The Story... in their own words

Mel:

This project, A Bee Lover’s Garden, is a national, grassroots campaign to help save our bees. It was conceived in the spring of 2008 when, for the second year in a row, I heard that one third of our bee colonies had disappeared. I thought at the time “if we don’t figure this one out, we won’t need to worry about global warming, nuclear proliferation, or anything else!” After all, more than a third of our food supply depends on bees for pollination. And it’s the healthy third to boot.

There are many things that we, as individuals, can do to help bees. One, become a backyard beekeeper – not practical for me. Another, create “bee sanctuaries” in our gardens by planting bee friendly plants. “Great,” I thought, “I can do that! The other thing I learned is that CCD research to find the cause(s) was terribly under funded – a big concern. So I decided to do something about it.

That was when I had my “eureka” moment. Why not do something that would educate people about the importance of bees and the health problems they are having, while at the same time inspire and empower them to do something to help? And in turn raise money for much needed research!

I decided that a calendar that illustrated bee friendly plants would be perfect, and it didn’t take any thought as to who should do the illustrations – renowned Black Mountain artist Jay Pfeil, who is famous for her botanical etchings. I met with her the very next day and she agreed immediately to take on this project. We are going to do a lot of good and make a big difference!

Jay:

I couldn’t believe it when Mel asked me to help with this project. I had a growing desire to find a way to use my talent for an environmental cause, and here she showed up on my doorstep with an idea of such monumental importance!! It was the answer to my prayers!!

I am absolutely delighted to be a part of this endeavor. My work comes from a place of joy, and everything about this project feels good. Helping to contribute to a healthy environment for bees means a healthier environment for people. It feels good that we’re raising money for research. It feels good that we’re helping local beekeepers, and hiring people in this economy. It feels good that people are getting beautiful art for their homes at a very good price. And our customers can feel good too, even about something as simple as leaving dandelions in their yard. They can feel good about truly making a difference.
See Jay's website at jaypfeil.com