
that have been around for a while
will remember me telling
you about getting stung
four times last summer.
Every time it was in my yard. It
seemed that we were invaded by bees.
No wonder that when I started
planting my little yard this year,
I had bees on the brain.
*****************
I told myself that this year
*****************
I told myself that this year
I was not going to have any
flowering annuals.
I had no intention of digging up
any perennials but at least I
would limit planting any extra annuals.
*****************
Why purposely attract more bees
*****************
Why purposely attract more bees
to the yard, right?
*******************
Well, May 28th I broke down
*******************
Well, May 28th I broke down
........
I could not resist the appeal
of a couple seed packs of Zinnias.
**********************
So, if I get stung again this
**********************
So, if I get stung again this
summer. Remind me, of this
decision . . . and don't let me
get away with complaining.
I hope that you enjoyed my journal
pages and that
all of my readers
have a sting free summer.
Connie
I hope that you enjoyed my journal
pages and that
all of my readers
have a sting free summer.
Connie
LOL....I love you journal page, it is so full of life....
ReplyDeleteblessings,
Cindy♥
Cindy, thank you for stopping by my blog and thanks for the sweet comment. I just returned from your blog, and your chandelier is beautiful and your work space so organized. It is good to hear that I am not the only one that gets distracted from what I am doing. If I go to another room for something, I find myself an hour later cleaning, or folding, or sweeping, etc . . . anything except what I had intended on doing. Oh well, so goes life. Have a wonderful day, Connie :)
DeleteOuch!........I once sat on a bee in secondary school..........most embarassing and painful.......zinnias are very pretty though.......loved the journal pages, very colourful and lively.
ReplyDeletelily x
Hi there, thanks for stopping by and while you are here I want to say, "I love your British Market Bag, the red poka-dot trim is a pretty touch, too." Have a great day, Connie :)
DeleteLovely post Connie - I'm so glad I became a follower. We do seem to have the same interests and blogging gives us all a chance to share these with others.
ReplyDeletePatricia x
Hi Patricia, I could not agree more. Blogging has become a delightful adventure, not only in being able to share, but in receiving so many ideas. Then there is the lovely comments and the fact that the more we share the closer our friendships become. I would have never imagined making friends from all around the world . . . and right here at my desk. I too am very happy that we are following one another . . . here's to blogging :)
DeleteYour new friend, Connie
P.S. The other great thing that I have discovered is that knowing I want a fresh post each week encourages me to be creative and not hide what I have under a bushel.
Hello Connie
ReplyDeleteThank you for your lovely comments, you are very welcome, you obviously have many talents and I adore your drawings, yes I love thrifting and making our home ours.
Thea x
Thea, Thank you for stopping by and thank you for deciding to follow. I am looking very forward to a friendship of sharing ideas and interests. You're a sweetie pie, Connie :)
DeleteYou are a wonderful, wonderful artist!!! The last picture of your journal...wow! I wish I could create beauty just out of thin air like that. And the colors are wonderful. Your bee drawings are so charming. Accurate, cute, funny,I love them!!!
ReplyDeleteDear Ginny, you are so sweet. I am glad you like my journal pages. It's what I like to do in the evening when watching TV. Sometimes I do miss a lot of what is going on, so I'm always asking Steve, what did I miss. He is such a sweetheart, doesn't get upset . . . just cues me in on what I've missed, LOL. Have a great day, and thank you for stopping by, Connie :)
DeleteHi Connie
ReplyDeleteThanks for calling round! Glad you like my blog. The posts you read about my allotment were from last summer - it doesn't look like we're getting a summer this year, we're still in our winter clothes and we've had flooding throughout the country so anything I plant out just gets washed away!
I love bees but I'm allergic to their stings! I've got a huge berry bush in my garden and there is always hundreds of bees around it. I love hearing them hum while I'm sout out there!
Hi there. It is so good to hear from you. Sorry about all your rain . . . we live in a desert area, so rain it our friend, in deed. I do hope the sun starts shining and you get a chance to do some gardening, I can tell that you truly enjoy your garden. Have a bright and beautiful day and thanks again for the sweet visit and for following my blog. Your new blogging friend, Connie :)
DeleteYou must be awfully sweet to attract bees! Love your artwork!
ReplyDeleteI am laughing and can not stop. Thanks for the sugar coated, sweet and lovely comment. Connie :)
DeleteWhatever you do, do NOT plant any "California Lilac" bushes in your yard! They have the most beautiful electric blue blooms and smell wonderfully delicious BUT boy do they draw bees of all kinds!
ReplyDeleteI have two of these beautiful bushes in my back yard and for the first two weeks of blooming season you can hear the buzzing even before you get to the back yard ... and if you enter the area bees start buzzing at you and bumping you trying to keep you away! My little dog has gone back there more than once when I had to get him (they don't bother him) and find running the "Bee Gauntlet" quite daunting and intimidating!
I do love Lilacs and have a small bush but it really hasn't bloomed yet (baby bush). That is a good thing to know. I just really don't like to be attacked while gardening or cutting a bouquet. Bees can be pesty critters.
DeleteCalifornia lilac blooms are like really mini lilac blooms ... but they are upright, not hanging like a traditional lilac. They have four times the fragrance, and the depth of bloom color is amazing, but they draw 10 times the amount of bees!
DeleteOh ... I should add, the big bumble bees never bother anyone ... its just those wild honey bees that one doesn't want to mess with!
ReplyDeleteI really don't know how to tell them apart. I think what we have may be yellow jackets . . . but I'm not sure. If they have a stinger . . . I'm not messing around with them. Thanks for all your advice, sounds like you've educated yourself pretty well. I may have bees on the brain . . . but not so much in the brain, LOL. Connie :)
DeleteThe bumble bees are those cute fat black with a wide stripe and small wings that just kinda "bumble" around and don't bother you much if you leave them alone (my hubby calls them "B-52's). The wild ones are tiny and aggressive when you near or come into their perceived territory.
DeleteCouple years back my grandson came in yelling that he was getting attacked by bees when he was mowing the back yard. We went out and carefully looked and found we had quite a large wild hive in our pussy willow tree (about 2 feet from the California lilac). We called a bee keeper, who came out and collected the hive (at no cost to us) and he let us know that a colony (ours was about 3 feet by 3 feet) can grow to that size in less than 3 weeks! He made sure he got the queen so that a new hive wouldn't commence.
Oh- I don't mind honeybees but those wasps scare the bejeebers out of me. I love your artwork! xo Diana
ReplyDeleteThank you Diana, I love doodling in my journals . . . it is so relaxing. Thanks for stopping by, Connie :)
DeleteMy husband helped a friend with his bee hives a few times a few years ago, but when he was stung twice at one visit, he didn't return.:( Even worse here, though, are the yellow jackets that make their nests in the ground!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, that is what we have. They make their nests in the ground. Our house is built on a concrete slab and they found a small crack by the front door and went down there to build their nest and we had a horrible time getting rid of them . . . plus everyone that came to our front door was in danger of being stung. The other bad nest was next to the garden in the back yard right near my wild-sunflower patch. I couldn't pick a bouquet without those nasty bees . . . sorry, yellow jackets buzzing around me. Anything with a stinger is a bee to me. I have not seen many this year, but they are always their worst in last July, August and September. Thanks you, for your informative visit. I need to download a photo description and learn the different species. Have a great day and watch out for anything that buzzes, LOL. Connie :)
DeleteI remember years ago, when hubby's parents had a mountain cabin (no electricty, just cold running water and a wood stove for cooking) with an outhouse. We had gone up for the week and on the last day my youngest son stepped into a yellow jacket nest in the back of the outhouse ... those jackets covered him in seconds, inside his clothes and out ... my hubby yelled for us to get into the van and slam the doors; then my hubby grabbed Pat, pulled off all his clothes and tossed them ... ran to the van and tossed in Pat! Surprisingly, Pat only had one sting! I treated it with wet tobacco applied to the area (after stinger removal) and put a bad over to hold the tobacco in place.
DeleteI asked my hubby why the bees hadn't stung him ... he said that Pat was the invader and they were drawn to his scent ... once he had pulled off Pat's clothing and tossed them, the bees followed the clothes; he had been in the Forest Service and said that the jackets follow the smell of the invader. He was right! After the swarm left, he retrieved the clothes and we put them in a plastic bag (in case an unwanted guest was still there). By the time we arrived home, the wet tobacco had done its work ... no swelling and you couldn't tell Pat had even been stung.
From that day to this I always have a can of chewing tobacco stuck in my first aide kits! Works really great on stings!
This also happened on another occasion when we were up in the mountains gathering pine cones. That time no stings to the "invader" ... glad my hubby is up on yellow jacket knowledge and how to protect his loved ones!
My hubby swears by pouring gasoline into those ground nests ... it works!
Whoops! I put a "bandaid" over the sting ... not a "bad"! LOL!
DeleteI am so glad that I posted this, because I have been learning a lot about yellow jackets and their behavior. It is also good to be informed and be armed with knowledge. So, if I put tobacco on a sting, I suppose you wet it and get it mushy first, right? I'm not very knowledgeable about tobacco either. I've always heard that if you don't know something, ask. Those that are afraid to let people know that they haven't got a cue about something, ever learn. I really want to know what works and doesn't work when it come to stings. Thank you for sharing. This was very interesting. Connie :)
DeleteYes, Connie, you add some water to the tobacco, mound it over the sting and apply a bandaid over to keep it in place. I don't know why it works, but it has always worked for me ... I don't even remember where I learned this ..... somehow the tobacco draws out the venom from the sting ....
DeleteYou think that's funny, check out your husband's blog!
ReplyDeleteI like you more and more every time we share. I love your humor. Connie :)
DeleteYour art is amazing, Connie! Bee's.... my daughter's worse nightmare. It's a mean joke we play on her when we want to rile her up! :) Hopefully you'll have a sting free summer!
ReplyDeleteHi there, Country Girl! Thanks for stopping by, and thanks for the big ole sloppy horse kiss . . . yes I've just gotten back from your blog. That is some photo, did he fog up you're camera lens, LOL. Have a great weekend, Connie :)
DeleteConnie, I love your journal. Such cute drawings. Bees can be dangerous to some....I am hoping maybe not for me, since I was stung so much as a kid. It's the wasp that make me want to cry and pee my pants at the same time. YIKES... take care, smiles, Susie
ReplyDeleteHi Susie, thanks for stopping by. Wow! cry and pee, that's a lot of information, LOL. Have a great weekend, your blogging friend, Connie :)
DeleteWish for the best for you, Connie. There's nothing like flowers in the garden. Hopefully the bees will wander somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteI know . . . I do not want to be mean, but I'm hoping they decide to move to someone else's yard this year. Have a great weekend, Connie :)
DeleteA men!
ReplyDeleteHi Connie, I'm here for my first visit. Thanks for the invitation to your delightful blog. I love the charming artwork. I'm glad you didn't let the dratted bees keep you from buying your zinnia seeds. I think zinnias are such pretty flowers. I'll be back to visit again soon.
ReplyDeleteAll the best! :-)
Hi Beth, I see that you didn't just stop by and visit, but you are my newest follower. Thank you, I really do appreciate it. I have so much fun sharing ideas with other creative women, and I've made so many sweet and lovely friends, through this blogging community. Have a great weekend, Connie :)
DeleteLove your artwork!
ReplyDeleteThank you and I love your paper flowers, they are uncommonly magnificent! Also, thank you for following my blog. Connie :)
DeleteLove your journal pages...and I sure hope you don't get stung again this year!
ReplyDeleteHi Linda, Thanks for visiting. I too, certainly hope that I don't get strung. It takes a little bit of the joy out of gardening. Have a great day, Connie :)
DeleteGosh, Connie -- it was so great so see you comment today. It's been a long time since we crossed paths.
ReplyDeleteI love your journal art -- so colorful and whimsical. Good luck with the bees -- maybe you should get a beekeeper suit? :)
Hi Nancy, I'm laughing . . . I don't think the bees are that bad, and I've decided from all the information from readers, that I don't have a bee problem. I have a yellow jacket problem. I have been receiving a lot of informative comments, so I at least getting a better understanding of what my problem really is and ways to deal with it. I think those bee suits are pretty cumbersome and expensive. Plus a bit much for my little bunch of bees (yellow jackets). Have a great day and thanks so much for stopping my. Connie :)
DeleteWow, your artwork in your journal is beautiful! What a wonderful idea especially if you are artistic. I hope you don't get stung by a bee again. I have only been stung once. I got into the car and leaned back against the seat and the hornet stuck me. I didn't know it was resting on the seat back and the windows had been down which is how it got in. It sure was painful!
ReplyDeleteAre you allergic to bees? Thanks for visiting again. Blessings, Pamela
Hi Pamela, Thanks for coming by for a visit, I love company and a chance to get to know you better. I have been getting so much information from my followers, that I've decided I don't have a bee problem, I have a yellow jacket problem. To me, if it had a stinger it was a bee. I do suppose they are all related in someway. Have a wonderful day and watch out for anything with a stringer, LOL. Connie :)
DeleteOh, my! Ouch! I'm deathly allergic to bee stings and don't get out and work in the yard like I used to. Hope this summer the bees won't get you! :)
ReplyDeleteOh, my, your artwork in your journal is so wonderful! :)
Thank you so much for popping in to see me.
Be a sweetie,
Shelia ;)
Hi Shelia, it is so good to have a visit from you. I'm very sorry that you are so allergic to bees, it does put you on guard around flowerbeds. I simple love the fact that you put a little song into your posts. There is nothing better than going around all day with a song in your heart. Thanks again for the sweet visit. Connie :)
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DeleteSuch lovely drawings in your journal. How unlucky to have been stung that many times! Touch wood I have never been stung in 50 years even though I'm always in the garden/on the allotment. There was a wasps nest in my old compost heap at the allotment last year and I kept well clear. I'm always getting bitten by mosquitoes and some horrible black fly got me last year which made my arm swell up badly. Maybe you smell just too sweet!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteHello Jacqui, thanks so much for the sweet visit. Bees, Yellow Jackets, Hornets, Wasps, anything with a stinger puts a fear in me, after last summer. Hopefully this year will be better. I love your felted hearts. They have a very warm and coziest about them, besides being so darn pretty. Have a great day and thanks again for the sweet visit. Connie :)
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ReplyDeletehi connie, thank you so much for your visit and following me and such a nice comment! your blog is just wonderful and full of life! your sketch book is so inspirational.. love love love your colors!!!
ReplyDeletein my old life for as long as i could remember i was a gardener and could count on at least 1 sting per season.
when my girls were little i had one of those wasp underground nest in my yard also. it was as big as soccer ball scared the living daylights out of me. gas also took care of it... scary stuff :)
tracie
Hi Tracie, Thank you for the sweet comments. Both bees or yellow jackets and gasoline are very scarey . . . especially close to the house and we live in a small community where the houses are pretty close and the yards pretty small. Have a great vacation and a save trip. Connie :)
DeleteHi Connie
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and for your kind comments. I, too, love your sketch books and the colours that you use. We have just come back from a few days away in Stratford-upon-Avon, one of my favourite places in the UK, more about that on my blog soon!
Thank you so much for your sweet visit and also for following my blog. Oh, Stratford-upon-Avon, to me that is a fictional place, only read about in books. I hope you took lots of photos. I can not wait to hear about your trip. Have a wonderful day. Connie :)
DeleteHi Connie!
ReplyDeleteI have bees in my backyard but luckily I have never gotten stuck - nor my dogs. The bees love the russian sage. I also have honeysuckle for the hummingbirds. I haven't planted anything yet this year and have some bald spots. I've heard that Skin So Soft sold by Avon is a good repellent. You might want to try it.
Your garden sounds perfect - love the choice of veggies too!
I love both of your journal pages -- very creative.
Hugs,
Kay
Hi Kay, you are such a sweetie, I always look forward to your visits. I could use a little softer skin, so that would be a double whammy winner. I also have a few bald spots in my yard, caused by Butchy . . . but I love him too much to worry. I think it is just the price you pay for having a small yard and a dog. Thanks for the information. I have been getting educated this week on the behavior of bees and yellow jackets and on treating stings. All very good things to know. Until we visit again . . . stay well and be happy, Connie :)
DeleteI just love your journal pages... i really like the last one with all the color. really beautiful. Thanks so much for sharing.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for stopping by. I adore company. Connie :)
DeleteHey Connie, so glad you 'gave in' and planted some Zinnias.
ReplyDeleteSummer without those gorgeous flowers just ain't right.....
Here's wishing you a Summer free of beestings, but full of beautiful flowers......
Claire :}
Hi Claire, Well, last Friday I went out and checked my plants and I had a beautiful row of zinnias peeking their little heads out of the soil. They Tuesday I went out and they were gone. Something decided they would make a good dinner. I think it may have been ants. Oh, well . . . That's the way the cookie crumbles. Have a lovely first day of summer, Connie :)
DeleteHi Connie, I love your blog as well! I love to garden too!... the artwork you have been inspired to create from your garden is stunning as well!
ReplyDeleteInka
Dear Inka, I am dancing around the room . . . I never thought that you would like my blog enough to follow. Your site is so utterly fabulous. I am looking forward to becoming great blogging friends and thank you so much, you have made my day! Connie :)
DeleteYour art work is beautiful! I enjoyed seeing it.
ReplyDelete