inspired: honey bee weekend

When I set out on my artist date to the Morton Arboretum last week in pursuit of the Reading Garden, I had no idea that I was also in for another inspiring experience! As I pulled up to pay my entrance fee, I noticed what seemed like a million bees buzzing around the lovely flower beds by the gatehouses. There were so many that I had to close my windows as I waited my turn, so that I wouldn't end up with a bee in my car! Walking up to the Visitor Center a few minutes later, I noticed signs posted everywhere, advertising the Arboretum's annual "Honey Bee Weekend," taking place that very day.

I am so inspired by bees. Their cooperation, their instinct, the way that individually, each bee plays such a tiny role but every role is necessary. And I love how such tiny individual creatures are so intrinsic to the prosperity of agriculture and flowers and so much of what makes our world beautiful and functional every day. I am by no means a bee expert, and I have had no actual experience with beekeeping. But I have read a lot about bees and beekeeping, and attended a scientific lecture a few years back on the "Disappearing Bees" phenomenon, just because I find them so fascinating. Beekeeping is one of my someday ideals, which would have surely been listed in my goals post the other day, if I had let myself keep going. I think they are beautiful and I am absolutely captivated by learning about their purpose and cooperative achievements in nature. 

I decided to be spontaneous with my day and signed up for a tour with a docent, which included a walk over to visit one of the Arboretum's hives. Our tour ended up just with myself and another guest, so our docent gave us great attention and answered every question we could think of in our hour's tour. A lot of the information she shared were things I already knew, but there were a lot of visual resources and props available throughout the display booths that helped to illustrate the knowledge she shared. Here are a few moments and sights that really inspired me! 

My bee adventure turned out to be a wonderful prelude to my "Reading Garden" artist date which followed! I am grateful for the way my day unfolded, for my chance to share in this unexpected learning, and to be inspired by the bees all over again.