en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swarming_(honey_bee)

quite literally thousands and thousands of them, bouncing off my head, in my face - I have to admit I was rather scared, but it seems they are 'not necessarily dangerous' according to something else I read. Not necessarily. I doesn't state whether they like a cyclist hurtling through the middle of them though.

I emerged unscathed. If I open the window I can hear them right at the end of the street.

actually, this picture looks more like what I encountered

brianholmes.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/swarm.jpg

Since for me Honey is the Liquid of Life I worship the bee and bow down to the insect.

Honey in tea or coffee so improves every flavour. And I never use sugar - honey every time (my honey and mustard vinaigrette is legendary).

Very rarely butter - always olive oil; skimmed milk; healthy and tasty; the JK diet to look as gorgeous as I do.

I too think bees are wonderful, but hurtling into a huge cloud of them at top speed (I do cycle fast) with hundreds of them hitting me in the face was a bit unpleasant!

I love honey too, JK. Never use sugar, never have it in the house in fact.

OK since you all insist (not) my recipe for honey vinaigrette.

Don't sneer. My friend Richard Griffiths, to whom I was a top level (and highly paid - my fees paid for all my legal costs - almost 1 million quid) consultant at BMG, once called me urgently on holiday - for this recipe!

One teaspoon-full of mustard powder.
Twice as much liquid honey.
A squeeze of half a lime.
Cider vinegar.
Twice as much top grade virgin olive oil.

Place in a jar and shake like crazy.

Delicious.

actually, I shall give that a go, JK.

They do love old chimneys, alas. My Mum's house now appears to have a hive somewhere in the chimney, which is partially blocked up, so i have no idea how to get the rascals out. But at least bees are, as Mr Cameron would put it, and Mr Clegg might put it, virtuous citizens devoted to their very own Big Society.

It's wasps who deserve a damn good thrashing. They ruin my summer. They ruin every summer. I can avoid the kind of people who go to see The X Factor, but wasps - those idiots actually make a point of seeking me out!

And Jamie Oliver does a delicious honey and pistachio Greek dish on Ch4 tonight; honey is truly the nectar of the Gods.

Lots of bees in Kennington Park last weekend, though not enough to be a swarm.