We first published this post on December 24, 2015, and repeat it here, hoping our readers hear the bees at midnight.
Various sources--mostly Google books but an occasional blogger--tell of the legend that bees awaken from their winter slumbers on Christmas Eve to hum the 100th psalm at midnight but only the pure of heart can hear.
As much as we attend to our prayers and to the welfare of our helpful pollinators, our heart is not pure, and so we have not heard this tune. Those we're unsure if that's Psalm 100 itself or the hymn tune Old 100th, that many call Psalm 100, the Doxology itself.
Here's a nice performance of the Ralph Vaughan Williams version by the St Peters Choir, Nottingham & Essentially Brass performing at St Peters Church Parwich in 2009.
We'll likely have a thoughtful post or two tomorrow in the spirit of the season, with investigative blogging and analysis to resume on Thursday.
Merry Christmas from Bluestem Prairie, and Happy Hanukkah to our friends who observe Festival of Lights.
Photo: Bees in a hive.
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