THE WONDERS OF BEES

I am afraid of bees, many of us are, partly because of ignorance or bad experiences with that insect with the sting.

When the Irish Countrywomen’s Association (Castletroy Guild) invited Gerry Ryan to give a talk on beekeeping, I was amazed at the wonder of the humble bee. Gerry Ryan and his wife Mary run the local ‘Ryan’s Fancy’ honey enterprise in Gortussa, Dundrum.

Every cell in the honeycomb is a perfect hexagon, meaning all six sides are of equal length. A masterpiece in engineering. This compact structure provides maximum storage space for honey and is more economical because it uses less wax for holding the cells together as compared to other shapes. Because of the perfect fit, the bees work simultaneously to put the cells together and there is no wastage of time. Every bee is industrious and has a unified vision.

I can’t help comparing this to a work situation where progress is halted because someone is holding the others up. That is terribly annoying especially in group work and far often enough there is that one person who doesn’t quite deliver.

There are 30,000 to 60,000 bees in each of Gerry’s hives every summer. Yet the bees do not attack each other or their own kind– only outsiders like mice, snakes or lizards who enter their hive and pose a threat. Sadly, humans are quite the opposite. There’s nothing that tastes better with a cup of tea like a good gossip. I often think that these people lead sad lives if they need to relish in talking about other people’s affairs.

It takes over a thousand bees to visit around four million flowers in order to make a kilo of honey. This honey is not only for present day consumption but also for their young. This reminds me of both short term and long term planning. One aspect of Asian culture which is like bee culture is that we learn the importance of saving from a young age. I am most surprised to hear that many young people here do not have savings and even if they have, it is short term saving to buy something. Maybe in a welfare state, the idea of saving is eclipsed by the expectation of handouts. With Christmas just over and children having received cash from doting relatives, I wonder if any child will put away some of it in the post office or bank?

It is interesting to note that flowers are colourful so that bees are attracted to them for their nectar and in turn their pollen will be distributed. Imagine a world without the need for pollination by bees. Then flowers do not have to be colourful and we will be living on a drab and grey earth instead!

Adaptation is key in the life of a bee. Bees communicate very well, using vibrations and pheromones. I think it is extremely important to belong to a community, to learn the culture and to be part of it. In almost all of the community and interest groups that I am in, I can safely say that I am the only Malaysian.

I am constantly surrounded by pockets of people who originated from other countries but now call Ireland their home - be they immigrants, refugees, students or working professionals - moving in their own little circles.  It is of course more convenient to huddle with people from the same country and speak in your native tongue, but we actually learn much more and become better people when we immerse ourselves in the lives of others who are not like us.

Beekeeping calls for respect and interdependency. I often wonder if man is robbing the bees of their honey, what will the bees and their brood feed on?  Because bee keepers provide the bees with a well protected home, the bees produce more honey than they need. This respect for nature seems to be lacking in so many human endeavours like indiscriminate tree felling or deep sea fishing.

The Federation of Irish Beekeepers’ Associations runs a one week summer course in Gormanston College for all levels of experience. However, many local associations also have beginners’ courses over the winter.

Beekeeping is an ancient craft and I am tempted to don that white bee keeper’s suit and add it to my list of hobbies.

But first I must overcome my fear of busy bees buzzing.

This article was originally printed in THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA 22 JANUARY 2017

http://digital.nstp.com.my/nst/books/nstnews/2017/20170122nstnews/index.html#/23/

What's In a Willow?

My first willow basket

The first time I heard the mention of the word  ‘willow’ was from a sentimental British favourite, The Wind in the Willows written by Kenneth Grahame. It is a story steeped in nostalgia, much inspired by a father’s love for his only son.

If anything, willow reminds me of  things past. Like the abovementioned story, it evokes a sense of nostalgia, of earthliness, of humble beginnings. Willow trees are prevalent in folklore and myths. In the ‘Secret of Salix Babylonicus,’ a story of healing and hope by Timothy Matthew Slemmons,  the willow is a symbol of perseverance. 

I was sauntering along the walkway leading to the Sunday market when I saw a fine display of willow baskets and wigwams. Every piece had a character of its own and being handmade it had an aura of artisan craftsmanship. I may be biased but the shades and textures of willow far surpass cane or bamboo.

                                               Pete showing me how to weave

There are many things that I have learned and can learn on-line, but weaving is certainly something that I would have to learn hands-on. I needed someone to teach me and imagine my delight when I discovered that I could sign up for classes in this ancient craft under the guidance of an expert basket maker, Pete. 

Without hesitation, I did just that and found myself spending a whole day learning how to weave baskets out of willow rods. Even as I held the rods in my hands I could see the many similarities about life’s truths between the willow and us.

                                                 Willow, dried and steamed 

                                                  Surrounded by willow at Mount Shannon

Willows are often planted on the borders of streams so their interlacing roots may protect the bank against the action of the water. There is this symbiotic relationship of two natural elements that is of ecological importance. It speaks to me of the geographical location that we are in – why are we placed in a certain town or city or country? Do our lives make a difference to the setting that we are in or are we so preoccupied with my own wants and needs that we do not go beyond the four walls of our home?

From the master weaver, I learnt that willow rods are soaked and heated in a steam box to make them pliant and easy to handle. Like the willow rods, we have undergone many of life’s experiences that have moulded us into who we are and hopefully better beings.

In the process of weaving, I used some tools like a pair of secateurs and a bodkin.

The secatuers are used to trim the rod ends, to cut off unnecessary parts of the rods and also to split rods. The bodkin on the other hand is a pointed tool used for separating the weave, to produce a gap between the rods so that another rod can go through. At intermittent intervals, I also used a mallet to hammer down the woven parts so that the basket will be more compact and strong.

The final test for a good and sturdy basket is to actually stand on it. If the basket collapses, that means it was not properly woven in the first place.

Pete testing my willow basket

Imagine our characters being ‘trimmed’ and ‘prodded’ by secatuers and bodkins and ‘hammered’ down by a mallet before being ‘stepped upon’ like the basket.

Can we stand the honing process and are we made of more?

It is said that age generally mellows a person but having said that, there are people who have grown old and yet remain nasty.

I find that the kindest and most humble people are those who have experienced great difficulties in life and survived. These are the people who have ridden on the waves of storms and emerged strong.

The process is painful but the end product is rather admirable. When we undergo difficult moments ourselves, then only can we empathise with those who are in similar situations.

Now that I have learnt how to make willow baskets, I will never look at a basket the same way again.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED BY NEW STRAITS TIMES  21.6. 2015
 http://digital.nstp.com.my/nst/books/150621nstnews/index.html#/23/