Grow Your Own Magazine

I'm the kind of grape that loves to know where sayings come from and this one was mentioned in my '52 ways to downsize your life' book that I was rereading for the billionth time last week.

Does anyone know the origins of the saying? I know that when you have a major event in your life (wedding, death, birth...) you should 'go tell it to the bees' but I can't work out the reason.

I wondered if it was either:

* A variataion of 'A problem shared is a problem halved' (or in the case of a beehive it a problem devided by tonnes not half )

* Because bees go in search of pollen for miles around, they 'pass on the message'

Anyone know it's origins?

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

Dunno really - but that never stopped me answering a question! I always understood that you had to tell the bees if the master of the house (they were different times then, eh?) had died and who the new master was or they would swarm as they hated being masterless. Could have dreamt that though!

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Lol, sounds a bit like me that does when it doesn't stop me from having a stabbing guess

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

Bit like talking to your plants, really. In the olden days most cottage gardeners had a beehive, and it was really important to keep the bees happy. This means constant attention, and getting to know them, so I guess you'd talk to them too and tell them about any important happenings in your life.

I will try and find out????
I think I will be telling my bees....."please be kind to me, and I am sorry if I am doing it wrong"
I have told them where all the broad bean plants were on the plot...hope they find them!

You could paint little arrows on the paths?

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Earth laughs in flowers. Ralph Waldo Emerson

www.vegheaven.blogspot.com

Updated November 30th - Mr Stinky's Excellent Adventure (and a Christmas Cake)

Sounds like a song Flum ... little arrows?? I could do with some to get the bees from the flowers in my front garden to the veg in my back! But back to the question ... I thought you told the bees things that were worrying you so they'd take the worry away?!!

Oooo maybe Moggssue... that makes sense

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Shortie

"There are only two lasting bequests we can hope to give our children; one of these is roots, the other wings" - Hodding Carter

you talk to bees for meditation, anything worrying you or just genral familly turmoil, bees are suposed to be wise, hive mentallity and all that, its suposed to work, weather the bees themselves help or if its just talking out your problems i dont know!

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Yo an' Bob
Walk lightly on the earth
take only what you need
give all you can
and your produce will be bountifull

it was probably started by a village idiot somwhere I've heard it but have no idea why

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ntg

Never be afraid to try something new.
Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
A large group of professionals built the Titanic

http://grief-encounters.blogspot.com/

The only info I could find on the 'net about it is this:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/eng/osc/osc69.htm

but it doesn't really explain it. I'd love to know, it's something my Nan used to say, and I never quite understood it!

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Sarah

“Tell me one last thing,” said Harry. “Is this real? Or has this been happening inside my head?”
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”

As far as I'm aware it's part of the old magic. All about connection with everything. I first came across it in a book many years ago: Linnets and Velerian by Elizabeth Goudge. Beautiful story about a family that moved into the country and lived in an old village.
Bees need to be part of the family....

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Regards, Jane
What sane person could live in this world and not be crazy? The creative adult is the child who has survived.
Ursula LeGuin
http://www.etribes.com/madderbat