The Noblesse Oblige Award - and why I blog... and some bees...

It’s award time again and this one seems a little different – requires some thought. Which means a bit of effort for those of us who are fighting with travel arrangements and other such related bureaucracy, and trying to forge ahead with a story that feels like it’s lost its way. Actually, the story hasn’t lost its way, but the writer has, temporarily, at least.

Face to face with a bee...

But on and on.

So here’s the Noblesse Oblige Award, given to me by Val from Monkeys on the Roof who weaves magic with her words about the African bushveld. Thank you, Val – now just get out there and write that book, girl – it will be something truly special, I know!


As Val said on her blog, this feels like a particularly special award – in that it makes you think about why you’re blogging.

The blurb accompanying the blog says:

The recipient of this award is recognized for the following: 1) The Blogger manifests exemplary attitude, respecting the nuances that pervades amongst different cultures and beliefs. 2) The Blog contents inspire; strives to encourage, and offers solutions. 3) There is a clear purpose at the Blog; one that fosters a better understanding on Social, Political, Economic, the Arts, Culture, Sciences, and Beliefs. 4) The Blog is refreshing and creative. 5) The Blogger promotes friendship and positive thinking.

The Blogger who receives this award will need to perform the following steps: 1) Create a Post with a mention and link to the person who presented the Noblesse Oblige Award. 2) The Award Conditions must be displayed at the Post. 3) Write a short article about what the Blog has thus far achieved – preferably citing one or more older posts to support. 4) The Blogger must present the Noblesse Oblige Award in concurrence with the Award conditions. 5) Blogger must display the Award at any location at the Blog.

Feasting bee...

I have to say, I’ve never thought of my blog doing the things listed above, mostly, I guess, because I first started blogging as a bit of a laugh with Atyllah the Hen, a fictional alien Chicken with Attitude. Let’s face it, as far as Atyllah was concerned, nothing was sacred and everything humanly was worthy of a potshot and a sideswipe. The blog, I know, ultimately offended several people as Atyllah called a spade a particularly blunt shovel. Still, I like to think that perhaps the old bird made people sit up and think about things more than once. She had, and still has, her place. Be warned.

Upside down bee...

By the time I moved on to blogging as Vanilla, I was tired of “being someone else” as it were and wanted to be able to blog more as myself, multifaceted beast that I am – I wanted a place to be able to express thoughts, opinions, share photography and artwork and just generally “witter and warble”. I will also admit that blogging has been something of an experiment in social networking and “marketing”. As an ex-marketing sort and a writer I was curious to see what sort of exposure a blog could provide and how one had to work it to gain maximum reach. I’ll tell you this much for nothing - a blog is bloody hard work and is, I often think, nearly unsustainable!

As to what the blog has achieved thus far – well, it has led me to “meet” some interesting people from far and wide – and that tells me that we’re far more connected and at one than we ever were – and that, I believe, is a huge and important step forward for humanity. The more the people of the world connect, the more we realise we are more the same than we are different, the more chance we have of creating a global harmony and oneness.

Drilling bee...

As for what else the blog has achieved – I tell you what – why don’t you tell me what you think it’s achieved – share your thoughts with me so I can know how the blog impacts upon you – if it indeed does.

I’m not going to cite old posts, there are really too many I could point you to – my personal experiences of nearly dying, experiences of xenophobia in South Africa, my recent posts on the elections in SA, short stories that I’ve written, photographs that I've taken in the African bush and on foreign shores – the blog takes no particular form and was never meant to.

And as with all awards, I presume I’m meant to pass this on. If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you know my thoughts on that. I believe that every blog I read offers something of value, something that inspires or encourages – be it a predominantly photographic blog, a blog of ramblings, a blog about writing, a humourous blog. I don’t believe that anyone I blog with doesn’t in some way, great or small, promote a better understanding on a social, political, economic, arts, culture, sciences or belief level.

Honey bee...

So, when I say I award the Noblesse Oblige Award to you – yep, that’s you reading this blog, right now, this very minute - then I truly and deeply mean it from the bottom of my heart (not the heart of my bottom…). So this award goes to you – and that means I want to see it posted on your blog and I want to see you writing a Noblesse Oblige post. All good children will get a gold star (or not…).

But yes, the award goes to you. Yes, I do mean, you, oh doubter (you know who you are, you think because I’ve not mentioned your name I don’t mean YOU – well I do!) So, yes, you.

And a bug...

Bees in the pink

I thought we'd stick with the spring theme, even though after one day of Sister Spring being bright and gay, Old Man Winter fought back with a vengeance. Once more it's piddling with rain - and today's supposed to be National BBQ Day - or, as we call it here, "braai" (pronounced as in "spry"). It's chilly, the garden is sodden and there are an assortment of very damp critters pootling about the lawn. Yuck. Enough already. I need sunshine!

Still, that said, I took advantage of the sun on Monday and had a fine time snapping the wee beasties below.

Rainbow wings

Head down

Busy Bee

Flower Feasting

I do love bees, I think there's something quite magical about them. And bee-rescuing is a popular past-time in our house. They inevitably end up in the swimming pool, so it's out with the honey, lots of warm breath on very frail bee bodies (sort of mouth to mouth resuscitation...) and a bit of sunshine - and then it's such a joy when they revive and fly away.

The Massed Pink of the Indian Hawthorne

What I love about the mass flowering shrubs of spring is how they attract bees. If you stand next to them in the morning you have the pleasure of hearing the bees singing. Sigh, so good for the soul, that.

Bee in pink

Yep, much better focusing on nature than the nuttiness of markets, politics and similar such shenanigans. At least nature is real, whereas the rest strikes me as being an awful lot of hot air and all smoke and mirrors.

How doth the busy little bee...

Maht over at The Moon Topples is having a month of blogging photographically - in one way or the other - he's calling it Phoctober and since I rather like the idea, I've decided to join in. Go and take a look, it's a neat idea. I'm not sure what form my posts will take, but I guess, following on yesterday, you can expect lots of pictures... So here's today's offering...


In the book meme post which I did a couple of days ago, I mentioned a childhood favourite which is now so well read its pages have turned to velvet.
The book is Linnets and Valerians by Elizabeth Goudge - a story about four children who run away from their strict Victorian grandmother and inadvertantly find themselves, many hours later and miles away, on the doorstep of a severe and stern vicar - who turns out to be their uncle. The book contains a gentle magic which completely captivated me. I suspect too, that as an only child, the strong sibling bonding also held a certain, much longed-for appeal. One element of the book that has always stuck in my memory is the role played by the bees. Goudge used the bees to advance the plot and also to add a certain majesty and mystery to her story.
The following scene has always enchanted me.

Nan, the eldest child awakes at midnight and ventures into her uncle's garden where she finds Ezra, the "general factotum" (who is just a little bit magical) standing at the bee hives with a bunch of herbs and flowers in his hands.
She asks him what he is doing and he replies "Come the first night o' the full moon I talks to the bees at midnight."
As the church bell tolls midnight Ezra makes a small offering of preserved plums and barley sugar at the entrance of each hive and at each hive he bowed and said,

'Madam queens an' noble bees, you sleep, but in your dreams you will know that offerin's been laid upon the threshold. For this moon, madam queens an' noble bees, extend your protection over your domain.'
"He stopped and listened intently, and Nan listened too,and she thought she heard a far-away music as though an army of little people the size of her thumb were singing on the other side of the world. Ezra nodded his head, as though in satisfaction, and taking the bunch of herbs and flowers from Nan he touched each hive once with it, bowed again and turned away down the garden path. Nan curtsied and followed him.
'Did you hear it?' she whispered when they were halfway back to the house.
'What, maid?' he asked, and he stopped and fixed her with his intensely bright eyes.
'The far-away music,' she said
'You 'eard it?' he asked in astonishment. 'You 'eard the singin' o' the bees?'
'Was it bees?' she asked, 'But they were asleep.'
'Bees sing in their sleep,' he said. 'But 'tis not often mortal ears can 'ear 'em. Maid, you be one o' 'em.'
'What exactly to you mean?' asked Nan, feeling a little scared.
'I thought as you 'ad it in your 'eart the moment I set eye on ee,' said Ezra. Then, a little shamefaced, he corrected himself, 'The moment I set eyes on 'ee an' me sober.'
They had walked on and reached the well and paused there and Nan asked, 'What have I in my heart?'
'The gold, maid,' he said. He stretched out a horny forefinger and laid it gently on her chest, to the left-hand side. 'In your 'eart there be a nugget 'o pure gold an' if you could see it you would see a shinin' like a flame. There's not many 'ave it, but them what do 'ave it can 'ear the bees singin' an' call the brid's to their finger. An' they can lay down their life for another.'

I suspect like many a wishful child, I wanted to have gold in my heart, be able to hear the bees singing and call birds to my finger. I set about listening to bees then and have listened ever since. Today I live in a garden with many flowering trees and shrubs and it is my greatest delight to stand close by and listen to the chorus of bees - and I always approach them with the following words in my mind "Good mornin' madam queens and noble bees...". I am delighted that they are willing to share their song with me and to allow me to come so very close to them.