Drowsily Warm with Dozens of Bees

Hello Lovelies ,
it's properly hot here at the moment, with such temperatures that we just don't get every year.The big fan has been dug out of it's hiding place at the back of the shed and is whirring away all day.
When the weather is like this my favourite thing is sitting in a shady corner of the garden with a cold drink listening to the bees and watching the butterflies.

iced water with a squeeze of lemon juice....very refreshing on a hot day.

By mid afternoon it's a sort of still , all enveloping heat that makes you slow down. Everything just seems so much more of an effort.
And it's been reminding me of the first lines of a childrens book I used to read to my boys when they were much younger..........



I wonder if you lovelies are familiar with the Hairy Maclary books. I loved the rhyming nature if these simple stories, such a pleasure to read out loud.
This one is the story of when Hairy Maclary  just wants to rest on a hot day, and  begins.......

Unfortunately for him a little yellow duck   has other ideas.

The story is about all the ways Hairy Maclary tries to avoid this little duck.

Of course they eventually become good friends, and the story ends up with the two enjoying the shade on a hot day, listening to the bees together.

It's a delightful book with sweet illustrations and I saved it for sentimental reasons but I haven't read it a number of years as it's most suitable for pre school children.

I was wondering to myself why this story kept popping into my mind when I noticed something unusual behind the shed.......

it's a scruffy corner of the garden I wouldn't normally share here :0)

If we get a bit closer you will see what I mean.........

Dozens of bees ! They must have made a nest under this old patio and when the temperature rises they are constantly ,busily , going in and out.
I took these pics from a distance as I'm a bit wary of disturbing them. The good zoom on my new camera certainly came in handy.........

I was so happy to see bees making their home in my garden though.....after worrying that there were not many around in June it's great to see them doing what bees do........

and it's just wonderful to have some sustained hot weather to enjoy.....just hope it sticks around for  the school holidays .

I hope you lovelies are enjoying the heatwave if you are in the U.K.

Jacquie x