Last fall, when beekeeper Rose and I decided to offer up Tom’s honey for a contribution to one of Tom’s charities, Tom’s sister and Mom pitched in and helped knit / crochet scarves for all the plastic bears to wear.
(Because yes, plastic bears filled with honey need scarves.)
When each and every bear marched out of here and raised a couple thousand dollars for Meals on Wheels and Loaves & Fishes, I decided to manage more bees this year in the hopes of raising more $ in Tommy’s memory.
As I’ve investigated things in anticipation of more honey this year, I found larger plastic bears. The way some people I know (Jon G, Barb K) go through Tom’s Bee-Loved Honey, I wish they offered gallon-size bears. But, the larger plastic bears that hold twice the honey of the usual bears are menacing-looking enough because of their size, so perhaps they are large enough.
Sister-in-law Sooz agreed the larger bears look rather formidable, and joked (or so I thought) that we’d need to make hats and mittens for them to soften their appearance.
When I got home from work today, there was a package in my mailbox from my mother-in-law. A picture is worth a thousand words:
Fourth from the left is a bear from ’08 — one of a few bears I have left. Like fine wine, Tommy and I saved the first bear of each season.
He’s the only one with honey. All honey was donated this year, so I had to photograph the new, larger bears empty — but wanted to show what my mother-in-law sent me (along with the new size bears.) The guy on the far left sports a billed hat, the other blue hat resembles a ski cap, the other bears are wearing bonnets. My mother-in-law made matching scarves for each, but I didn’t dress them all … yet. (Plastic bears filled with honey need scarves; empty bears do not.). They don’t look menacing at all now, do they?! 
While these bears will look even better when they’re filled with golden-brown sweetness and there’s a flower or plastic bee attached to their hat, I’m interested in any feedback about preferred hat style, along with any prayers that we’ll have another bumper crop of honey to help feed those in need.
I hope those hats made you smile; they sure brightened my day.
Charlotte
January 19, 2010 at 11:18 pm |
One of them just has to have a Detroit Tigers hat!
January 20, 2010 at 9:31 am |
OK, we’ve gotta get this knittin’ teachin’ thing going cuz I want to be able to do something creative, too!
January 20, 2010 at 4:07 pm |
A nice green hat and scarf with a BEAUTIFUL white “S” would look absolutely FANTASTIC !! Go STATE !!
January 20, 2010 at 11:45 pm |
I have been reading your blog for months now and today looked to see if you had a new entry after a long day of work. I am so tired I didn’t even have the energy for my laugh to surface, but my insides were dancing! The large bears next to the small bear is funny all on its own. But the hats make the whole thing complete. I think it is the variety of hats that create the visiual image of Joy! Keep the variety of styles. Somehow it represents all of us out here witnessing your journey of pain and healing! I so appreciate your gut wrenching honesty and amazing ability to capture your feelings in words! Thanks for being so real!
January 21, 2010 at 12:48 am |
Hi Charlotte: I just checked this site and learned of Tom’s death. I would think and pray every time I passed your street on the way to Portage from Three Rivers. I was Tom’s hospice nurse when he first came home. He introduced me to Dr. Liepman, who is now my oncologist. I still wear the purple and white scarf that you gave me, and get many compliments on it. I think of you often. Are you still involved in the honey aspect? I’dlove some if it becomes available. God bless.
Lois Barrie Stadelman (I got married in October)