What do bees and Sherlock Holmes have in common?
Well, a new book The Language of Bees by Laurie R. King weaves together the facts of keeping bees and breathes new life into the marvelous character that is Sherlock Holmes. Part of a series of novels by King, the book is due out in audio form soon.
By the way, playing that time-tested detective who used modern forensic methods long before they were the rage, helped Connecticut actor William Gillette build his unique (truly his own design) stone castle perched high above the Connecticut River on one of the "Seven Sisters" hills that flank the eastern side.
Gillette was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and his neighborhood, known as Nook Farm, included Samuel Clemens and his family, Harriet Beecher Stowe, and other literary and publishing notables.
It was Clemens (Mark Twain) who aided Gillette on his life path to become a famous stage actor.
Twain’s influence paved the way for Gillette to step into his first acting jobs, where his talents bloomed, winning over audiences and defining him forever. Gillette later developed into a playwright and producer as well.
The actor donned a deerstalker cap and used a curved pipe as he portrayed the detective on stage. His 30 years of performances indelibly fixed in the mind's eye as "Holmes."
More about the inside of the castle, Gillette's train and his rides along the hills of East Haddam, plus the book on bees and Sherlock Holmes, coming up.
Image of Gillette portraying Holmes, courtesy of Wikipedia.
Above, the visitor's center at the park.
