The streets of
SAN MIGUEL DE ALLENDE
are crawling with bugs
Black Bugs
Red Bugs
White Bugs
Hot pink Bugs
Grass green Bugs
Metallic blue Bugs
Orange Bugs
British racing green Bugs
Baby blue Bugs
Taxi yellow Bugs
Two tone Bugs
Striped Bugs
Arrogant Bugs
Bugs for sale
Old Bugs
New Bugs
and even
not real true Bugs
The VW Beetle was designed by Ferdinand PORSCHE in 1938
it's in the DNA so the resemblance is uncanny
Great design is timeless
"If it ain't broke don't fix it"
German engineering
Hecho en Mexico
And these are about the only kind of bugs you will find in this charming 17th century
Mexican town where the air is clear, the streets are clean, and the locals are charming.
Though walking is the primary mode of transportation
through the cobbled streets
BUGGIES are popular
for transporting girls to their Quinceaneras
The Latin American celebration of passage from girlhood to womanhood
reminds me of our Sweet Sixteens
store window filled with Quinceanera finery
Insect edibles
(NOT!)
In many parts of the world bugs are considered a delicacy
Though I am all for absorbing local cultures this is a "taste" I have not cultivated
Now some bugs are more loveable then others
The Voracious Lady Bug
devours plant eating insects and is a great favorite of farmers
The same coloring that makes her attractive to children
makes her unattractive to predators
Setting things a-buzz
Napoleon favored the industrious bee as an important symbol of his reign
Hundreds of bees were sewn into the velvet of his coronation robes
and one was embroidered on the toe of each of Josephine's slippers worn
to her crowning as
Empress of France
NAPOLEON CROWNING JOSEPHINE
by
Jacques-Louis David
JACQUES-LOUIS DAVID
1748-1825
The Neo-Classicist court painter for Napoleon -
originator of Empire Style
The bee soared as a symbol of power and prestige
Society began to incorporate it into every form of fashion and design
A small piece of Napoleonic furnishing brocade
ISABELLA STEWART GARDENER MUSEUM
At least one bee has survived from the famous red robes depicted
in Jacques-Louis David's painting
Though the bee has become a bit of an overworked cliche
it still has charm
embroidered discreetly on the underside
of a shirt collar
FLATS-Napa Valley
I never leave home without it
Is it by coincidence that this contemporary bedroom
with Neo-classical influences
nods to the coloration of the bee ?
But no cliches here
INTERIOR DESIGN -KELLY WEARSTLER
Charles Darwin referred to the critical pollinator as the Humble-bee
( hence Bumble-bee )
A bumble bee can sting more then once
Beware the bee stung lip look
In the nest there are three kinds of bees
ONE SINGLE
QUEEN BEE
WORKER BEES
always female - leave the hive to collect nectar
DRONES
always male - never leave the hive and their sole purpose is to fertilize the Queen
Maybe more then you wanted to know ????
Pure honey
I will spare you the details of how bees make honey-
it could gross you out-
and yet...
WINNIE-THE-POOH
1926
...almost everyone loves honey
Buzzing off till next time...
Rela
