Happy Holidays to the Bees!

Many of us are burning beeswax this time of year in the form of beautiful holiday candles.  I like to think of them as stored sunlight and flowers during these dark, short, mostly flowerless days of late fall and early winter.  As we reflect on what we are grateful for in our lives, surely bees must make the list, for without them we would not have most of our delicious fruits and vegetables.

I just finished reading Judith Adamson's book, Backyard Beekeepers of the Bay Area, published this year.  I recommend this book to you wholeheartedly as it was impossible to put down, filled as it is with the first person adventures of beekeepers right here in our midst, from the capture of Bill Hoskins' first swarm (hilarious) to Michael Thiele's description of the Golden Hive (comb hangs naturally and looks like human lungs), to the inspiring story of SFSU Professor Gretchen LeBuhn's Great Sunflower Project (can't wait to plant the Lemon Queen sunflower this spring!).  Pick up a copy, it's the perfect gift for the gardener in your life or for yourself . . . you won't regret it!  I called over to Book Passage and they have a copy waiting for you!