#Bee's Beekeeping

[littlestrawberry]

Wings sourced from beekeepers dealing with the loss of their hives due to extreme weather, the pieces are made to memorialize the bees.

"A veil lifts between two worlds: light and dark; life and death; individual and union. It is worn in ceremony of transition. It is a fabric of both grief and celebration, made up of a community, a hive." by lucijockel

[starthecozy]

I'm thinking of something silly like Steve telling Eddie in passing that he really liked finding bees when he was a kid and *whisper* how he would have loved to have had a bee themed room back then but his parents refused to give him such soft stuff.

So Eddie makes it his personal mission to give him ALL the bee themed objects he can find. He goes to hidden thrift stores in the city and at first he finds him random things (bee doorknob, bee light switch, a small bee wall clock) and Steve LOVES them but then Eddie finds The Gift: a bee mug.

He buys it and brings it to the trailer as Steve's mug, marking his place in his home. At this point Steve has lots of gifts (half of them homemade by Eddie, he couldn't afford much) but this one marks a change in their relationship.

It's not much later that Steve brings the rest of his stuff (bee themed or not) to the trailer and make it officially his home there. 🐝

[formosusiniquis]

for @thefreakandthehair and inspired by this. Everyone enjoy some bee keeper!Eddie saving the day so Steve can play some baseball

Eddie picked up beekeeping the way he picked up most things in his life: accidentally and by virtue of following a crumb of serotonin straight down the rabbit hole of obsession. It isn't what he expected to do for a living, and at this point he does have to admit that when it accounted for 91% of his taxable income last year it is what he does for a living, but he likes that he gets to work outside and set his own hours. He likes that the regular customers he has who buy his honey are nice, and likes getting to advise people about things like flavor profiles and what they taste best with, it was the thing he liked best about his position at the dispensary that was now more of a side gig. And then there's his contract with city animal control that gets him called out to parts of the city he didn't even know existed to relocate hives a lot more often than he thought would happen.

It's a good life, and he likes that he's made it himself.

But it's the kind of life that gets him calls from people late at night when trying to finish binging Fallout before the internet can spoil it for him. He has a rule to always answer when Chrissy calls though, he isn't going to miss helping her if it's an emergency.

“I need a favor,” she says before he's even finished answering.

“Anything for you,” he agrees.

“You might regret saying that.”

Chrissy Cunningham turned a full ride scholarship for cheerleading into a business and marketing degree and she turned that into a fancy job with the White Sox that he didn’t fully understand but totally supported. He wore the free cap she gave him, and was endlessly glad that as a white guy he didn’t get gatekept the way girls like Chrissy did, since he couldn’t name a single player on the team.

And it was that endless support that had him in his full gear at the White Sox stadium with his smoker and bee vac.

Chrissy meets him at the front with a harried expression and a warm hug, “I’d say I owe you one but if everything goes right we’ll be totally square before the first inning.”

“What does that mean?” he asks, repeating it louder when all she gives him is an enigmatic smile. 

The only answer he truly gets is being shoved into a little green cart that she drives with a frightening speed. She drives them through the stadium through a route he has no hope of remembering on his own until they reach an opening that leads straight out to the field. Eddie always had a dream, as a kid, of being a rockstar, driving out onto the diamond to a sudden and uproarious cheer is the closest he thinks he’s ever come to truly experiencing what it would be like to be famous on stage.

He hams it up of course. Waves his arms to try to get them to cheer louder as Chrissy stears them toward the lifter that he’s going to have to go up to get to the swarm. And they do, the cheers becoming an enthusiastic roar, a sound so loud he thinks he could climb them up to the bees without the lifter. 

“Focus will you, you’re on national television right now.” Chrissy says, with a subtle elbow to his side.

“Yeah but how many people are watching a delayed baseball game?”

Never one to just take his smartass comments, he’s sure that Chrissy says something super witty and sarcastic back. Only Eddie made the mistake of turning his head and catching sight of the most glorious ass in the snuggest pair of pinstriped white baseball pants and lost the ability to hear. A second elbow in his side reminds his brain full of metaphorical bees that he’s on television and he doesn’t have his veil on, he isn’t about to get caught drooling on television.

The fattest ass in the stadium turns around and Eddie thinks he’s been stung. He has to be going into anaphylaxis with the way he suddenly can’t catch his breath. The guy in front of him, with a hand on his hip and his eyes trained unwaveringly on Eddie is tongue-swellingly hot. And he just keeps getting closer as Chrissy doesn’t stop driving forward.

“Steve, you’re not supposed to get this close, you're our starting pitcher you can’t get stung.” Chrissy chides.

“I just wanted to make sure that he wasn’t going to kill the bees.” The guy, Steve, says.

“He’s not.”

“I’m not,” Eddie says, shaking his head as fast as he can, like that will make things more convincing for the hot baseball guy. But he’s got an eyebrow raised giving Eddie an up and down like he still doesn’t believe him.

“Look,” he pulls out his equipment so Steve can see. “I’ll smoke them with this, that’ll make them calm so they don’t freak out when I vacuum them up with this.”

“And running them through a vacuum isn’t going to kill them?”

“It’s a gentle suck,” he says, immediately filled with a burning mortification. “It’s just enough to move them into the tank where I can relocate them.”

Hot baseball Steve has his big brown eyes open even wider, there’s a twitch at his mouth like he’s about to say something else and Eddie actually can’t have that. “Chris can we get me strapped into this thing, we want to get this big ballgame going right?”

Steve takes a couple steps back, hands raised up in a placating gesture. Whether it’s for him or for Chrissy because he didn’t listen, Eddie’s too busy putting a neon yellow safety buckle on to think about it.

He takes his time, this is basically free marketing so he’s not about to rush through or do a half-assed job. But in just a few minutes he has a vac full of bees and the game is ready to be played. The lifter gently lowers Eddie back to the ground with another round of cheers. He unclips from the safety harness and takes a shallow bow for the crowd.

Then Steve is jogging over, Eddie stands up straighter than he ever has in his life. Nervous for what is about to happen.

“You saved the game, man!” Steve has the nicest smile that Eddie has ever seen, wide and toothy. He is but a man and thus falls a little bit in love immediately.

“It was nothing, really, just part of the job, y’know.”

“Well, here’s something you probably haven’t done on the job. You have to throw the first pitch.”

“No, no, I absolutely will not be doing that.”

It’s the wrong thing to say, a mischief lights up in Steve’s eyes. He jerks his chin up at Chrissy who says something Eddie is too far away to hear into a walkie talkie. He thinks he has a guess though when the loudspeaker begins to drawl, “Laaadies and Gentlemen, our game is about to begin. Tonight’s first pitch will be thrown by our bee rescuer, Eddie Munson!”

The crowd begins to scream again, but the sound is almost like the hive's steady drone when Steve leans close enough to whisper, “It’s just ceremonial, all you’ve got to do is throw it. I’ll even play catcher for you.” And Eddie’s helpless to do anything but nod.

There’s actually a lot that has to happen before they’re ready for him to throw his sad attempt at a pitch. But that gives him the time to settle his equipment out of the way and scream at Chrissy. Still it’s sooner than he’d like before she’s shuffling him over to a big mound of dirt in the center of everything. She pushes his hat and veil back and it feels a little proud father of the bride right until she pats him on the top of his head and whispers, “Don’t fuck it up, nerd.”

His palms are sweaty, they feel too slick to get a good grip on the small, white ball. He thinks he might throw up, only across from him Steve is there. A glove on one hand he sends Eddie an encouraging little finger wave with the other. 

He can do this. 

He takes a deep breath and throws.

It’s awful. Too high and a little off center, but Steve snags it in that large, ungloved palm and the crowd cheers again like he’s done something fantastic. He’s starting to think they’re just happy to be here.

He starts to walk off the field, toward Chrissy where he knows he’s safe. But he can’t help noticing that Steve is jogging his way too; the ball that Eddie just threw in one hand, a sharpie in the other, his glove tucked tight under his arm. “Eddie, hey, you gotta take this with you, dude.”

Steve lobs it at him in a soft underhand, and Eddie still fumbles the catch, “Thanks, man, but really, I don’t-” the rest of his response dies in his mouth when he realizes just what Steve has scribbled across the ball.

“Give me a call if you’re interested,” Steve says, walking backward toward the mound Eddie just left, “I can show you my gentle suck.” He laughs at his own shitty pickup line, which is somehow more attractive than his whole hot jock thing.

Eddie thinks he must be blushing up to his hairline by the time he makes it back to Chrissy and his things. She looks too smug for it to be any other way. “Told you we’d be even before the end of the night.”

“Chris, if this goes well I might owe you a favor. Now we gotta go, I’ve got bees to relocate.”

[samarajethwa]

Just some silly little bee doodles 🐝✨

[brandyschillace]

Authors doing other stuff

Another day of not exactly writing things down… but worth it. Remember those videos of me building the hive?

Bees arrived!

Now we wait and hope they settle and accept the Queen.

UPDATE: they seem to have accepted the Queen; still monitoring but things seem positive!

[thinkingimages]

Beekeeper from the vincinity of Aranđelovac, Šumadija district, Serbia. Historic Museum of Serbia

[diazsdimples]

I think Buck becoming a beekeeper after this would be hilarious actually. Like sure, the bees he faces are killer bees, stinging their was through half the population of Los Angeles and causing untold amounts of chaos, but I think he'd be like "🥺 but they were just following their instincts! People kept swatting at them and I'd sting someone that swatted me!" Anyways, after all that's done and the bees are safely collected and carted off to where they belong, Buck hops online and starts searching beehives and how to keep bees. He's still in his loft so he nominates Tommy and Eddie's backyards to be the Bee Lands (he argues bees will help cancel out Eddie's uncanny ability to kill every plant ever and Tommy's his boyfriend so he's gotta) and gets a couple of hives and a whole heap of honeybees delivered to both of their houses. It's a little difficult having split custody, especially considering the bee suits still give Eddie a nervous twitch, but Buck has the best time going over to each house and just chilling with the little guys, he initially doesn't want to take their honey but then does a bit more research and figures out a way to do it that's respectful and kind to the bees, and it becomes his favourite little hobby. He offers for the other members of the 118 to come over and look at the bees and see that they're really not so bad but for some reason no one really jumps at the offer.

[dandelionsresilience]

Good News - August 15-21

Like these weekly compilations? Tip me at $kaybarr1735 or check out my new(ly repurposed) Patreon!

1. Smart hives and dancing robot bees could boost sustainable beekeeping

“[Researchers] developed a digital comb—a thin circuit board equipped with various sensors around which bees build their combs. Several of these in each hive can then transmit data to researchers, providing real-time monitoring. [… Digital comb] can [also] be activated to heat up certain parts of a beehive […] to keep the bees warm during the winter[…. N]ot only have [honeybee] colonies reacted positively, but swarm intelligence responds to the temperature changes by reducing the bees' own heat production, helping them save energy.”

2. Babirusa pigs born at London Zoo for first time

“Thanks to their gnarly tusks […] and hairless bodies, the pigs are often called "rat pigs" or "demon pigs” in their native Indonesia[….] “[The piglets] are already looking really strong and have so much energy - scampering around their home and chasing each other - it’s a joy to watch. They’re quite easy to tell apart thanks to their individual hair styles - one has a head of fuzzy red hair, while its sibling has a tuft of dark brown hair.””

3. 6,000 sheep will soon be grazing on 10,000 acres of Texas solar fields

“The animals are more efficient than lawn mowers, since they can get into the nooks and crannies under panel arrays[….] Mowing is also more likely to kick up rocks or other debris, damaging panels that then must be repaired, adding to costs. Agrivoltaics projects involving sheep have been shown to improve the quality of the soil, since their manure is a natural fertilizer. […] Using sheep instead of mowers also cuts down on fossil fuel use, while allowing native plants to mature and bloom.”

4. Florida is building the world's largest environmental restoration project

“Florida is embarking on an ambitious ecological restoration project in the Everglades: building a reservoir large enough to secure the state's water supply. […] As well as protecting the drinking water of South Floridians, the reservoir is also intended to dramatically reduce the algae-causing discharges that have previously shut down beaches and caused mass fish die-offs.”

5. The Right to Repair Movement Continues to Accelerate

“Consumers can now demand that manufacturers repair products [including mobile phones….] The liability period for product defects is extended by 12 months after repair, incentivising repairs over replacements. [… M]anufacturers may need to redesign products for easier disassembly, repair, and durability. This could include adopting modular designs, standardizing parts, and developing diagnostic tools for assessing the health of a particular product. In the long run, this could ultimately bring down both manufacturing and repair costs.”

6. Federal Judge Rules Trans Teen Can Play Soccer Just In Time For Her To Attend First Practice

“Today, standing in front of a courtroom, attorneys for Parker Tirrell and Iris Turmelle, two transgender girls, won an emergency temporary restraining order allowing Tirrell to continue playing soccer with her friends. […] Tirrell joined her soccer team last year and received full support from her teammates, who, according to the filing, are her biggest source of emotional support and acceptance.”

7. Pilot study uses recycled glass to grow plants for salsa ingredients

“"We're trying to reduce landfill waste at the same time as growing edible vegetables," says Andrea Quezada, a chemistry graduate student[….] Early results suggest that the plants grown in recyclable glass have faster growth rates and retain more water compared to those grown in 100% traditional soil. [… T]he pots that included any amount of recyclable glass [also] didn't have any fungal growth.”

8. Feds announce funding push for ropeless fishing gear that spares rare whales

“Federal fishing managers are promoting the use of ropeless gear in the lobster and crab fishing industries because of the plight of North Atlantic right whales. […] Lobster fishing is typically performed with traps on the ocean bottom that are connected to the surface via a vertical line. In ropeless fishing methods, fishermen use systems such an inflatable lift bag that brings the trap to the surface.”

9. Solar farms can benefit nature and boost biodiversity. Here’s how

“[… M]anaging solar farms as wildflower meadows can benefit bumblebee foraging and nesting, while larger solar farms can increase pollinator densities in surrounding landscapes[….] Solar farms have been found to boost the diversity and abundance of certain plants, invertebrates and birds, compared to that on farmland, if solar panels are integrated with vegetation, even in urban areas.”

10. National Wildlife Federation Forms Tribal Advisory Council to Guide Conservation Initiatives, Partnerships

“The council will provide expertise and consultation related to respecting Indigenous Knowledges; wildlife and natural resources; Indian law and policy; Free, Prior and Informed Consent[… as well as] help ensure the Federation’s actions honor and respect the experiences and sovereignty of Indigenous partners.”

August 8-14 news here | (all credit for images and written material can be found at the source linked; I don’t claim credit for anything but curating.)

[timmurleyart]

Honey power. 🌼🐻🍯(60”x60” mixed media)🐝

[tremendously-crazy]

Me when i see a bee/rose: is this a sherlock holmes reference?

[curiouscatalog]

Bees? BEES!

Thorley, John. Melisselogia. Or, the Female Monarchy. Being an Enquiry into the Nature, Order, and Government of Bees, Those Admirable, Instructive and Useful Insects. With a New, Easy, and Effectual Method to Preserve Them, Not Only in Colonies, but Common Hives. London: For the author [etc.], 1744. 

SF525 .T5

[darksilvania]

There is a fun mechanic on my region involving this 2 honey based mons. Depending on which one you have at the front of your party, you can attract certain pokemons to appear in the wild that wont show up normally.

MELIFÉE is based on a Honeypot Ant, they make their honey by eating flowers, herbs and spices, which make a very sweet honey with healing properties. They try to keep their honey as pure as possible, so they carve honey dippers and lids out of wood using their mandibles to handle their honey without touching it.

BEEKREEPER make their honey by consuming meat, usually from corpses, their honey has a very strong taste and strange properties, so it is not safe for human consumption without being properly harvested and purified.

If MELIFÉE is at the front of your party, it will attract JOLIBRI, the hummingbird moth pokemon, but if you have BEEKREEPER at the front it will attract BEEZZARD, the vulture bee pokemon

JOLIBRI have a friendly relationship with MELIFÉE, they often surround them and keep watch in case other pokemons want to attack them and steel their honey, in exchange MELIFÉE gives them free honey

similar to JOLIBRI and MELIFÉE, BEEZZARD has a symbiotic relationship with BEEKREEPER, where they bring them meat and receive the excess honey they produce

And regardless of wich one of the 2 you have on your party, you will attract this 2 randomly: NECTAROBER, the Honey thief pokemon (based on a bee beetle) and BUMBLBOOZ, the Brewer pokemon (based on a drunk bumblebee)

NECTAROBER loves honey but are unable to make any, so they try to steal it. They will mostly target MELIFÉE, but will also mug BEEKREEPER if the opportunity arises. They use the fluff on their bodies to look bulkier and more intimidating that they really are, but are actually pretty weak.

BUMBLEBOOZ doesnt care about where the honey comes from, because they dont eat it directly. They collect the honey, mix it with water and other herbs and store it so it can become mead, which they drink constantly, thats why they are always seen drunk.

[punstars]

[mayor-brandy]

🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🌼🍯

[kpop-bbg]

[brandyschillace]

AUTHORS DOING OTHER STUFF

Like putting together a bee hive. Badly. With the aid of Cheezits.

I’m not the only author who keeps bees by the way. I know @neil-gaiman used to keep them in Wisconsin. And Sherlock Holmes gave it a go, too, so it’s not a bad gig for a historian-turned-mystery-writer, either.

Yes. I might be procrastinating.