[tater03]

I really needed to be reminded of this at the moment. I am sitting here freezing thinking how I hate the winter. But it is nice to be reminded why we need to have it. Just wish we didn't need so much snow.

[Mick]

Originally Posted by tater03

I really needed to be reminded of this at the moment. I am sitting here freezing thinking how I hate the winter. But it is nice to be reminded why we need to have it. Just wish we didn't need so much snow.

Im glad to have helped remind you. Im not even a winter fan...im a summer child......but its best to see beautiy in all things.

[debrajean]

I wonder, there's been a lot of publicity lately about the honey bees and where have they gone? Do you think the changing weather patterns have a lot to do with that?

[Simon47]

Where have the bees gone?

As it stand right now there are no answers better than speculation going on as to the fate of honey bees. One fact that is not often recognized is that without bees we are done. I am shocked that the scope of the die off doesn't rate more than a passing headline when the implications are humungous.

"There are several unusual things about the phenomena and one common factor that cannot be attributed to be the direct cause but may be an “aggravating other conditions” factor and that is temperature fluctuations. No single cause drought chemicals/pesticides, mites, bacteria, a fungus or virus seems to be common to all the events or even indicated as a cause in any single event. Extreme weather and temperature fluctuations seem to play a major role stressing the bees and weakening their immune systems.
There are no bee bodies; they simply all disappear, all adult bees are simply gone, sometimes leaving a queen and a few young hatched workers. This is unheard of, since normally a bee colony will do almost anything to protect its queen.
The hive is left intact, with capped cells of honey and bee bread.
Another unusual factor is that bees sensing a dying colony nearby aren’t going in right away and killing the other bees and robbing the hive of honey, like they usually do for example when the bees have died of parasites or disease."



There are several unusual things about the phenomena and one common factor that cannot be attributed to be the direct cause but may be an “aggravating other conditions” factor and that is temperature fluctuations.
No single cause drought chemicals/pesticides, mites, bacteria, a fungus or virus seems to be common to all the events or even indicated as a cause in any single event. Extreme weather and temperature fluctuations seem to play a major role stressing the bees and weakening their immune systems.
There are no bee bodies; they simply all disappear, all adult bees are simply gone, sometimes leaving a queen and a few young hatched workers. This is unheard of, since normally a bee colony will do almost anything to protect its queen.
The hive is left intact, with capped cells of honey and bee bread.
Another unusual factor is that bees sensing a dying colony nearby aren’t going in right away and killing the other bees and robbing the hive of honey, like they usually do for example when the bees have died of parasites or disease.



There are several unusual things about the phenomena and one common factor that cannot be attributed to be the direct cause but may be an “aggravating other conditions” factor and that is temperature fluctuations.
No single cause drought chemicals/pesticides, mites, bacteria, a fungus or virus seems to be common to all the events or even indicated as a cause in any single event. Extreme weather and temperature fluctuations seem to play a major role stressing the bees and weakening their immune systems.
There are no bee bodies; they simply all disappear, all adult bees are simply gone, sometimes leaving a queen and a few young hatched workers. This is unheard of, since normally a bee colony will do almost anything to protect its queen.
The hive is left intact, with capped cells of honey and bee bread.
Another unusual factor is that bees sensing a dying colony nearby aren’t going in right away and killing the other bees and robbing the hive of honey, like they usually do for example when the bees have died of parasites or disease.


Mysterious, Massive Disappearance/Death of US Honey Bees - Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) : On   Target

Originally Posted by debrajean

I wonder, there's been a lot of publicity lately about the honey bees and where have they gone? Do you think the changing weather patterns have a lot to do with that?

[horselover]

No more snow here and it's been quite warm. No winter for us until later this week.

[Lyndee]

I personally like winter and say to Mother Nature, bring it on, baby! Bring it on, dump that snow and let the earth use it like it needs to!

Seriously, I know some people don't like the cold and snow, but get out of your high heels and put on the winter gear. Layer up and you won't feel the cold. AND when you are driving, think. Take it slow and use common sense. Don't go out in the storms unless you have to. Take the opportunity to spend more time with friends and family, actually doing something outside, dressed appropriately, of course. Enjoy it. Listen to it, the crunch beneath your feet will even give you a hint on how cold it is outside. Get the right attitude about it... Winter doesn't spoil the planet, it helps the planet.. It is the humans that spoil winter! Face it, embrace it, and celebrate it.

[mollyL]

My husband and I are winter creatures ourselves. That means massive ocean storms, days of fog, hearing the ocean as we sleep (not so easy in the summertime, due to much more traffic), going round a corner and spying a deer just feet away from you, and more wonderful stuff like that. It could be winter all year long and we wouldn't mind!

[Lyndsey]

I get so annoyed when people complain about winter as though it was a natural disaster instead of a natural occurence. I find it especially annoying when people joke about how great global warming is with all that sunshine and warm weather. They should have been much more worried last year when my city saw a grey Christmas for the first time in over a decade. I have also seen the studies that mention insect overpopulation as a possible consequence of global warming.

[tater03]

I do like winter in general. It is when you have to go out and drive in the snow that I am really not to fond of.

Great information above on the honey bees by the way.

[Roguegal]

People complain of the weather no matter what season it is. In the summer they complain about it being too hot. In the winter they complain about it being too cold. Then in the winter they wish for summer and in the summer they wish for winter. I think of it this way, people need something to complain about. At least complaining about the weather doesn't cause fights like politics or religion. It is human nature to complain about anything. We are just not satisfied with what we have. We should revel in what we have and be happy because we won't have it for long.