It’s been a sixes and sevens sort of a day – perhaps nothing new in the Farrell domain. It started off beautifully. At nine this morning the garden was filled with hot sunshine. There was a wind, but it felt warm, and it was wafting the scent of squash flowers across the lawn. Who knew that Japanese squash flowers smelled so lovely. And why would they need to when they already make such a show – little suns on stalks. Anyway, the bees were crowding in, not only drilling into the nectar chamber beneath the single stamen, but also bathing themselves in pollen.
Talk about a bug bacchanalia. It was all bees knees and no decorum. Each bee shoved its way in, regardless of existing occupants. After much frenzied barging about, followed by concentrated scoffing, it stumbled out again, looking slightly dazed, before diving into another squash flower.
*
Perhaps the bumble and honey bee punters knew the squash bar would soon be closing. For so it was. By ten o’ clock, summer had gone. The wind turned cold; sky was dark and down came the rain in short sharp bursts. We needed it of course, but for a spell it seemed as if autumn had dropped in too, the seasons changing before our eyes. All very disconcerting.
The squash flowers were spoiled of course, their petals sadly deflated.
Grey skies loomed on with more rain threatened. With the sudden coolness, it seemed like a good time to plant out cabbages, though I still had to fend off all the white butterflies who for weeks have been trying to lay their eggs on my netted kales and caulis.
And then something odd started going on with the town hall clock. Sometime around lunch time it began to chime. And then kept on chiming in somewhat drunken fashion. I think it must have chimed at least twenty ‘o clock, and I vaguely wondered what this might mean, and if we’d suffered some kind of Rip Van Winkelish space-time shift. And would we care if we had.
Meanwhile, between showers, he-who-build-sheds, pressed on with his construction that looks like a car port but isn’t for the car. The sun and blue sky returned. The squash plant developed several new buds nicely set up for tomorrow’s opening. Inside a deflated one I found a bumble having a kip. I didn’t disturb it.
Just another day at the Castle.
copyright 2025 Tish Farrell
The squash are worth growing for those flowers alone! And yay for the drunken bees. After an early morning thunderstorm overhead, it has been a glorious day here if a tad breezy, until five minutes ago when I had to make a dash outside to bring the washing in! A five minute shower and the most resplendent rainbow. Don’t you just love days like this?
That sounds perfect, Jude. Especially the rainbow finale.
Sounds like a beautiful day Tish.
It was, Anne, even if we were a bit befuddled 🙂
😍
some days are just full of befuddling !
Lovely flowers and bees too but my goodness..what is wrong with the clock?
It seems to have got over it, whatever it was.
They are, aren’t they, Beth.
I chuckled at your description of the bee’s frenzy. But, oh dear, what went wrong with the clock 😵💫. Such a changeable day.
The clock seemed to recover later in the day 🙂
Bees knees, drunk and no decorum, eh?
Befuddled, or bee-fuddled?! Certainly some of those bees look and sound ‘fuddled’ 😆 And aren’t those flowers glorious? Little suns as you rightly say.
Bee-fuddled, definitely Sarah 🙂
LOL 😀 … a Day For All Seasons. 😀
So pleased this made you smile, Widders 🙂
I remember hearing those chiming village clocks in all parts of Europe. We don’t have anything like that here. Those squash flowers are definitely glorious. 🌼
I think chiming clocks are uncommon here too, at least the sort that chimes every quarter as ours does. Some locals are too keen on it. I love it, even when it chimes 20 ‘o clock 🙂
Such a lovely day!
Thanks, Jennie
You’re welcome, Tish.
Just another day at the castle is a great series theme – bees in the squash blooms and town clocks gone haywire – with a touch of mystery as to what he who builds sheds is building
You are such an appreciative ‘audience’, Laura 🙂
This post read a bit like a mystery story, but shows how are day can be so changeable and full of wonder. I absolutely love these squash flowers, and the drinken bees.
Many thanks, Agnes. The bees were fascinating to watch, and insect version of binge drinking 🙂