Thursday 19 October 2017

The Honey Bee

by D J Blackmore



What is the only insect that produces food eaten by man? You guessed it, Apis Mellifera. Or as we often know it, the honey bee.

But did you know that the worker bee makes only a twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in its entire short six week lifetime?

Or that honey is the only food that contains everything necessary to sustain life, including minerals, vitamins and enzymes?

It is the one food that contains Pinocembrin, an antioxidant that is associated with accelerated function of the brain.

The hives only queen lives for up to five years. Without her, the hive loses all sense of meaning. The hive needs her to continue existence. Their selfless work is for her mother of all and for their community. They work tirelessly. So much so that a hive of bees will actually orbit the earth three times, or 144,840 kilometres, just for the production of one kilogram of honey.

The worlds most expensive honey is produced in Turkey and costs 5000 euros a kilogram. Thats as much as it costs for a small car.

The work of honey bees pollinates a third of all world food. Thats about one in every three mouthfuls that sit on your plate.

In ancient Egypt bees were seen as a symbol of royalty and power. Druids looked at bees with a sense of celebration and community. Christian monastic communities associated bees with selflessness, cleanliness, courage, sociability, wisdom and spirituality.

Pharaohs took it with them to the afterlife. Honey never spoils, and just as it was esteemed in ancient times, the worth of honey is rising once more.

The book of Judges teaches us about Deborah, prophet and judge. Deborah has been called the mother of Israel. Her name also happens to mean bee.

When Samson killed a lion with his bare hands, he went back the following year to discover that a colony of bees had made their hive inside the lions empty carcase. The pleasure at finding combs full of honey and not so pleasant stinging worker bees would have been considered an incredible bounty in those times.

In Judges 14:14, Samson tells a riddle:

Out of the eater, something to eat;
Out of the strong, something sweet.

The great power of a single lion had been defeated. In its decay there was nothing lovely, nothing clean and yet bees had made from it something sweet, an abundance of something good.

When we create loveliness out of the everyday, begging the beautiful out of the mundane, it is the sweetness of our efforts that is like gold. Our tireless work from continued routine is what makes us strong.

Yet as writers, it can often be a struggle to continue to push past indolence, flagging sales, rejections, not to mention writers block. For all that writing is by its very nature a lone undertaking, it is togetherness and community which can build and strengthen the individual and the team.

In encouraging, listening, being willing to share, we are a hive of many working in togetherness to make something sweet in His name, and thats powerful.



My newest work is Folly, the conclusion to Charter to Redemption. It has been an endeavour which was only made possible through the help of others, and Im indebted to all those whove been part of the process. Im thankful to the team at Rhiza Press regarding the release of Central to Nowhere in 2018. Im currently writing my second contemporary novel, Rising Son, as well as looking forward to starting a guest author blog in the near future. Thank you for the encouragement Ive found with Christian Writers Downunder; it is gold.

Author Biography:

I have milked cows and made cheese. I have reared babies, border collies, and kept bees. I bartered my Gouda for wine at a boutique vineyard near our home in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. A short stint with horses saw me falling off and breaking my best arm. Now I steer clear of animals of the equine persuasion. Being mother to five is my highest achievement, but writing comes a close second. After all, it has been my friend for so many years, we two are inseparable.

15 comments:

  1. Congratulations on your latest book D.J.! Love the cover. And thanks for a great post. I was fascinated to read all the amazing insights into the lives of bees. You have done a great deal with your life and it's great to hear writing is your first love - almost. Being mother of five is a huge achievement and calling. Congratulations for that too. I bet it's never a dull moment for you! Thank you for inspiring us to gather together to produce the best honey ever in our writing world. Let's do it! :)

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    1. Anusha, lovely lady, thank you. As you say, 'Let's do it'. Through Him, nothing is impossible, especially when we work together as one. πŸπŸ™πŸ»

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  2. Great post, Deirdre. I love the analogy, that our tiny spoonful combines together to make honey for the world.

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    1. You know, Jeanette like my writing, it's pretty much automatic. I don't often have a guideline, or framework. I believe it is handed to me when I need it right then. In all honesty, pretty sure He gave me the idea concerning the carcase and the bees, because it didn't even enter my mind until then. I so often think that I'm just handed what I need to say. Thank you for your time and your kindness in putting up my post 🌺

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  3. Hi Deirdre, thanks for the fascinating glimpse into the life of bees. I've always thought them amazing and do love the hive analogy. What champions they are, and worthy to take a few tips from 😊

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    1. Understood why they have been revered, Paula. Most certainly, bees are creatures we need to protect, especially since we were made protectors over the kingdom here on earth. Goes to show that the greatness of one is not nearly so powerful as the hands of many. Thank you for your comment, Paula. I do appreciate it.😊

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  4. Enjoyed your post, thanks Deirdre. Some interesting info there!

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    1. Thank you, Jeantte. It is an encouragement to me that you have stopped by and took time to enjoy my post.🌺

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  5. Great post - something different. Like you. Like your writing.

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    1. I will take that compliment with both both hands, Rhonda Pooley. God bless you πŸ’›πŸ™πŸ»

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  6. It was wonderful to finish work and come home to see this post to been put up. After reading all the wonderful comments you have contributed, I went to the cupboard and look out the jar of honey. As I put a teaspoon of liquid to my lips, I remembered that it took four worker bees their entire short lifetime to produce that single teaspoon of honey. How sweet is that? 🐝🌸🌺

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  7. How fascinating. A lovely post. If OK by you Deirdre, I'd like to use some of these facts in a radio program. God bless!

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    1. Certainly, Rita. Thank you for taking the time to stop by. 😊🐝

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  8. Hi Deirdre - Sorry I missed this the other day. I was out most of Thursday and forgot to revisit it. Thanks for sharing those insights. I didn't know most of those facts about bees. I love your analogy of us all working together to make something beautiful in God's name. That's precious. Sounds like you have lots of projects on the boil. Good luck with all of them.

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    1. Thank you for stopping by, Nola, no matter how belated it may be. I have heaps happening and never quite enough time in the space of one day. I was really glad of the opportunity to share a post on here, it looks wonderful and I enjoyed the challenge. Thank you for your comment. Much appreciated. 😊

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