NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Calistoga Roastery is hosting a show of fine art photographs taken by John Mackesy.

The show features stunning close up images of bees on colorful flowers.  The photographs are metal prints of beautiful honeybees.

The photos were taken in gardens in Hidden Valley Lake.

Many feature flowers planted by children in the fabulous Coyote Valley Elementary School garden. 

After the 2015 Valley fire in Lake County, thousands of acres of natural foraging areas for wild bees were reduced to ashes.

Bees by the thousands who survived the fire flew into the school garden for refuge. The bees seemed covered with soot and desperate for food, which they found in the nectar and pollen of bright flowers such as sunflowers, zinnias, honeysuckle, lavender, sage and pumpkin blossoms.

The photo exhibit is meant to celebrate the survival of the Valley fire refuge bees and encourage people to plant flowers and herbs to help wild and free bees in a time of diminishing habitat.

Be sure to stop by the Calistoga Roastery in November and December to see the show.  Enjoy the finest coffee and delicious food while feasting your eyes on one of nature’s great expressions, wild and free bees.