bee-u-tiful

As obsessive as I can be about the turtles in my life, it is sometimes good to simply be reminded that I AM The Queen Bee!

A few little gifties sent my way recently are helping to bring back the Bee in Me... (not to mention the Munchkin learning ALL about bees from Sesame Street on Saturday morning and teaching me this morning on the way to daycare just what beeswax can be used for! Fascinating stuff!)

Last week, Barb sent me this "bee-u-tiful" mug and teabag holder last week - she said it was from an older "pay it forward" - my memory on exactly when is foggy - but I do plan to do another one myself soon, so stay tuned on that.

The mug is wonderful - holds just enough coffee to get me through my morning emails at work (yes -there's that many) and is a bright cheerful spot in my cube. The teabag holder has my name embroidered on it - just in case someone mistakes it for theirs - and she sent it nicely filled with a few assorted flavors! Now if this heat wave (80 in NY in April?!!!) will pass, I will again look forward to a nice cup in the afternoon on the bench outside the office.

Thanks, Barb!!!

The next batch of goodies was courtesy of Lazy Sister Sue - we are doing our third annual swap quilt project (see here and here for prior projects), adding Jill into the mix this time, and I was expecting the shipment of strips from Sue. I had also ordered some fabric from the quilt shop she works at, so I knew that would be in the package as well.

I was not expecting this awesome Bee Bag!!! It's a bit hard to tell in the photo, but it is a good size (the small card to the left of it is a business card) - and contained all the strips (25 5" x22")!!! It's "bee-u-tiful", too!!! (she sent some other goodies as well - thanks Sue!)

And the "r" is awesome - although the Munchkin asked why it was a lower case "r" since he is learning at school that "names ALWAYS start with an upper case letter, Mommy. Doesn't Aunt Sue know that?" YOU try explaining artistic license to a 5 year old!!!

So since Bee seemed to be the insect of the day, I decided to use the last remaining scrap of fabric I had that matches Terri's Spring Claire and make her a key fob, too. I know it is tiny, but can you see the bee on it?? :-) That's why I bought that fabric in the first place - I just had never found the right project for it - and now I have given the entire piece away - except for a few tiny squares that are finding their way into a scrap quilt.

Sorry, Terri... but there was nothing left of any of the fabrics to do any other accessories.

And now I am "bee"t and heading for bed!

You learn something new everyday

From an IM conversation with my nephew, DragonBen (8)

DragonBen: I'm going to write you a song

Me: ok

DragonBen: Queen Bee Buzz, Queen Bee Buzz, Queen Bee Bee Bee

DragonBen: Queen Queen Queen Bee Bee Bee Buzz Buzz Buzz

DragonBen: Queens do not buzz

Me: really?

DragonBen: that's it

DragonBen: yes

Me: thanks - that's a cool song.

DragonBen: good bye Queen Bee

DragonBen: that's it

Although I was unable to verify the information about queen bee not buzzing, I did find some interesting facts about bees.

And this seems to tell me that the queen does buzz - but not very often, since she just sits around letting the other bees wait on her most of the time: the buzzing sound is from the wings, which beat around 250 times per second. It's not just bees - flies buzz, as to dragonflies, ants (the flying ones) and also moths and hummingbirds. They don't just flap up and down, but in a rotational pattern, which is how bumblebees are able to fly despite their comparatively large weight and small wing surface area.

I think I will go buzz off now.

That's It

Clarification posted in comments by DragonBen: What I was trying to say is that the queen that is the king's wife is the queen that does not buzz.

DragonBen

And the Winner Is...

The Busy Bees walked their little legs off last night in the Aiken, SC Relay for Life - but Lazy Sister Sue was up bright and early this morning (well - 9:30 AM) to let me know the results of the Raffle Drawing...

The winner was Florence H., an 80-year old member of the Carolina Pine Quilters Quilt Guild, the same guild that most of the Busy Bees are in. She is a "help when she can" Busy Bee, and actually only got a chance to get into town to buy her tickets at the Aiken Quilt Shoppe (where Lazy Sister Sue also teaches!) on Thursday.

With the support of everyone on the raffle, a goat raffle, a Bunko night, and various other sales, fundraisers and donations, the group raised over $4000, which will go to the American Cancer Society.

Thanks Everyone! - Look for more from the Busy Bees... but we will give them a chance to recover first!

The Busy Bees

My Lazy Sister Sue and her friends are quite a group of ladies. I wanted to introduce them to you, and let you know what they are doing for the American Cancer Society. This is an important charity to my family, as Mom is a survivor and cancer has touched our extended "family" - both relatives and friends as well, not always with a happy ending.

These are the Busy Bees. They are a group of friends, primarily quilters, who have all been touched by cancer. Three of the members are cancer survivors themselves, the rest of them have had a close family member or friend who was diagnosed with cancer. They dedicate fundraising efforts to their memory and honor.

The group participates in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life each year. In addition to pledges, they put their talents to use by raffling off a quilt***, and selling various craft items that members have made. In addition, they have put together baskets to raffle and sold luminaries that line the track the night of Relay. Last year the Busy Bees raised over $10,000!

In addition, they won the most spirited team award. Just imagine a bunch of 50 and 60 year ladies staying up all night making fools of themselves for a very worthy cause. Lazy Sister Sue says “We pay for it the next day, but our exhaustion and sleeplessness is nothing compared to what thousands of cancer patients go through each day. If we can help find a cure for cancer it will be worth it. Personally, I would love for my future grandchildren to know about cancer only through what they read in their history books.”

Lazy Sister Sue has a website for donations and pledges. (Note: this website is not for the quilt raffle tickets)

Please consider donating to have a luminary made in honor or in memory of someone. Luminary donations are $10 or $25. They also are going to have special luminaries for pets, because animals get cancer too. Pet luminaries are $5.

*** Check back later today to view this year’s quilt and buy your raffle tickets.
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