Bee On My Finger
When I get up, usually sometime in the morning, I have in mind to take a look around the garden. Not only because gardens require some tending, more that the sense of nature is soothing to the psyche and when put first, the sense, it has the effect of diminishing the mentality, the thinking and emotionality engendered by modern living.
It’s a good way to start the day. It helps resolve any lingering dream. And when I have been quiet enough for long enough I can come to things, inside, that nag at me to do something about it – whatever it is. It is tempting to gloss over what hasn’t been resolved, comfortable even, but that is not the way to peace of mind. It’s got to be about peace of mind first …
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On the way around I check the water buckets, where I let it sit to evaporate off the chlorine. I check for trapped or drowning creatures that don’t need to be so, and amongst the others there was a honey bee on its last legs. I lifted it out by putting my finger under it and raising it out of the water, as I do with them all, and I could see by some small movement it was still alive.
It had been raining for days, and cold, so I left it on my finger to warm up and dry out. It didn’t seem to be in any hurry so I got the camera and performed a few contortions to get a few shots. Eventually it woke enough and I put it down in a sheltered spot to gather its strength, fed it a little sugar water and next morning it was gone – back home or back to the hive, who knows. But not yet time to die.
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Did it succumb overnight to a creeping cold malaise or return to its vital instinctive self, given enough life left in it to do so. You just never know, and that state of not knowing is one of the beauties of truth. Because truth, or love – that beautiful state of bee-ing, is beyond the knowing mind.
Nature can be reflective … of the low and the high.
Mark Berkery … CLICK any picture to enlarge in a new tab, they do look better bigger – FireFox – for me
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Nature's Place 
Gorgeous Photos! Thank you for sharing!
I just recently started to get into macro photography. Do you have any tips or advise?
Keep it simple Ashley. I have a page (in need of editing) here : https://beingmark.com/macro-illustrated/ – where I run through the whole process, without much technicality. In the comments you will find useful links that will lead to other macro stuff.
Thanks! :)
Hi Mark, These are truly stunning and inspire me to pause and really look at things. Thank you!
Hello Christie. That is the whole point of what I do – look to see, in a nut-shell. Thank you. :)
What an insightful post – I love waking up in the morning and just going outside, looking around my yard or my campus, taking a walk. It helps me to wake up while shaking off those “lingering dreams.” Thank goodness you were there or that bee may not have made it!
Thanks Nate. Not many slow down enough to see the value of simplicity, it’s not easy in these busy thinking times. Me and the bee were both lucky. Did you ever notice the more right – regardless of good or bad – a thing is the more benefit from the fact – there are no losers.
Mark,
It’s so true what you said. Peace is primary, and not contingent upon the resolution of conflicts.
Steve
Hi Steve. I don’t think I said that? Surely inner peace – is there another kind that matters, depends entirely upon the resolution or transcendence of inner – is there another kind that matters – conflict. Peace begins inside, when conflict (inside) ends.
Wow – crazy detail! I’m learning how to use my camera, and truly appreciate shots like these!
Cheers GG …
Thank you for sharing this encounter and your perspective. And excellent macro work, I’m slowly getting into the technique and there’s much room for improvement.
Thanks Douglas, and you are welcome. Anything worthwhile takes time to master, you might want to look here : https://beingmark.com/macro-illustrated/ which is my take on the ‘whole’ process of small nature macro. There are also a few useful links in the comments. The really technical stuff others do much better than I.
Beautiful, Mark… the photos and your philosophy.
Thanks Sarzy …
I like your reasons for heading out to the garden first thing in the morn….I seem to be more on a mission ….are there any snails to be found? They seem to love gliding over my lillies and they do love cucumbers : ) I scoop them up and head for the back fence over which there are some ducks who eagerly await their morning sustenance and then I can relax ….and move on with my day. Your bee is so magnificent, really we might be considered boring in comparison. Love your images Trees
Thanks Theresa. Maybe you should let the ducks in? :) But some work has to be done anyway.
Just incredible pics, Mark….well done!!
Thanks Barb …
You gave the little animal a fighting chance, that is all you can do. Awesome intervention.
The small things count …
I so want there to be a LIKE button for this post. :-)
That would be too easy.
Thanks Deborah …
He really liked you Mark.
No choice Godfried. It loved the warmth and there was no danger to it.
Beauty comes in the close up in this case.
And it occurs inside …
Hello hairy eyes…I love honeybees
Ha, hairy eyes …
Great connection. It looks like a friendship. Warm pictures and relation.
Thanks Lautal. It is our own simple nature after all.
Awesome photos!
Thanks Gunilla …
A kindness can never be too small…Thank you.
True Audrey, every little thing adds in the balance of things – and behind.
awesome !
Thanks Gwen …
this morning I had a tiny spider (2 mm long) hop onto my hand. All i got was some beautiful blur… but I tried.
As long as you are relaxed about it? :)
absolutely. I have seen this type of spider once or twice before and there will come another time for a photo. They look like they are carrying a relatively huge cream pie on their body
Can’t say I know the cream pie look. 2mm is smaller than I will go after but the only spiders I know to jump on my hand are Jumping spiders, like these here.
The garden pulls you in and shows you when you are ready to look.
Different folk see different things, when we take the time …
It looks as this bee had a ‘Bad Hair Day’.
Ha, yes. But for the bee it was a life or death day.
I’m glad you were there to save the bee and take these beautiful photos. When a bee is cold you can help it warm up by holding it up to your mouth and breathing/blowing gently on it, try this on your hand and you’ll see it feels nice and warm.
Thanks Emily. Yes, I know the warmth of a breath. I also cup them in my warm hands to keep the wind off them.
Lovely. We need more honeybees. Thank you for saving this little one!
What we need … oh! It was a pleasure to rescue this bee. I often find things so small their detail cannot be discerned that still get up and fly away – nature is resilient.
Thanks Cindy.
Wow! How such a pretty bug’ger! That’s the first thing I do in the mornings as well. See whats new in the garden, every morning holds a new surprise and it certainly provides peace of mind to face another day in the office.
Yes, it’s a small pleasure to see something new in the garden.