Honey Bee Blues

This morning, I was spraying something sticky off the pool deck when, OMG, I accidentally jetted a honey bee with a stream of water! My pulse quickened and my stomach sank as the poor dear rolled onto its back flailing in a puddle. I thought I had killed him, and for some reason, the song by Muddy Waters, “Honey Bee”, flew into my thoughts:

Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on

Sail on, sail on my little honey bee, sail on

You gonna keep on sailing till you lose your happy home. (Enter guitar riff.)

I put down the hose and wondered what I should do — grab a stick or a leaf for him to climb up on. I had to save him, after all, I am a huge fan of saving the honey bee from extinction and here I was about to kill one with a careless act. Before this dope could think of a thing to do, the little yellow miracle rolled over and began to crawl toward my bare foot. I thought about pulling away, but realized my big toe was his safe haven. There was a very good chance he would sting me, but I figured I had it coming. Proving an island of sorts was the least I could endure for almost sending him into the pool on a tsunami-like wave.

One by one, the honey bee placed each little leg onto my toe and proceeded to crawl onto my foot, then my ankle, and finally, my leg. His touch was a delightful tickle and made me feel connected with nature. As it neared the edge of my capri pant leg, I said, “That could get a little too close for comfort, big guy.”

I flattened my pant hem to my skin and he crawled onto the blue jean fabric. He inched along like a parched man crossing the Sahara, so I put my hand down, picked him up and transferred him to a tender thyme leaf.

Thankfully, he recovered and presumably flew off to his happy home.

Amber Galusha

Always exploring, creating and cultivating, and sharing what I observe along the way. To visit my professional site, click here.

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Wild_Bill - August 15, 2012 - 1:21 pm

Your wonderful deed for the day. That you care about a bee says a lot about you. It is people like you who make the world a better place. One small act of kindness can create a ripple that grows into a tsunami of good. Thank you.

Oh, by the way, the bee was a female, a she, as all worker bees are. You saved a part of the colony. And in the world of bees it is all the parts that make the colony a success.

Amber Galusha - August 15, 2012 - 2:00 pm

Thanks for the correction, Bill. Where are the male bees? I need to pull out my book of bees and brush up on honey bee behavior : )

Cheri - August 20, 2012 - 7:23 pm

Another wonderful written story! I can feel the bees leg and how fun that felt! I think you will like this story … Just the other day on the river trail I saw a baby lizard in the middle of the trail so I stopped, bent down and talked with it and it didn’t run away … and so I decided to see if it would let me pick it up. It did! This tiny lil baby lizard with its cute little lizard fingers wrapped them around my finger (I love the tickles) and we sat and shared quiet time for a while … and then I told it to stay off the river trail and I put it on the shrubs and grass.

Amber Galusha - August 20, 2012 - 8:37 pm

I love that you picked up a lizard and spoke with it, Cheri! Sometimes, the best company is an animal or insect : ) Blessings.