Gentle Rain, Smothering Smoke, and Bees

                                                          Alberta Wildfire 

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven

    and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
making it bring forth and sprout,
    giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
 so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
    it shall not return to me empty, 

but it shall accomplish that which I purpose
    and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.

For you shall go out in joy and be led back in peace;
the mountains and the hills before you shall burst into song,
    and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

                      Isaiah 55:1-12 NRSVue

 This a holiday weekend in Ontario, a three-day break from work for many. Provincial parks are opening for camping and one of our daughters and her partner chose this weekend to move because of the extra day. For a lot of people there will be disappointment because its raining steadily -- who wants to camp or move in the rain? But what a blessing this is for gardeners and for the Earth. Our rainbarrels are already replenished and the potatoes we planted yesterday are thanking us.

The folks out West are on my mind and in my heart because of the hot, dry weather which has created perfect conditions for wildfires. Many provincial parks in Alberta have been closed because of the fire risk. Thousands of people are on the move, not out of choice but because of evacuations as uncontrolled fires advance on their communities.The conditions are actually a greater threat this year than in 2016 with the catastrophic Fort McMurray fire.

 Alberta and Saskatchewan have been experiencing some of the worst air quality in the world during the past week, and smoke has pushed people out of their homes as well.  This is traumatic displacement and I do pray that the weather turns for the better, including rain which could quench the fires. 

This is World Bee Day, something I wasn't aware of when I wrote about St. Valentine as the patron saint of bees a few days ago. This morning I listened to an Alberta beekeeper speaking about the effects of smoke on her livestock and all bees, both domesticated and wild. 

The smoke actually masks bees’ alarm pheromones. Beekeepers use smoke to essentially trick bees into believing their hive is on fire. They begin to eat lots of honey, thinking they need the energy to go find a new home. Engorged with honey, their abdomens are so full it makes it hard for them to sting. This temporary distraction allows the keepers to work around and in the hives with less risk of an angry rebellion. But the persistent smoke from wildfires is detrimental to the health and production of the bees. Agriculture crops dependent on bee pollination suffer as well

These climate emergency enhanced wildfires don't just affect humans. Entire ecosystems can be destroyed in these far more intense fires. And our important allies, the bees, suffer as well.

As we thank God for needed rain in our region we can't forget all the creatures who are in peril elsewhere. In some respects there is no such thing as "local" anymore, or "elswhere." The haze of high level smoke we've been experiencing here, thousands of kilometres from Alberta reminds us that responsible choices must be made for the sake of all Creation. We really want every aspect of our planet to experience joy and peace, as the prophet Isaiah foresees, and the Creator intends.

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/why-bees-are-essential-people-and-planet