Bees today, but tomorrow?

6th May
The local WI held its resolution meeting tonight and we were delighted to welcome 3 visitors to a well-attended gathering. One visitor was from one of the Yorkshire federations; she is staying in the area conducting some research into her family history so we were very pleased that she had seen our notice and decided to drop in. The other two visitors were even more exciting as they were a mother and daughter who wish to join. I hope we made the young girl welcome enough for her to want to keep coming. Actually it was a very lively meeting because the members had taken part in so many different events during the month that there was one report after another and all of them interesting and revealing lots of aspects of WI life.The member who presented the resolution on the health of honey bees did so in a very cunning way. She gave us all a quiz on bees and then while talking us through the answers was able to transmit most of the information on the notes from NFWI so the whole operation was quite painless and produced more feedback than usual in these debates. Then we did a little sketch--albeit read-- about the process behind the production of a resolution which went down well.
7th May
Notice in the press that The Calendar Girls are going to produce another calendar next year. Is this wise I ask myself? The original was such a success and a trailblazing exercise which has been copied almost to boredom that I wonder whether they should just rest on their laurels now. We have seen firemen, farmworkers and nurses all in the buff and much of the appeal of the original was in the surprise element of members of a respectable society stripping off. Maybe you think differently on this.
I hope some of you have noticed the changes on the BFWI website recently. Have a look at the members' page which is getting up-to-date and of course, the home page is different too. Could we re-vitalise the discussion part now?
11th May
The local craft group from our WI has finished the pictorial side of its sampler but unfortunately we have forgotten what to write on the reverse! A case of diving around to find the instructions is called for.Meanwhile there are some whirly-gig scarves being knit following the pattern in the newsletter a couple of months ago. I had much rather produce something like this than fiddle about with quilling! The sessions are very enjoyable as the members bring problems along and there is usually someone who can sort them out. Also it gives us time to make arrangements for transport to events or arrange outings to craft exhibitions.
13th May
I popped over to another WI to take the members through the Bee health resolution today. I felt rather guilty but I copied what our own member had done for us and I am pleased to say it worked just as well again.The bonus here was that one member had a son who kept bees so she was able to add even more information and give us a firsthand account of what it feels like to open up a hive and find that the bees have been attacked by the verroa mite.That WI had also lost the instructions for the back of the sampler so we are not alone in our quandary.
14th May
Today was the meeting of the Education and Current Affairs sub-committee at which everyone moves round for the next year.We had received very favourable reports of the crossword workshop so we are arranging another for those who missed out last time. We are also planning to hold an international day in October and looking ahead to lots of events for 2010. If only people would reply to letters and e-mails, even if it is just a one word answer...One can send SAEs asking for just that and get no response. I am afraid I think it is a case of bad manners, not just thoughtlessness but I am old-fashioned.