Sustainable honey bees
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UPDATE AS OF 5/27/07: Thanks to Daniel for setting this wiki thing up. Now I just need to figure it out, so I will start with this simple notice. I'm back from the 'wilds' last week and I have emails to go through to identify Honey Bees, and other items. I just wanted to let you know that I will get into action and you can expect some organization.
One of my first endeavors is to see how many Honey Bees there are. Sabine needs to know paint orders by June 1. The Honey Bees will need yellow and black for instance and I'll have to estimate how much we might need + more for others who might sign up after June 1.
More to come later today. Larry
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[edit] Larry's intro
- Edited from an e-mail Larry sent to FC list on 16 May 2007
Daniel had a ensemble idea at last Wednesday's (9 May 2007) meeting. I got excited about the possibilities and offered to be lead on this idea.
The idea was for a group of bikers to resemble honey bees because of the sudden declining numbers of honey bees around the world and the serious implications it could have on agriculture. Sustainable honey bees is a good fit into this year's Sustainable Solstice. In past rides, there have been some riders painted as hornets, but not a swarm of honey bees.
I visited Display and Costume near Northgate and found items we could probably adapt for bee antennae. They have wing sets to strap around the body which look great ($9 - $10 for the pair). We, can cut out some bee-looking black eyes to temporarily stick onto helmets. Our body paint jobs could simulate honey bees (see photos on the web for instance). We could have an appropriately attired Queen Bee, and the honey bees would swarm around her during our ride - to make her pleased of course.
Our bikes could be adorned with flowers (plastic and/or real). Or members of this group could also ride as flowers, or a honey jar, or nest or anything fitting into the honey bee world. The ensemble could create some sort of bee hum as we move along. We could hum loudly, and even use the old trick of clothes pins and playing cards in the bike spokes to create noise.
I'm sure there will be some other great ideas to make the honey bees a hit in the parade.
I would like to hear from others who want to be part of the honey bees- the more the better. I would be willing to host a meeting in early June to get together for sharing ideas, make preparations, identify material needs (wings, antenna, eyes, etc).
If you are interested, email me to say you want to be part of this ensemble.
Thanks.
Larry
UPDATE AS OF 5/27/07: Thanks to Daniel for setting this wiki thing up. Now I just need to figure it out, so I will start with this simple notice. I'm back from the 'wilds' last week and I have emails to go through to identify Honey Bees, and other items. I just wanted to let you know that I will get into action and you can expect some organization.
One of my first endeavors is to see how many Honey Bees there are. Sabine needs to know paint orders by June 1. The Honey Bees will need yellow and black for instance and I'll have to estimate how much we might need + more for others who might sign up after June 1.
More to come later today. Larry
UPDATE AS OF 5/29/07 Here are some things going on at the moment. And some ideas to bat around. I'll post the following on the wiki site too:
I sent an email to the volunteers at SSF who offered to sew some simple garments in yellow/black which could we worn at anytime or eventually in Gasworks Park. They also mentioned something about coming up with wings. No word back yet from them, but now that Memorial Day is over, I will probably hear soon. I would like to hear or see what they have in mind for wings.
Some suggestions I've received:
1. Worker bees (not the Queen-she will have a crown or tiara), could use yellow construction hats! Display and Costume probably has some thin plastic ones but then we wouldn't be wearing helmets. Thoughts?
2. Use kazoos for making noise during the ride. I'll have to check that out. Pat and I will go to Display and Costume this week to look at things, this being one of them.
Any ideas about stingers? I haven't come up with any good means for those.
Have you paid Sabine for your paints? I need to tell her to get a fair amount of black/yellow in the order. She has declared June 1 as when she will place the order.
Sabine thought it might be nice if the Freecycle group started off with say the synchronized biker ensemble, and the Honey Bees as the last. We would stay ahead of the first float or official parade group. I like this idea as it keeps us from getting to the end too soon (always seems like that).
How should we 'perform' as Honey Bees during the ride? It would be fun to have some sort of routine to make folks laugh and hoot. Kate (if she joins us Honey Bees) is on rollerblades, so there are probably some good things we can do around that. Is she the 'bad bee' like a wasp who we have to attack (mildly of course!) to guard our Queen?
Are any of you wanting to stay in the SSF and participate in some events after the parade? I can't because of out-of-town guests. It seems some SSF groups have events built around honey bees and might like our involvement, but only if we aren't totally naked.
What ideas and thoughts do you have?
LARRY
[edit] Who's in
- Feel free to add your name and how you would like to help
- Pat - Queen?
- Larry - organizing the ensemble
- Daniel - general help, wiki startup/assist, unsure if participating in ride
- Claire - just a bee
- David (Claire's husband) is planning to participate, and he is hirsute enough to be a good bumble
- Jessie - bee
- Eric (Jessie's guy) - bee
[edit] Solstice bee connections
- We need to connect with these other groups soon to see how we can collaborate!.
- There will be a bee theme in the Pyramidians Project and that theme will influence their dance in the parade and perhaps their pyrmaid monument at the Sustainable Solstice. Contact Delilah
- There will be an interactive bee exhibit at the Sustainable Solstice, hosted by the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association
- Several Sustainable Solstice organizers will be dressed like bees in the parade and at Gas Works.
5/27/07 Update by Larry: I contacted Becky about the possibility of doing some sewing for wings or for simple trunks or wraps. This was a response to one of the messages that I received. They needed someone to help feed the machine or something, so I'll chat with them. These trunks/wraps could be used during the Sustainable Solstice as it sounds like various groups would like to work with the Honey Bees but not if we are totally naked. I can't stay for this as I am entertaining out of town guests all weekend.
- Thanks Larry, Who is Becky? My schedule is getting pretty tight, I'm not sure what I'm going to have time for. I may end up only being able to help paint others in the morning. Dlj 18:35, 28 May 2007 (UTC)
[edit] Other possibilities
- Ensemble invited to particpiate at the Sustainability Arts Festival on August 11, 2007. Contact Daniel.
