My bees’ honey for the year has been collected, spun, filtered, and bottled. All told they produced 41 pounds in 2 hives. There is still at least another 15 pounds out there but I think I’ll leave it for their winter stores. I’m not entirely altruistic, just exhausted from the whole sticky process.

This summer has been a whirlwind. I collected in stages. First I removed the capped honey frames and stored them while we entertained grandchildren and went camping. Then I spun the frames in a centrifuge to collect the honey. I made the mistake of doing it early in the day when it was cool and the honey was thick. I lost control of the process and made a bit of a mess of the wax and discard when I melted down the wax. Although I tried to clean up, doorknobs and any surface I touched had the faintest bit of stickiness as a reminder for days afterward.

In the meantime, a bird or dragonfly snatched Monty the Monarch chrysalis off its perch.

Our kids and most grandkids are coming here while we head off to a lighthouse in Lake Superior. I thought that spackle bucket might have come to a bad end so, as part of my travel preparations, I jarred the honey.

I’ll keep jars that have some wax in them for us and distribute the rest.

On our flight home from DC this weekend, after a fabulous visit with our newest, very happy grand daughter and her family, our flight captain announced we were heading into strong winds and thunderstorms. I was braced for the worst. Instead we saw this.

And came home to not one but at least 35 pots of gold.