The grapefruit orchard is blooming.
Perfuming the air with intoxicating scent,
and bringing hordes of honeybees.
At night I drift,
drunk on grapefruit flower air,
dreaming of the buzzing bees.
Cheers to you from the Holler Orchards and all the humming honeybees~
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I’ve never really understood the bee’s knees saying but wow! beautiful 🙂 🙂
I guess it signified something rarely seen and hence valuable, but what do I know? 😉
That may very well be it 😀
Actually, I just googled it and it appears I am wrong. Darn it. I like my reason. It seems the phrase comes from Cockney origins and refers to the fact that bees collect precious pollen on their knees. They actually do this. Who Knew? Not me…..
Wonderful set of photos.
I rarely see honeybees anymore. I’m glad they are still thriving there.
Masses of them, thank God! Of course we use no pesticides on the orchards as they kill bees too~
Obviously having MCS I use no toxic chemicals — with that I get lots of insects in my yard. Last year I had lots of bumblebees but very few honeybees. Hopefully, they make a comeback this year. i am glad the bees have you to protect them. <3
I can smell those citrus blossoms now, Cindy!
It truly is intoxicating to have this many trees blooming at once. I think it makes the bees and I feel slightly tipsy! 😉
God bless those bees!
Leslie
Amen!
What beautiful shots!!!
Merci beaucoup madam!
I always love your close-ups. ‘Tis the bees-…. oh never mind.
“Tis the bees…..” What? Now you’ve sparked my curiosity……
Definitely the bee’s knees!!
I think they would agree with you that their knees are the height of bestness……..
It’s still cold here, so the bees have chosen not to bee yet. Beautiful photos!
Let them be. Free to be, a bee…….(Sorry!) ^^’
Fantastic photos of our amazing pollinators and great captions too! 🙂
Matilda would be proud!
Very poetic… how your pictures blend in with what you write 🙂 …really nice!
Awwww, your thoughtfulness is what is nice~
Thank you! It’s very kind of you to say that 🙂
It is true~ <3
Spring has sprung…these are such crisp shots of a bee’s world Cindy, you have not just talent with the lens but also with words!
Visa versa 2 U X 2! I am just glad to have met you so we can look at the world through each other’s eyes. What a joy!
🙂
Wonderful scenes of lively nature getting back to work again!
Those busy bees! Never a beach vacation for them…..
Such great up-close photos. Fabulous! Wondering how you didn’t get stung!!!
Bees don’t tend to sting unless you move fast, make loud noises, or they are annoyed by something else, like seasonal migrations. I used to let them walk on me when I was a kid. I’m always standing still, being quiet, taking photos, so I am not scared of the bees. I was once when they swarmed the hummingbird feeders, but they were agitated due to seasonal migration. I have had a swarm, part like the Red Sea, and fly around me at The Holler. They sounded like a jet plane landing close by. I wasn’t scared then. I was thrilled.
The scent of citrus flowers must be one of the sweetest smells around and to have so many trees in flower would be a pure delight, sensory overload…
It does affect your brain in a wonderful way. Makes you feel light and slightly tipsy, maybe just from taking all the deep inhalations through the nose! 😉
i love your photographs Cindy.
I love your kind heart Ranu~
Oh to hear the droning buzz of bees once again. I’ll live vicariously through your post. 😉 You must be in heaven with that sweet scent and sound surrounding you! 🙂
When we first came to scope out The Holler as a prospective place to live, all the lemon and grapefruit orchards were blooming. I had never smelled anything so ethereal. I’m sure it impacted part of the decision to move here.
It must be so heavenly. I’m a bit envious. 🙂
So vivid! Wonderful to see spring and the busy work. 🙂
Those busy buzzing bees. Their industry would put me to shame if I wasn’t retired. Retired people have no shame. We lack sufficient brain cells for unproductive emotion….thank God! 😉
No shame indeed. Here I am, mid-afternoon, drifting around in my pjs, enjoying the loveliness of scent and bees in the Holler. And that’s just fine with me and I am sure the bees don’t give a buzz.
I fully and wholeheartedly embrace your right to relax! I guess in the interests of good taste we are not too chortle too much about how much we enjoy it, but, we paid our dues big time. I do wish more time for nature and relaxation were given to everyone, especially stressed out full time employees, like I was for decades. Work weeks need to be reduced. It would save so much money in anti-depressants,shrink bills, and sick leave. People need peace and time in nature for their physical and mental well being. It has made such a huge difference in my life and I can tell, yours too.
These photos are the bees knees;)
I think the bees would appreciate your comment!
Long live the bees, Cindy! Long live the bees! Cheers!
Amen to the little buzzers, without we will be toast!
Yes, we’ll be toast, without toast and honey!
Gotta have my honey……. <3
It’s so joyful to see these bees! Remarkable captures, Cindy!
Fuzzzy little buzzies aren’t they! Designed to pick up all that pollen~
Bee-youtiful photos, Cindy…..
“At night I drift, drunk on grapefruit flower air…”—perfect first line for a poem!
It does sound right as a first line, thanks to your remarkable ear……would you write the rest please???? 😉 <3
Okay. A haiku for you:
in darkness I drift
drunk on grapefruit flower air
all the bees know me
Oh I am so lucky you are my friend. Cynthia & Cindy. I’ll take the pics, you write the poetry. <3 <3
Oh, I can see the sunshine warming the bee-happy flower! Look out – I may be coming your way again soon. 🙂
Ohhhhhh, when? Please tell me not when we are in Africa! Please email me with the dates and let’s get together this time. You need a break from all the snow!!!
Just amazingly beautiful!
Just amazingly beautiful!
Since I entered the same comments twice, it must mean I liked it twice as much! 🙂 🙂
Which makes me twice as happy!! Thank you my friend and cheers~ <3
Those bee’s knees are cuter than a bug’s ear. Nice photos! I could imagine the fragrance that dwell around The Holler.
Take care, Wally
Oh, I didn’t think about the bugs ear…….Dang, I would have fit it in! 😉 😉
Oh, as much as an irritant these little guys are, I can’t wait to see them again! #nomoresnow
You must embrace your inner bee Antionette. Come to The Holler my friend and I shall introduce to the hordes, or you could just go shopping!!! 😉 😉 I hope your snow stops soon. Such a intense winter, still continuing…..
Absolutely beautiful, incredible photos and clear defined details of the honeybees. Just love them. Enjoy the fragrance and colors of spring and warmer days.
Yes, even though my nose stuffs up from all the pollen, there is always afrin! The scent is sublime. So pleased you enjoy it too~
Mmmmm Ahhhhh Grandfather had an acre of his grove in grapefruit(s). The lemon trees were closer to the house. He had a couple of dozen bee hives … the bees just stayed there. You are right, they are NOISY.
Spring weddings have orange blossom bouquets. Orange blossom toilette water used to be real.
Thank you for these beautiful images and the deliciously scented memories. Orange blossom honey comb. 😀
Ahhhhhh, you know how mesmerizing the scent is! Bees are here year round. Pollinating all the time. I should have some hives…….What an intersting idea. The Grapefruit and lemon blossoms are on my beside table. Haaa Choo! It is so worth it~
Mmmmmm Hives, yes. 😀 We have four hives, here. Do you have blueberries? Blueberry honey is a lovely lavender-blue.
No blueberries, wrong climate, but we have lavender, lots of it, lavender honey would be lovely……..I could start with one hive.
Wow! Green, flowers and bees…thanks for reminding me what they look like.
I know it is just as surreal to me seeing all the photos of the incredible snow and ice, continuing! I hope spring comes to you soon my friend~
Bees, how something so small can do wonders 🙂
They are quite miraculous. I should have included some photos of the tiny bit of tissue that connects the thorax and abdomen. Remarkable……
Such great shots of these buzzing little beauties.
Love your alliteration……
Zee bees….., zee bees…, are lurking in the trees
and everywhere she looks she sees…, zee bees !!!
The clarity and composition of the pics are without equal, Cindy. You’re fantastic ! 🙂
You definitely are my cousin cus, you think like me cuz…..I mean, I sees zee bees!!! 😉 😉
Oh, how simply delightful – the Holler Orchards are just beautiful! 🙂
Ahhhh, so happy you enjoyed and happy Friday!
Just viewing these photos helps me imagine the sweet floral scent. And the close-ups really pick up the reflection of sunlight off of the fibers of the bees’ furriness! 😀
Thanks much Lynn. I knew bumble bees were quite furry, but didn’t realized honeybees were so covered in fuzz~
Wow again Cindy – your photos are really amazing beautiful 😀
Thank you Irene and have a wonderful weekend my friend~
Thank you Cindy and a great one for you too 🙂
What amazing pictures and I had never seen Grapefruit blossom before. I can smell them here!
Oh good! There scent is so strong, I am not surprised it jumped the pond!
As always, superb images. Have a lovely weekend.:)
Thanks much Janet and Happy Friday to you!
Schön. Wir haben noch Schnee. LG. Wolfgang
Vielen danke. Froeliche Wochenende Wolgang!
Cindy I really must visit the Holler one day..I’m intoxicated by the beauty you share. I miss the somnolent drone if bees going about their business and the smells of fragrant flowers from heavenly trees.
I fear I missed the signpost directing me to the right hemisphere of the world. (Sigh) Thank heavens for Holler visits.
Blessings, Susan 💖
So happy you come by to visit! We love having you. We don’t have orchids at The Holler, but lots of owls, so you would feel right at home~ <3 <3
The title of the post makes me smile 🙂 and loving the images – great shots! I hope the spring will come soon in Rotterdam 🙂
We will be in Rotterdam very soon, just in time for spring! Looking forward to the flowers! We are going to see the tulips…..
The weather is so nice this week in Rotterdam. I hope it will stay nice until your visit 🙂 I hope you will visit Rotterdam’s Markthall as well – it has huge mural painting of colourful flowers 🙂
Thank you for the tip and I now will indeed visit. Cheers to you and thank you~
Bonitas imágenes que nos indican que la primavera esta próxima. 😀
Si, es un bien tiempo cuando primavera esta proxima. Feliz Viernes Javier~
Would love to be breathing in the citrus scent and listening to the bees humm …I almost can through these great photos. Thanks for the whiff of Spring!
The scent is so pervasive, I would almost not be surprised if some of it leaked through my computer screen to yours!
Liebe Cindy ich danke dir für diese wundervollen Grapefuitblüten die habe ich noch nie so schön blühen gesehen und dann mit Bienen einfach super Aufnahmen wünsche dir ein schönes Wochenende in Freundschaft Klaus
Vielen danke! Schones Wochenende mein lieber Klaus! <3
Very nice. I knew about the bees collecting pollen on their legs but never made the connection to the expression. The photos take me way, way back to childhood memories of my grandmother’s back yard in Sacramento: she had a huge, very old grapefruit tree that bore tons of fruit – we’d take home many boxes of them . . . meanwhile, we’ve just had another 8 inches of snow, and it’s 8 degrees out right now!.
Our trees are about 50 years old too. Oldies are goodies. They bear a lot of fruit! Eeeeks, it is time for spring already. I so wish we could take some of your precipitation!
du bist fleißig, wie die Bienen, alles Gute, Klaus
Sie sind sehr freundlich ! Haben Sie ein wunderbares Wochenende mein Freund.
danke sehr
All of a sudden i fancy grapefruit, pink grapefruit. I haven’t had grapefruit for years but why should the bees have all the fun. Thanks for the zest. 🙂
We have pink grapefruit, but they are not ripe yet. They are wonderful just off the tree. Wish I could give you a box……
I will find some and pretend. 🙂 Somehow freebies are always best. 🙂
Yeah for those lovely little bees, drunk with nectar!
Yes, they are always buzzed! Naughty bees……
Stunning photos, Cindy! I can almost smell the beauty. We’re supposed to warm up this coming week (50s maybe), but we’re a LONG way from anything this pretty!!
But when your spring does come, imagine how beautiful it will be!