Photo was taken yesterday at Tooreenbawn, Millstreet, Co.Cork (Irl)

After the coldest March in Ireland since records began, it has been very tough weather on bees. With stocks already stretched, coming off a difficult 2012, there were hopes that a mild spring would help a recovery. But they hardly got out last month such was the extreme cold. But lovely sunshine yesterday after a night of frost, meant they were busy, particularly bringing in pollen to feed it to young brood. Our photo today is of a bee with the pollen attached to its back legs

Thought on Thursday – April – 04/04/2013

‘All the great spiritual leaders in history were people of hope. Abraham, Ruth, Mary, Jesus, Rumi, Gandhi and Dorothy Day all lived with a promise in their hearts that guided them towards the future without the need to know exactly what it would look like. Let’s live with hope’ ~Henri Nouwen


If any word could sum up Easter it would have to be hope. Hope instils in us the courage to keep going in uncertainty. Hope reminds us that things will get better. Hope tells us that light always shatters darkness and light is always within our reach. Hope gently assures us that we don’t need to have all the answers or solutions, particularly with what lies ahead in the future. Hope and Easter helps us make the most of what we have. In any given day we have more than we thought we had. This Easter we live with hope and we trust in God that it will continue making a difference in our lives.