Saturday, October 23, 2021

The afternoon – or what was left of it after work – was too beautiful to waste. As I was spading down to put in bulbs, I noticed two bees, one on top of the other. They seemed to be wrestling but then I realized one of the bees had been the one limping along in what will become a new flowerbed.

Those little worker bees only live for a summer season performing the essential task of pollinating. Of the 20,000 kinds of bees in the world, 4,000 are native to the United States.  Each different kind of bee is essential to its area.

Take the Rusty Patched Bumblebee, put on the endangered species list after a loss of 90 percent of its population.  It lives in the Bell Bowl Prairie, slated for destruction for a new runway at the Chicago Rockford International Airport.  But we can stop it if we only act now.  Go to the National Wildlife Federation Action Fund website and speak for the bees. 

Prayer for the Day

Caught by competing interests; we come to you, O God

    Asking that we only be focused on you;

Caught by the chaos of the lives we lead; we look to you, O Lord,

     Asking that you shelter us in your loving arms.

Make us servants of your truth and beacons of your mercy,

     Living and sharing your love with all.

In the name of him who shared his life with us,

     Even Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.

Thoughts for the Day

For this, let gardens grow, where beelines end,
sighing in roses, saffron blooms, buddleia;
where bees pray on their knees, sing, praise
in pear trees, plum trees; bees
are the batteries of orchards, gardens, guard them.

         Carol Duffy, poet

Bees have so much to offer us if we only listen

            Jay Ebben, Teacher, from Painted Hives

Lord, you have been our dwelling place for all generations.

   Before the mountains were brought forth

Or ever you had formed the earth and the world

   From everlasting to everlasting you are God.

            Psalm 90: 1-2