Falling for Nature's Nectar & Other Sweet Things

 Hello Autumn…I’ve Been Expecting You

By Cal Orey, M.A.

When the morning air is crisp enough to make your teeth chatter, my front yard morphs into a furry, feathered circus—busy squirrels, gossiping birds, Mr. Raccoon clocking in for early patrol and a feral cat fleeing down the street. Transitioning into fall at Lake Tahoe is my annual cue to say goodbye to summer and kick my mind and body into gear before winter hits. Here’s my down-to-earth organic hacks to keep you warm and fuzzy as the seasons shift.

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1. Grounding Mind & Space: Amber and Orange LED Lighting: Replace harsh overhead white lighting with warm-hued LED lighting like pumpkin candles to outdoor golden solar lights.  How it works: Warm hues mimic the setting sun and flickering campfires. This visual change calms the nervous system by lowering cortisol levels and gives off a cozy vibe as the mountain evenings grow darker earlier.

2. Nourishing the Body: Autumn Seasonings:  Freshen up your old spices and herbs with new ones like cinnamon, ginger, thyme, and parsley. Add to cereals, soups, fish, and poultry. How it works: Warming herbs and spices have anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial perks. As the alpine air cools, these seasonings support immune health and help stave off seasonal viruses.

3. Restoring the Body: Crisp Comforter & Fresh Duvet: Upgrade your sleep sanctuary with a new or cleaned comforter encased in a new duvet featuring grounding fall colors (forest green or warm taupe). How it works: Deep sleep is the ticket to good health. Research reveals that sleeping in a cooler comfy environment under a warm layer promotes ideal core body temperature essential for deep sleep. Plus, waking up surrounded by soft textures and earth tones reinforces a comforting happy place.

4. Tasting Nature’s Nectar: Infused Honeys: Local raw autumn-harvested honeys (such as buckwheat, wildflower, or orange blossom cinnamon-infused artisan varieties) are a wholesome natural sweetener. How it works: Raw honey contains trace local pollens and antioxidants that support respiratory health and soothe dry throats brought on by the dry Tahoe mountain air. Less is more so you’ll savor the sweet and savory goodness of the golden gift in coffee and tea.

5. Boosting the Spirit: No Maintenance Faux Mums for the Yard and Deck: Arrange weather-resistant, vibrant faux autumn orange mums in rustic containers on your deck or entryway porch. How it works: Living spaces influence emotional well-being. Faux autumn florals provide a visual anchor of energy and warmth without the frustration of upkeep. Don’t forget a maple leaf and pumpkin wreath for your front door to welcome the Tahoe season.

CAL OREY, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist. She holds a master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from SFSU. She will be signing books at Reno Barnes and Noble bookstore on September 19. Her website is www.calorey.com

The Healing Powers of Honey, Revised

 

AMAZON HOT NEW RELEASES 

New Releases in Antioxidants & Phytochemicals

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#1 New Releasein Antioxidants & Phytochemicals

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Learn how to boost your immune system, combat ailments, and so much more, all with the natural power of honey—the pantry staple and sustainable superfood that’s also the green choice for healthy living, homeopathic remedies, and natural cures.

A newly revised and updated edition of the #1 hit, now with new research, heart-healthy recipes, honey bee data, and home cures!


DISCOVER HONEY’S AMAZING BEE-HEALTHY POWERS
Did you know? . . .

Eating honey, Mother Nature’s ancient medicine, can still work its healing magic and help lower the risk of disease—adding quality and years to your life—at any age!

The buzz: Consumers are seeking healthy alternatives to refined sugar due to concerns about obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, the #1 killer.

Yes! Raw, unprocessed honey is more popular than ever before and is touted a “superfood” as it replaces unhealthy table sugar and artificial sweeteners—helping to combat the skyrocketing rise in chronic ailments and life-threatening diseases.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, beekeepers experienced a surge in demand for the disease-fighting, antioxidant-rich “apocalyptic food” widely believed to boost immune health.

Increasing threats to honey bees’ survival may harm the planet’s nourishing superfoods that you love to eat—such as fruits and nuts—that the honey bee pollinates.

Honey, known as Mother Nature’s “nectar of the gods,” is an ancient remedy noted in the Bible and used for centuries to quell a cough, soothe a sore throat, energize you, and even calm frazzled nerves due to stressors such as post-COVID-19 virus variants and climate change health effects.

Enjoy gripping and adventurous survival stories about honey bees and humans as well as fascinating reasons why the popularity of honey is soaring, Manuka honey medicinal uses are surging, and herbal flavored varietals are trending. You’ll also love new heart-healthy recipes with honey twists such as Whipped Ricotta Toast with Lemon Thyme Honey, Hot Honey Glazed Turkey Loaf, and Turmeric Honey Immunity Booster, plus buzzworthy home cures thanks to honey’s gifts (including super “bee foods” like propolis and royal jelly) from the hive!

“This eye-opening book provides you with a delicious truth of the traditional Mediterranean diet. Honey is a sumptuous route to optimal health.” —Dr. Will Clower, author of The French Don’t Diet Plan 

The Sequel HONEY 2 Returns to the Lucky Sellout B&N Bookstore: RENO

 By Cal Orey

On March 17, Saint Patrick's Day, I took a leap of faith and drove over the mountain in the sierras to attend a Barnes and Noble book signing in Reno --after shoveling snow in the morning.

Yes, the roads were icy, roads not groomed, a bit crowded on the way out of Lake Tahoe (drivers coming into town despite reports advising to no drive) and sci-fi spooky. 

Regrets of not doing a will for the Siamese kitty Zen in my life hit while driving on the winding road--both ways. An adventure without The Rock to rescue us. Images of the author's spinout in the film Misery came to mind. But no, I did not crash and slide off into a ravine. (I even packed blankets, survival food, and water just in case!)

Due to the highly contagious canine flu (foreshadow of COVID-19 pandemic), my Aussie couldn't be kenneled and got his first shot. As we wait for the booster shot the dog was in tow to Reno. A bit of another challenge once it began to snow. Feeling like characters in the Contagion movie the trek was made... had to keep my canine in a bubble, sort of. This made me nervous. I didn't want to leave the dog in the car or home alone. (It was cold, canine flu was an issue, it didn't seem humane, me selling books and my dog left to suffer.)

Another challenge? Stephen King's signing was one week prior. Now that was intimidating. Hundreds of books sold out in 15 minutes or so I heard.

On the upside, the box of TEA books sold out thanks to the manager's advertising--a few days ahead without me--the author. The bookstore manager called me. "I don't know how to say this." she paused, "but your box of books all sold out. This has never happened before."  So, I was on a mission to replenish the store with more books since the weekend was nearing.  

But taking the dog and sibling in the snow flurry bothered me. Pet sitters weren't an option; the kennel of choice was not opening doors until the shot took effect. Stuck. What's a dog-loving, hardworking author to do? I traveled over the mountain, with the dog, and stayed for an hour...but if the books sold on their own I sensed more would sell. The challenging elements lost--snow and dog won.  

Headed back to Tahoe, another storm was on its way, more rain than white powder, before Spring arrived. Once back home, I made a fire, brewed a fresh cup of tea (or two), cuddled on the sofa with puppy awaiting one more flu shot booster. Another day in the life of the Healing Powers Series author. The motto: Everything happens for a reason. (Years later, The Healing Powers of Honey earned the #1 Top Rated book label on Amazon...and a revised second editions was the reward!)

UPDATE: I just found out there are more than 50 books waiting for me to shake and move. Well, 9 is my lucky number. So, 9-19 may prove a winner. September 19, 2026 I will be returning to the Reno Barnes & Noble bookstore for an event

How to Find the NEW Release--The Healing Powers of Honey, REVISED (August 2026)

 

By Cal Orey

Want the NEW book The Healing Powers of Honey, Revised? It's tricky to find on Amazon due to a glitch (5 formats). But you can grab it! Just type in the words: The Healing Powers of Honey: Revised and Updated: A Complete Guide to Nature's Remarkable Nectar by Cal Orey (Author)
Format: Paperback

A newly revised and updated edition of the #1 hit, now with new research, heart-healthy recipes, honey bee data, and home cures!

Learn how to boost your immune system, combat ailments, and so much more, all with the natural power of honey—the pantry staple and sustainable superfood that’s also the green choice for healthy living, homeopathic remedies, and natural cures.

A newly revised and updated edition of the #1 hit, now with new research, heart-healthy recipes, honey bee data, and home cures!

Honey Rx for Pre-Fall Sinus Woes

  Sinus Headache? Accuweather at South Lake Tahoe Shows HIGH also for Sinus and Ragweed!

By Cal Orey, M.A.

Sinus sufferers are hardly alone. About 35 million Americans have sinusitis at least once year, according to researchers. If you have nasal congestion, a cough, painful facial pressure – welcome to rhinosinusitis commonly called sinusitis, explains the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (AAAAI).

Meet the sinuses – hollow cavities around the face — which aids to filter the air you breathe. Sinus woes – chronic and acute – say sinus specialists are often caused by allergies, colds, flu or change in environment. So, you can blame your sinus woes on the dust, dander, and dry air in the mountains — especially during fall. But you are not powerless. Here are things you can do:

1.         Eat spicy foods. One hot chili pepper can be your antidote to break up the mucus (the stuff in your throat), open the airways, and allows you to breathe easier. A study published in Annals of Allergy; Asthma & Immunology proved hot chili peppers may help clear up sinus inflammation. Also, try eating spicy hot mustard and horseradish.

2.         Add garlic to your diet. Garlic has expectorant and decongestant properties that help you to prevent a cold — often followed by acute sinusitis, points out the AAAAI. The herb contains a sulfur compound called allicin and can fight bacteria – linked to sinus infections. Past research shows you can prevent the common cold with a garlic supplement. Or a garlic clove eaten in your favorite dishes may keep sinus woes and sniffles or the doctor away. 

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3.         Pineapple, please. Eating ½ cup, diced pineapple or drinking 8 ounces of pineapple juice may be what the doctor should order to prevent sinus troubles. Research has shown that the enzyme bromelain was the key compound that helped ward off acute sinusitis for children in Germany. Pineapple juice, a good source of immune-boosting vitamin C, is a sweet anti-sinusitis fighter.

4.         Sip tea. Sinus doctors at the New York Sinus Center note that inhaling vapors of herbal brew can alleviate nasal inflammation, and drinking the hot beverage can speed nasal drainage by moisturizing the mucus membranes. The Center recommends a variety of sinus agony-busting herbal teas such as blackberry, chamomile, peppermint, and thyme. Don't forget antioxidant-rich black, green, and white! Savor three cups daily for best results. Speaking of tea…

5.         Add a bit of honey! Research touts nature’s nectar can kill bacteria. Plus, a study conducted at the University of Oxford, UK reveals honey is more effective at treating coughs and colds than antibiotics and more budget-wise. The rule of thumb is no more than three tablespoons per day. Local raw lavender honey is my favorite.

Here are more options from the AAAAI: Get plenty of rest, and keep your body hydrated by drinking several glasses of water a day. Try breathing hot, moist air, using hot packs, or washing the nasal cavities with a saline rinse. If your sinus ailments do not resolve, consult your doctor.

Soup Rx

Chicken soup (canned or homemade) contains several ingredients that affect the body’s immune system, say nutritionists. A bowl of hot soup has anti-inflammatory properties that may soothe a sore throat — and ease the pesky headache of sinus symptoms. Bonus tip: Add fresh hot peppers and garlic!

[Originally in Tahoe Daily Tribune]

CAL OREY, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, romance, and science. She holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from San Francisco State University. Her books include the Healing Powers series, 2nd Ed. The Healing Powers of Honey, Revised at all bookstores and physical Barnes & Noble stores nationwide. She is a South Lake Tahoe local. Her website is http://www.calorey.com

The Vanishing Honeybee

By Cal Orey, M.A.

The good news: September is the time to celebrate National Honey Month. But the sobering fact is honey bee colony losses are soaring at an alarming rate. So, exactly why in the world are bees disappearing in high numbers, anyhow?

Q&A with the Informed Bee Culture Magazine Editor

Colony collapse disorder (CCD), honey bee health, the future of our honey bees and food chain. These shocking concerns worry beekeepers, scientists, honey producers—and may spook you, too. Jerry Hanes, the current editor of the magazine, who is a backyard beekeeper, former scientist, and teacher dishes on why he believes the hardworking honey bees are dying. He is the go-to guy to tell it as it is for the present and future of our bees as they face a mass die-off around the globe.

Here, he sat down for a Q&A, where he shares insights on how honey bees are important to humanity but also reduces your risk of chronic diseases by pollinating our nutritious foods to help you continue to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. He dishes on the real scoop about honey bees and how they, like the planet, are facing dangerous times and why. 

Q: So, is Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) worse today than back in 2010 when I wrote the first edition of The Healing Powers of Honey? One radio show host said to me on air it was pesticides. Sure, I agreed but I argued it’s much, much more to it!

A: Honey bee health is a continuing struggle to keep this insect strong, adaptable and alive. One of the main challenges is the parasitic mite, Varroa destructor. Make a fist, which is a Varroa mite. Now you are a honey bee so place that fist (Varroa) on your honey bee body somewhere. It is a huge parasite feeding on various life stages of the developing and adult honey bee, destroying tissue, feeding on honey bee fat bodies, vectoring viruses, causing immune suppression, and simply making them weak and sick. Now how do you kill, hurt, damage a bug (Varroa) on a bug (honey bee)?

Q: Is climate change making it difficult for our honey bee as it is for humans? 

A: We have climate change and not only temperature [fluctuations] but when and if flowers bloom, suburban houses and gardens and landscapes use about 80 million pounds of chemicals a year, then urban areas. Then production agricultural uses to produce a crop to feed us… 

Q: What about poor air quality and global warming aka climate change? It definitely affects humans, wildlife, pets, and our ecosystem. So, honey bees must face the problem, too, right?

A: Air quality coupled with climate change and wildfires, smoke, heat, humidity, lack of rain, too much rain, and urban/suburban air pollution is going to be an increasing struggle for all life forms on this small planet. Kind of like geologic records of fluctuations in heat and tropical conditions with dinosaurs and then to the last Ice Age. and Woolly Mammoths.

For now, yes, air pollution impacts these small creatures we call honey bees and their cousins' solitary bees and bumble bees. Honey bees search for blooming pollinators dependent on plants based on sight and smell. Change these forage paradigms and the health of honey bees in particular declines. What we have seen is that flowering plants growth, bloom times, nectar availability are changing.

Q: Since honey bees are responsible for about one third of pollination for our nuts and fruits and not to forget other food sources like beef and dairy, our food chain is in danger, isn’t it?

A: If expected 'food' availability changes, it becomes less, harder to access or disappears entirely then what happens with honey bees’ relationship with flowering plants? If you and I go to the grocery store and half the produce section is empty along with canned goods, meat and dairy products what would we do?

Q: The Happening film includes a fictional quotation from Einstein noting if the honey bees die off in four years mankind will be extinct. Nobody can find proof that Einstein predicted this scenario, but it rings possible.  What do you say?

A: Honey Bees will probably not vanish in our lifetime but as the world's population today goes from seven billion to 10-11-12 billion the food supply chain will be modified. For most of this population if in fact agricultural land is still available and doesn't have housing developments on it, we will transition to a wind pollinated diet of corn, rice, wheat, oats, barley similar to our ancestor's diet. For those with money and power they will have access to fruits, nuts and vegetables grown in huge greenhouses.

So, as we experience the loss of hives and honey, are AWOL honeybees a mere act of nature or is climate change a reality that is affecting our world as we know it?

[Adapted excerpt from The Healing Powers of Honey, Revised & Updated (Kensington Publishing, August 2026]

Bye Bye Blues... Hello Pre-Fall Sweet Superfoods

 By Cal Orey, M.A.

A week or two ago, one morning I noticed I was longing for my mornings on the deck, tending to the trees and garden, aquarium, and the sweet soak of the sun. But then, one gray day bled into another, rain, overcast skies, and an abrupt halt to my exercise routine, leaving the Aussie with more drives and fewer walks than usual. "What gives?" I wondered, before realizing: ah, welcome to the sneaky, end-of-summer blues.

Blame it on shorter days and less sun and less movement which reduces endorphins—a natural “feel-good” chemical released by your brain to reduce stress. A change in our regular schedule can feel unsettling like something is off. I noticed the gloom and doom change despite an exciting upcoming book tour and new book release. My healthy summertime habits ceased. But today, it hit me. I’m sensitive to seasonal change.

It’s time for me, and maybe you, to welcome Tahoe favorite foods and beverages into your daily routine to boost your spirits, stabilize your energy, and stop seasonal fatigue. Here’s a pre-fall list to help you beat the seasonal change blues.

1. Focus on Foods Rich in Folic Acid and B Vitamins:  Low levels of vitamin B-12 and folic acid have been linked to depression and low energy. Folic acid helps increase serotonin production in the brain, which naturally ups happiness. Tahoe Eats: Dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, and fortified whole grain cereals. For vitamin B-12, eat eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, milk, and salmon.

2. Boost Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Healthy fats are not only vital for heart health, but they also play a major role in mood. Tahoe Eats: Repeat salmon and nuts.

3. Choose Complex Carbohydrates and High-Fiber Foods: When the weather turns chilly, many people crave sugary comfort foods which lead to irritability low energy. Tahoe Eats: Swap refined sweets for whole grains, and load up on vegetables such as potatoes, crucifers and fruits like berries and apples.

4. Warm Up with Polyphenol-Rich Tea and Raw Honey:  Both black and green tea boast powerful antioxidants that offer anti-inflammatory effects and can positively influence brain chemistry to lift your spirits. Ditto with raw honey. A warm cup of tea on a crisp autumn morning or night provides a comforting treat that warms you up while improves your mind. A bonus tip: Sprinkle cinnamon into tea including herbal varieties like chamomile.

Bottom line: As we get used to the cooler days, and a new diet and exercise regime, fall will welcome us in the sierras with the awesome colors of changing leaves, and new hobbies for the new season.

Cal Orey, M.A., is a bestselling author-novelist specializing in topics such as adventure, health, nutrition, and science. She holds a master’s degree in English (Creative Writing) from SFSU. Her books include the popular Healing Powers series. The new, revised 2nd ed. of The Healing Powers of Honey(Kensington Publishing, Penguin Random House) is here! Orey will be at a Reno Barnes & Noble book event/signing on September 19. Her website is http://www.calorey.com