Momo is very sad right now

[momo]

Today I found out that a friend and mentor in my beekeeping world passed away on Tuesday, she fell ill on friday ( I do not know what with)
and I was not even aware as I had only seen her a week or so before and she looked fine then and was running around all over the place.

Golly Sturt was a very lovely woman who taught beekeeping at Newbury college amongst other places, she was a laugh and the life and soul of many events.

This lady deserved any praise or friendship she could be offered.

Momo is very very very distraught.

 

[Rich]

my condolences Momo, it's always sad to lose a friend, but more so suddenly. R.I.P.
Rich.

 

[Smudger]

That's hard. My commiserations.

 

[Big Fat Pig]

I used to keep bees, in fact i wish i still did, but come the end of the season, a lot of the workers died off suddenly their work having been done.
Perhaps your friend has passed on in a kindred spirit way and her memory will be found wherever bees are by those who knew her.



Piggy

 

[momo]

Thanks all.

I don't actually have any bees, I joined awhile back and still havent actually got any hives, I'm still trying to finish building mine, I just used to help others, but now she is gone I am lost, she was my mentor and only one around here.

Come back as a bee, I should think she would want something other than that with all the diseases they get etc. :lol:

 

[JackL]

This may sound strange, but many years ago, I looked after the hives in a garden where I was the head gardener. An old bee keeper (in his 90's) once told me that if a bee keeper dies, someone should go and explain this to the bees in the hive, otherwise they will abandon the hive.
Yes, I know it sounds like one of those old wives tales passed on by us country bumpkins to confound the townies, but he swore blind that it should always be done.
My commiserations Momo.

 

[Adam]

I'm sorry about your friend. I'm sure there must be someone local that could take over as your mentor. How about your local club? Ours has a teaching apiary with courses for all levels.

The superstition is quite well known

When the head of a household dies, someone should be appointed to go to the bee hives and inform the bees. If this didn't happen, it was believed the bees would die or leave.

A superstitious custom prevails at every funeral in Devonshire, of turning round the bee-hives that belonged to the deceased, if he had any, and that at the moment the corpse is carrying out of the house. At a funeral some time since, at Collumpton, of a rich old farmer, a laughable circumstance of this sort occurred: for, just as the corpse was placed in the hearse, and the horsemen, to a large number, were drawn up in order for the procession of the funeral, a person called out, 'Turn the bees,' when a servant who had no knowledge of such a custom, instead of turning the hives about, lifted them up, and then laid them down on their sides. The bees, thus hastily invaded, instantly attacked and fastened on the horses and their riders. It was in vain they galloped off, the bees as precipitately followed, and left their stings as marks of their indignation. A general confusion took place, attended with loss of hats, wigs, etc., and the corpse during the conflict was left unattended; nor was it till after a considerable time that the funeral attendants could be rallied, in order to proceed to the interment of their deceased friend."

 

[momo]

Thanks Adam, right now however I really can't bring myself to try and find another, Golly was unique and her loss has kind of hit hard, I wasn't close close if you know what I mean but she was so full of life and always seemed so happy, to me she was unique, always had something nice to say about anyone and anything, suddenly finding she is no longer there is like leaving a huge hole in my life, more so because I rarely go out of my garden and she was one of a very few people I actualy got to know or trusted. I can't explain it, or why I feel so hard hit when I was merely someone she spoke too. Golly is like me i guess, if you cant find anything nice to say, say nothing.Always look for the good not the bad.

My concern right now is for her family and their loss, they must be devastated. As for her bees I spoke by email to our club sec and he said they are being looked after, so no worries there.

 

[MIGNAL]

This may sound strange, but many years ago, I looked after the hives in a garden where I was the head gardener. An old bee keeper (in his 90's) once told me that if a bee keeper dies, someone should go and explain this to the bees in the hive, otherwise they will abandon the hive.
Yes, I know it sounds like one of those old wives tales passed on by us country bumpkins to confound the townies, but he swore blind that it should always be done.
My commiserations Momo.

I don't really think it's important whether or not it is true. What is important is that it's such a sweet and endearing tale.