Bee Happy: A Workshop for Children

When I created the character of Madame Beespeaker, this is the kind of event I dreamed of: neighbourhood folks getting together to make art celebrating bees. The event was organized by my friend Bear, who is a wonderful artist and art educator. We are so lucky to have her living in our neighborhood.

Children made messages for the bees to take home and/or to put in the mailbox for the bees that Bear created for her new bee garden. She happened to have some of this old library ephemera which we recycled.


I love this posture of absolute concentration!

Bear's bee garden is planted with different kinds of lavender, salvia, and phacelia.

The children were given examples of images of different kinds of bees to use as inspiration.

My favorite message of the day was written by a serious little boy. It simply said "I like cheese."

Although it was cool for this time of the year, thankfully the rain held off and we were able to stay outdoors. (Click on the image above if you want to read the text.)

The great thing about having these bee gardens in pubic spaces is that the neighbors can see how the plants develop and how the kids can play safely around bees without worrying too much about being stung. We watched a bumble bee taking a nap on the salvia, and another bee foraging in the phacelia.


Bear set up a table for the kids to draw and paint garden markers with pictures of bees and the plants that are in the garden. Everyone was invited to make one to take home and one that would remain in the two bee gardens.


The older kids put on safety glasses and hammered in their own nails, but there were adults on hand to help the younger ones.

A trio of beautiful bees!


The plant name markers are great sources of information for people who want to grow bee plants in their own gardens.

The second bee garden is at the neighbor's house. She organized a honey tasting table which was very popular.

There was also a lemonade stand with proceeds donated to the MOP Garden. I was presented with twelve dollars and seventy five cents. Thanks guys!



Yay for neighbourhood small grants and the fantastic people who put them to good use to create community!


The event was funded by a small neighborhood grant.

Bobbin's Garden

"Bobbin" is a wonderful artist and a passionate gardener. I had the wonderful privilege of being invited to her house for lunch. This morning glory reminds me of her vibrant sense of color. She looks great in blue and often wears beautiful blue earrings. Her garden is artful and harmonious, a combination of sun and shade plants--wild and cultivated. She clipped veggies from her garden while I puttered around and took it all in.


I love the color relationship between these coneflowers and the maple behind it.

Wasps drink from an elegant and rustic water bath.


Coffee filters entwined with vines! Quirky!


The variety of color and textures is inspiring and magazine-worthy.


I haven't seen these for a long time. I think my dad still has a few glass insulators. Suddenly I want some in our garden!

This is lobelia--a beautiful shade-loving plant.

Bobbin harvests from the garden and voila! She throws together a beautiful salad bursting with flavor that we eat with a chewy baguette spread with tsatsiki. Bobbin pours an amazing iced tea which she makes with black tea mixed with rose-hip/hibiscus and slightly sweetened. I love it.



The grin on this happy dog's face just about says it all. Thanks Bobbin!

Just Past the Peak

I went out in my garden today and noticed some sleepy bumble bees looking a little worse-for wear, almost like they were hung-over from the night before. We had a bit of rain last night and it did seem like it was going to rain this afternoon, but no such luck.

The MOP bee garden is just passing its prime. Some of the sunflowers are starting to droop and go to seed. Today I pulled out the red clover and Sharon and I clipped the fuzzy seed heads for seed tapestries.

I also collected cerinthe seeds which had fallen to the ground.



This was an elegant gladiola that a guerilla gardener planted in the garden.

Yes, that foul bindweed gets everywhere, but Sharon turns it into art!

A very shaggy bumble bee and a tiny friend just to the left on one of the petals.
This is how tall those sunflowers are. I kid you not!

We've decided on the dresswear theme for the next MOPARRC teaparty. Hint: "Hoots mon, git your kilt out and give it a wee bit of airing!"

MOP Bee Garden Aug. 1

I just never get tired of bees in sunflowers.

The bitter melon plant is suddenly blossoming all over and finding its way into the dragonshead patch.

Coreopsis tinctoria in the morning light.

The tall coneflowers converse with the tall sunflowers.

African marigolds and a dwarf sunflower.


A syrphid fly in a bitter melon blossom.

The bad-faced wasp nest on the MOP shed. Close the door quietly!

The sunflower dance of the bumblebee.