The Bees Are Back: Some Thoughts on Busyness

How Doth the Little Busy Bee

How doth the little busy bee

Improve each shining hour,

and gather honey all the day

From every opening flower!

How skilfully she builds her cell!

How neat she spreads the wax!

And labors hard to store it well

With the sweet food she makes.

In works of labor or of skill, 

I would be busy too;

For Satan finds some mischief still

For idle hands to do. 

In books, or work, or healthful play,

Let my first years be passed,

That I may give for every day

Some good account at last.

--Isaac Watts

The bees are back at Shady Side Farm. Due to Colony Collapse Disorder, our beekeeper friend opted to keep the few bees he had last year close to home. He's had wonderful success capturing swarms this year, however, and that means the bees are back. 

The summer has blown by us--we've experienced several cold days that make us think about fall and the season that follows it. We rush through our days like worker bees, knowing that the time is short to get the work done. 

The time is short, yet the days are long. How grateful we are for those who work alongside of us as they are able: adult children*, our parents, and friends. 

I regret neglecting the chronicling of our days here, though. Busy or not, this marking the days is important work, even if it's only important to me, later on. In the next few weeks, I hope to catch you up on some of the highlights of our summer. Thanks for reading along. 

*What does one call their children when they are grown-up? "Adult children" is a ridiculous term. If you've got something better, please educate me in the comment section.