Sunday, May 18, 2008

Invitation To A Dance




The branches of the crabapple tree are laiden heavy with blossoms. Cascading upwards and outwards they appear like a cloud reaching for the bright blue sky.

Each delicate, velvety petal surrounds the florets that yield the secret treasure.

And so the dance begins.

The honeybees encouraged by the seductive scent lingering forth come to flitter and hover over each dainty bloom. They alight, but for a moment to drink the heavenly nectar. As the bees pirouette and grand allegro about the tree searching intently for every funnel it begins to buzz from all the activity. Tiny reflections from the creatures' wings glitter in the early morning sunlight.

It is a twofold tale; the bees help pollinate the blossoms producing little crabapples that will cover the old branches later in the season and the nectar that the tree gives so unselfishly will be returned to the hive and become food of the gods, honey.


'Dance is a delicate balance between perfection and beauty'
- Unknown

21 comments:

Lori said...

Susan, how wonderful that you have some honeybees...they are becoming rare it seems...i see a few now and then...we have had lots of wind this weekend and my poor crabapple tree has had most of it's lovely flowers blown away...

SweetAnnee said...

I love it..
the crab apples were
dancing with busy bees
here too.
Even the deer love
to eat the fruit..

and I love blossom "snow"

hugs to you, Deena

Doreen Frost said...

Good morning Susan. What lovely pictures. My dad always raised honey bees. He's been encouraging me to start my own hive but I keep putting it off...I'm worried about disease....loss of a hive...and having the time to dedicate to it..however, it is a wonderful thing to have :) so, I'm still muling it over.

Hugs, xoxo
Doreen

Lana Manis said...

Susan ~ your words & your photo are just beautiful!

Joy Jones said...

What beautiful photos! The picture of the bee captured in flight, is gorgeous! Thank you for sharing these gifts from nature. Have a blessed week! xoxo ~ Joy

rochambeau said...

What a beautifully written post Miss Maddie! I've never seen a crabapple tree before your photo, but I have bought plenty of Lady Apples (think they are the same)? Just Adore how they look. Where would we be with out the bee's, the blossoms, the honey? All making life beautiful and sweet.

Thanks for your kind comment!
Happy Monday
xo
Constance

Christine Crocker said...

so very beautiful,Susan.

xo,C

Pinkie Denise said...

Oh, so beautiful the blossoms of white, I love cherry and pink of the peach tree too. Do you make jelly with your apples? So glad to hear the
weather is change for you and signs of Spring. We have skipped a season and have gone into Summer here...I am
not handling it well to say the least.Enjoy the the busy bees Pinkie

Britt-Arnhild said...

Dance with the apple blossoms. Just perfect :-)

Donna O'Brien said...

When is your book coming out?? I mean seriously, Susan. You write so beautifully. And the photos are equally pretty.
D.

http://loveconquersall.typepad.com/my_weblog/ said...

What a lovely Post, I wish I was there, I can just smell the sweetness already in the air~

xoxo~Jeannene

Kate I said...

Thanks for dropping by for a visit Susan! It's a delight to find you (in your lovely area of Canada) midst your lucsious apple blossoms. Ah, spring and it's feast to our senses.

I too, will soon be sharing my garden with masses of bees...but it's my lavender they want! So many gorge on it's pollen that I can barely get near it...if only I could find where they're making that lavender honey!

Christine LeFever said...

Oh how I love a beautiful crab apple tree. The dance analogy is wonderful, and if your honey bees all move on into a different dimension, get some mason bee houses and the dance will continue.

Christine

Sherry said...

Crab apple trees and their blossoms...glorious!! Spring is here -- even though you wouldn't know it by the temperatures!! I wish I had brought some of that California sunshine back in my suitcase..left SF Sunday night and it had been 90 something all day. Landed in Buffalo on the Monday morning to 45 -- what is going on?!? And it's been cold here since...

softinthehead said...

Beautiful! Simply beautiful but even the picture makes me sneeze and my eyes water! I love nature but nature has other ideas about me,lol I always enjoy coming here and reading your tidbits of life!Thanks Susan! Pam

Suzanne said...

Awww, the dance of spring. Your photos are gorgeous! Growing up, my Dad had several hives. It was so nice of the bees to share their yummy honey!

http://afancifultwist.typepad.com said...

So incredibly beautiful!!! Amazing bee photo!!!

Sandy said...

I would like to dance under the crabapple blossoms with the honey bees, their buzz would be sweet waltzing music in the fragrant air!

Susan Walker said...

Oh Susan, your photos of the blossoms are beautiful! I'm looking forward to hearing more about your latest treasure as well. Susan

Lea said...

What exquisite beauty! And those honey bees laden with pollen, oh they make me so happy, that I will dance with them and you!!!

Sea Angels said...

Hello Susan, your post is so very beautiful. It make me sad that in europe many many of our bees are dying,it has somthing to do with our mobile phone masts, they are confusing the bee's on how to get home, and they are dying in their hundreds...isn't this awful.
Hugs Lynn xx