A Little More Bee Drivel....

Well - it's just about all over -

I'm sure I'll find a few more sticky surfaces in the kitchen before I can say it's over for good.
The boychild (or should I call him the ManChild now?) took all the photos in this post - that's why they are decent!
He also ate the last of the blueberry muffins, drenched in honey.

I'm infatuated with bees and all they are and represent.

I want to bathe in honey.

I may re-pierce my belly button if I can find a bee belly ring.
(I just Googled it - and they exist )

I actually thought of getting a bee tattoo for about 2 seconds.

I've never considered a tattoo.

Ever.

I mean - they fade and sag - and I have enough of that going on now without adding to my shame...thankyouverymuch.

Here's the long awaited video of me getting the honey off the frames.

Please do try this at home!

For all you experienced honey extractors - you may cringe.

And of course - there's even bloopers in this video - but I just keep going.

What I didn't show you in the video - is a close up photo of my first filtering process - I didn't know there would be a second.

Isn't it lovely?  See all that lovely wax mixed in with the honey? 

The smell was intoxicating.

Well - this strainer wasn't fine enough to get all the 'floaties' out of the honey - so I took my largest glass canister, tied a few layers of cheesecloth on the top of it, and proceeded to filter it again through that.  I put the jar in the oven, set on 170 degrees, with the door open, and let the honey warm enough to really drain well.

By the time I strained everything and drained the wax well, I ended up with a total of 23 half pint jars and 1 pint jar. 

I was a happy camper.

I had a big glob of beeswax, that still had quite a bit of honey in it.  I know I could have laid it out for the bees to clean up, but I was too anxious.

I simmered it in water, and the honey water and the wax separated nicely when it cooled.

I'll be giving the bees the honey water in a feeder next week.

I love it that nothing, and I mean nothing went to waste.

God, I love that!

I've ordered the supplies to make honey lip balms next week.

And just think - I get to do this all over again in the fall.

I am Jayme.
I keep bees.

Or do they keep me?

Amen.