Monday, July 07, 2008

I haven't forgotten the bees

The linden trees are blooming and a-buzz with bees. Linden is my favorite scent, I think, but I only get to enjoy it once a year, for two weeks at most. I walk Sophie at night with my nose up in the air, taking deep whiffs.

The bees also enjoy grape blossoms. The neighbors have a fence covered with grapes, and it almost sounds like a swarm over there with so many pollinators going to town.
And I do mean pollinators. Look at those pollen pantaloons!
Since seeing that first bee tree, and then having a swarm move into the silver maple in front of my house, I've been keeping my eyes open for more bee trees.

This one is in the same block as the first, at the other end. The hole is up near the top of the photo. (Click on the picture to see it larger.)

I'll probably be able to spot more of them next spring, before the trees get too leafed out. If there are three hives within two blocks, my guess is that there are a lot around here.

7 comments:

  1. You know, I don't think I've ever smelled Linden! I'm going to keep and eye out for them.

    Ari (Baking and Books)

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  2. Great bee picture. Our lime tree was in bloom a couple of weeks back, heavenly scent and just alive with bees

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  3. we were just thinking about you the other day. There was a big honey bee colony hiding behind our carolina cherry hedge. If you were closer, we would have saved them for ya!

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  4. I just noticed this type of tree on my property while walking Charley. I'll have to go back and smell it.

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  5. I'm so happy to read about all the bees. My basswood has been loaded with blossoms this year filling the yard with its fragrance but we just don't have the honeybees we used to.

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  6. The image of you and Sophie -- you with your nose in the air to smell the linden blossoms and she with her nose to the ground to smell, well, the base of the tree has the makings of a 'New Yorker' cartoon. :-)

    Claire @ http://culinary-colorado.blogspot.com

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  7. Hi Ari! They're really fabulous-smelling. Once you notice them, you won't forget them.

    Breezy, I don't think have ever smelled a lime tree in bloom. Or maybe I have in California, but didn't know what it was. The springtime there just smells great all around.

    Diane, that would be some tricky shipping!

    mbp, the foliage pictured is grapes (I think? though now that I look at the leaves I'm not so sure ... something viney, anyway.) The linden blossoms are similar, though. They look like this.

    Hi Marcy! Basswood's another one I'm not familiar with. I'll have to look it up and see if there are any around here.

    Claire, ha! That would be a good cartoon. Scratch 'n' sniff would be best ... (though what Sophie's smelling, I'm not sure I want to know).

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