Welcome!

Welcome to my blog!

In the last year I have been "building" a shop on Etsy.com (bunnysluck).  Never let anyone tell you it's easy!

One of pleasures of listing many of the vintage items I have has been discovering their histories and sharing them with Buyers.  But as my descriptions got longer, my patience got thinner.

"All this research and writing, and only a few people will see it?"

And so the idea of a blog took shape!  It will allow me to dig deeper into the histories of many of the items I offer in my Etsy shop, as well as share the inspiration behind others things I list, like my handmade skirts of vintage fabric.  I would also like to showcase other Etsy artists and artisans, and, who knows, maybe throw in a recipe or two!

And before you ask, "Why did you name it The Bee and the Butterfly?"  I'll tell you.....

You often see the bee motif in classic formal French textiles (another thing we may talk about later!).  This was Empress Josephine's chosen symbol.  So my first response to your "why" is, "Because it's classy!"

The second is that the bee represents doing the impossible.  Bees are busy for a reason.....aerodynamically they just don't have what it takes to fly, especially loaded down with pollen!  But don't tell the bee that!  Every flight it takes is in total disregard of the law of physics.  Because it CANNOT fail.  A bee must have total faith everytime it leave the hive.  By sheer will and faith, and a need to succeed, it accomplishes it's tasks every day.  And all this in spite of the flailing hands of people who think bees are out to get them!

Every day I am reminded that I need to disregard physics and just simply have faith that with hard work I can accomplish any challenge and bring home the pollen....er, bacon....er, living!  A lesson we have all learned over the last few years.

And finally, the by-product of that little bee's hard work is not just the intended collection of pollen.  Through re-distribution of that pollen, it accomplishes the ultimate creation of something useful, like almonds or peaches for our tables.  The bee is also instrumental in the creation of more beautiful flowers and trees.  That tiny bee fills our lives with both food for our tables and food for our souls.  And it is done with no thought of a return on its investment of time or energy. A truly selfless act!

As for the butterfly?  

Last summer I discovered one of the ugliest and largest caterpillars climbing up the side of my house.  I didn't know whether to leave it or transport it out of my sight.  It was truly ugly!  My common sense took over and I left it.  (Or maybe I just couldn't bear to touch it!)  I'm so glad I did leave it to its purpose!  A few weeks later I was greeted by the sight of a truly magnificent Monarch butterfly probably 5 inches across!   The memory of its powerful beauty will always be with me, as will the memory of my decision to simply respect its role and let it fulfill its promise.

There are lessons for all of us in the daily struggles of the bee and the butterfly:  the bee whose stated purpose is only function, and the butterfly who is the embodiment of beautiful form.  But both go beyond their intended form and function to bring some small measure of delight and meaning into our lives.

I hope this blog does the same thing:  exploring that place beyond the form and function of an object and arriving at a destination of deeper meaning and delight.

First stop:  the Warwick pitcher rescue!  Next week on the Bee and the Butterfly!  In the meantime, visit my shop at bunnysluck and browse!