Minding my own beeswax

Earlier this summer my family inherited two beehives, setting them behind my home studio and peering out occasionally to see the bees as they buzzed to and fro, collecting pollen and nectar and returning home to build their intricate homes of wax.

A few days ago we carefully took the lids from the boxes containing the hives. While both colonies had been active, one had been much busier, and we suspected that the other hive wasn't doing well. Our guess was confirmed -- the hive had been abandoned!

Before a new colony could move in next spring, the box had to be cleaned and put away for the winter. One of the fringe benefits of this process is the stockpile of beeswax and honey left behind by the departed bees. We divided the golden treasure with some friends who were helping us with the inspection. Taking our portion into the house, we began a long evening separating the wax from the detritus of the hive. I always save the last bits of my beeswax candles, knowing how much the bees work to make the wax. It's a good thing, because we soon realized that we weren't left with enough wax to make a new candle for our dinner table. Melting all the waxes together, though, we were able to fill a mold we purchased the next day from a local candle-making shop.

It's so easy to take honey and beeswax for granted when we see them at the farmers' market or the store. But the process of making this candle with my family left me with great feelings of awe and gratitude for the bees and their work.

Three Generations

We spent today at the shop putting the final touches on the autumn class mailer, and as I was talking with our class coordinator Shari on the phone, she mentioned an amazing fact: Caron Dunn had three generations of students in her class this past week! Mother, daughter, and grandmother spent the day together at Castle in the Air learning and creating together.

It got me thinking about all the sorts of people who take classes at Castle in the Air. Mothers come with children to have a special day. Friends reconnect in class with a favorite craft, or to celebrate a birthday or other special occasion. Some people come not knowing anyone in the class but leave with new friends and a real sense of accomplishment because of what they've made and learned.

In a class a few weeks ago, a student asked about the possibility of having a private class, just for her and her friends. Why not? Maybe you are the sort of person who celebrates with a special class at Castle in the Air!

What would you do if I sang out of tune?

This picture was sent to me by my friend Iggy. I find it special because most of my friends have a particular animal that they identify with. There is a weasel, a rabbit, an eel, a squirrel... Guess who is the cantankerous camel?

The picture is also a nice reminder of a weekly gathering I host at my house. Every Wednesday night, I invite a small number of friends over for dinner. Usually no two weeks in a row have the same group, so there are constant reacquaintances, new friends made, and the chance to watch faces light up when there are reunions of people who haven't seen each other in years. We enjoy pizzas and drinks and seasonal treats (Plum cake season is here!) and stay up past our bedtimes talking about whatever's on our minds -- food, art, work, family, health, love...light conversation, you know! It's really nice to catch up with people this way, and between everything else in my life (and theirs) it's often the only way we'll ever see each other more than once a year.

I don't think I'm being sentimental when I say that there's something transcendent that happens when good friends gather. Beyond the food and the chatter, there's something else going on. Our friends are our sources of comfort, reminding us of the past and letting us enjoy the present. But they are also the stewards of our dreams, helping us to learn who we are and to bring our hopes to fruition. A toast, then, to friends.

The Four Friends

This picture I painted of "The Four Friends" is based on a Buddhist allegory that's always been close to my heart. An elephant, a monkey, a rabbit, and a partridge put aside their differences and worked together to reach the fruit of enlightenment. It reminds me of how blessed and rich I am to have my friends, who have always been an integral part of the workings here at Castle in the Air.