Just Hum

Day 444 of warfare in Ukraine. The UK puts out celebratory press releases because the front line has shifted 1km in Ukraine's favour in Bakhmut. Echoes of 1915

I was an observer of an interesting blip conversation about news of catastrophe having become little more than an arm of media entertainment, the consequence being our desensitisation to the suffering of others. I expect we will watch some of Eurovision; I expect we will be pleased if Ukraine wins again. Is the contest about music, or politics, or war, or distraction? The jury's out

We are having a bee-heavy weekend. I drove to our association apiary to open up a hive and give aspirant beekeepers a taste of what it is like to manipulate the frames while surrounded by a buzzing cloud of disturbed bees. The session was deferred a couple of weeks because the weather was so cold in early May. Today, the car said the temperature was 9C as I drove in! We pressed ahead anyway. The bees sat sullenly on the combs, eyeing us with contempt, buzzing anywhere was the last thing on their minds. The novitiates went home happy and exhilarated, but I don't think they got the full immersive experience we intended. As I drove out, the car said 10C

Tomorrow we need to spend time with our own bees, and I anticipate that will provide a photo, so I've avoided them today. It should warm up tomorrow and they will enjoy these polygonums (bistort)