Bee careful...

(Credit: Scott Bauer, USDA/Agricultural Research Services)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoGY1FjdiH8

Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) is the name that has been given to the latest, and what seems to be the most serious, die-off of honey bee colonies across the country. It is characterized by, sudden colony death with a lack of adult bees in/in front of the dead-outs.

As of February 2007, many of the beekeepers reporting heavy losses associated with CCD are large commercial migratory beekeepers, some of who have lost 50-90% of their colonies. Surviving colonies are often so weak that they are not viable pollinating or honey producing units.

Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner for science, Edward O. Wilson writes -“As extinction spreads, some of the lost forms prove to be keystone species, whose disappearance brings down other species and triggers a ripple effect through the demographics of the survivors. The loss of a keystone species is like a drill accidentally striking a power line. It causes lights to go out all over.” The Diversity of Life

Serious stuff- bees are responsible for pollination of our FOOD. Why is the media so sluggish to report on this?? Honey bees are vital to life as we know it and there is virtually NO press. This same phenomena first noted in Pennsylvania has been reported in Germany, Spain and Portugal, the U.K. and Guatemala. It is hard to imagine the TREMENDOUS economic shock this will send around the world from loss of food and a hit economy.

Check out the crops affected: apples, peaches, soybeans, pears, pumpkins, cucumbers, cherries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries, squash and nuts.

The researchers are looking into various things that may have caused this- but not the large use of genetically modified (GM) crops. Hmmm. I am hoping that an independent non-governmental organization comes forward to look into this- hello- Europe? Are you out there to do this service for the world? The GM industry is such a Goliath in the U.S. that I fear little headway can actually be made here.

Additional information can be found here: http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/ColonyCollapseDisorder.html

Nursery Rhymes

There was an old woman

Who lived in a shoe;

She had so many children,

She didn't know what to do.

She gave them some broth,

Without any bread;

She whipped them all soundly,

And sent them to bed.

There was an old woman… of course it couldn't be moi- I am FAR to young to be OLD... ha!

Recently upon finding out that I am with child, again, a certain person inquired when I would be moving into a shoe… I had to chuckle. I remember as a child thinking what a horrid poem it was. I never expected to love so much so many dear ones. Each of them is a source of delight. This evening the air was slightly warmer than the preceding weeks and the children were on fire to run, scooter, blade and bike outdoors. Soon other things beckoned.

We have a generous helping of grape hyacinth along the front of our home and one of our bushes, the regal Andromeda is flowering as well. Forsythia has loudly announced its arrival in a show of spiky yellow- and much to the kids delight- all flowers were well within reach of small hands and scissors. One of the kiddettes had the great idea to sell petite bouquets of these spring delights to our neighbors. I encouraged them to spread the love- a grand idea, but for FREE…With shrieks of delight and a great deal of creativity and foil to hold the fragile stems in position were the bouquets delivered to my indulgent neighbors.

After an evening of such revelery and fun I hardly had to whip a single one into bed, as they each and everyone had visions of flowers and gentle, creative play to coddle them to sleep- and not in a stinky old shoe either…

Hokie sadness...

I am still reeling from the Virginia Tech shootings. As a student I remember feeling utterly safe as I traversed the drill field and made my new home cozy by building a loft in my dorm room. I remember being awed by the scale of the campus that quickly became manageable due to a mountain bike and familiarity with buildings. I relished my independence in making decisions without my parent’s immediate input- where, what and how I would study, what I would eat for dinner, who to be friends with and where to go to parties. This is a place where hippies, punks, jocks and band kids interacted easily- where the international students seemed to feel and accepted. My heart breaks for the families, for the faculty and staff and most of all for the lost innocence of the entire community. The citizens of Blacksburg are a softhearted but gritty-strong people who embrace the students as one of their own.
At first I felt outrage at the needless atrocity. Here were a bunch of kids- the bloom of life is never so robust as that of a college student coming into their own and pursing their first passions, finding their own voice. To have such a life curtailed is truly a tragedy. Now a deep sadness pervades my spirit over all that has been lost.
Sitting with my father recently, we traded war stories about our previous week. So much sadness, hurt and heartache-- all very real and worthy of the angst produced in both of our psyches. Yet I have the assurance that in the morning it will feel just a bit better and not seem nearly as dark and oppressive as the evening before. This man who shot these young adults did not have that perspective. If seems a crime to feel that desperate and lonely. With whom did he have relationships with? Was there a group of people to help ground him? Was he aware of the healing and grace that can come only through our Lord Jesus? As a parent I can only imagine the hurt and longing that his parents must feel for their son. My prayers are with them. May our children never have to go through this.

a new favorite quote

Gwen Ifill on the Don Imus fiasco

"So here’s what this voice has to say for people who cannot grasp the notion of picking on people their own size: This country will only flourish once we consistently learn to applaud and encourage the young people who have to work harder just to achieve balance on the unequal playing field."

Gwen Ifill is a senior correspondent for “The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer” and the moderator of “Washington Week.”