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Friday, May 23, 2014

BEES AND TRANSFERWARE


Baker, Bevans & Irwin (1814-1838) 5 inch child's plate/The verse is from Divine Songs for Children by Isaac Watts (1674-1748)

I recently read an article about the importance of and danger to the world's bees.  It was actually a petition to save the bees on the website Move On.  The petition begins with the sentence:  Honey bees, native bees and other pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat.  Important animals.
 
Photos from Greenpeace International

 I thought I would look at transferware patterns that focus on bees.  I have already written about The Beemaster pattern, but found others. The pattern below says it all!

J. & G. Meakin (1851-2004) Benjamin Franklin's Maxim:  A Dead Bee Maketh No Honey

Enoch Wood & Sons (1818-1846) Beehive and Cottage pattern/Notice the border of alternating strawberry plants and gooseberries (dependent on bees!)

Ralph Stevenson & Williams (1825-1827) Beehive and Vases platter/Flowers and bees go together

I planted salvia, lavender and cat mint in my garden to welcome honeybees, carpenter bees and bumblebees.   They enjoy the roses too.  No pesticides!  Bees aren't pests, but they suffer collateral damage from pesticides.

Bee in my garden/Notice the bumblebee on the purple plant on the right.  Such a dear face.  The pink flower on the left is a penstemon.  The purple flowered plant is a volunteer.
Carpenter Bee on a Salvia plant
Honeybee on lavender

2 comments:

  1. I love bee-themed antiques too - my favourite is an 18th century enamel patch box I have. And I have a bee-friendly garden - a bit dangerous as we always have a nest or two under the eaves!

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  2. We are okay with beehives, but wasp nests are lethal! Wasps like the garden too. I'd love to see photos of your garden and the patch box.

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