Falling into Autumn Love

By Cal Orey

Fall is my fave time of year--autumn babies, like me, are believed by some researchers to live longer, quality lives.

In the sierra fall is flaunting its true colors. The aspens are golden, leaves are dropping, and the heater is kicking on with and without my help. I wonder if cooler October temps is a sign of a colder winter.  I have to turn to my sixth sense and rain-sensitive Aussie for a weather forecast. 
This post is from the past but timeless. But somethings change -- climate change. My 2022 forecast for the autumn is the wildfires will settle down by November. More drought, and come December and early January the West Coast may see rain, rain, rain... Snow? Not so much. Those days are over at Lake Tahoe. 

To Do Autumn List:

Ah lavender is all around me for fall.

• OUTDOORS STUFF: The firewood is in the back  covered with tarp, but not stacked as of yet. I'd rather go swimming this AM. Will put in garage when the weather clears up in a few days. I took a poll and the wood people told me I really don't have to have the chimney cleaned because I didn't use a cord of wood last fall/winter.  Pine needles? Check. They are in green bags and were hauled away yesterday. And the needles are off the rooftop.  2022 Update: Due to climate change a fireplace is not the first thing on my mind for comfort. 

• THREADS FOR WARMTH: Received earthy colored sweats, jeans, and sweaters from Victoria.  What was she thinking? I got a long and lean sweater (love it) but it's too thin! Skinny jeans fit and will keep me skinny. Got light golden colored flannel sheets as a birthday present. Cozy, cozy, cozy. 2022 Update: Paid off my Victoria card...now I get all cotton clothes (tees, jeans, sweaters) online at other stores.

• BRING FALL INSIDE: Pine cones...I am beating the squirrels. There are piles in pots on the deck and will bring some more indoors and place in baskets. After all, these are a signature of where I live. I don't remember so many pine cones on the ground but I like it--they're big, fat, and fresh. And throws. Still need to wash--the green and maroon ones. The aquarium heater is keeping my goldfish and catfish swimming. They are happy. I pray that we do not get a power outage like the 3 day blackout. Not fun. I always worry about my water-loving kindred spirits. 2022 Update: I've added fish to my tank: Goldfish, mollies, snails, a frog, and Siamese fighting fish.

• STAY WELL: Not getting the flu shot. But it's mandatory for my Aussie when he is kenneled. Note to self: Stay clear of people. Going swimming...Bliss, the pool/hot tub are mine. Tourists are AWOL this time of year. It's a local's dream. 2022 Update: Favorite pool resort has changed owners. Got a rowing machine and walk the Aussie.

• GET A MOVE ON: When I return home, I sense it's time to put up the storm windows (I took them out of the closets) for added warmth. And I will let the dogs, pup and senior, outdoors--and may let my young Aussie enjoy the treadmill before our afternoon walk. It is human heaven this time of year--less threat of big canines running loose. 2022 Update: One dog now and one cat.
• CLEAN PANTRY:  I did it late summer! All clean.  That means I need to replenish power outage type food: Nuts, dried fruit, nut butter, chocolate chips, whole grain crackers, all natural juices, spices, herbs, and water. 2022 Update: Stuffed with healthful foods. Will add baking goods when the temps plummet.
• BAKING/COOKING. Today, for both the book and cooking column I pen weekly, I'll do a stir-fry with plenty of seasonal veggies and bake an apple treat with a special creative touch. The scent of fruit and spices in the house will give me incentive to clean the fireplace--a place I will make my first fall fire, most likely within a week or two. 2022 Update: No fire is not on my mind thanks to the Mosquito Fire and California's wildfires.






• So, as I enjoy the cues of the Mother Nature's finest season, it's time to embrace off season. Fall has sprung and I'm loving it! 

ON THE ROAD: WOMAN'S BEST FRIEND (Excerpt from New Audiobook)

By Cal Orey

Like a wayward honey bee in flight, in early fall I traveled through the New England states and two provinces—Quebec and Ontario—with my Lhasa apso/Maltese, Tiger. He was sweet and bold. I had rescued the white shaggy-haired pooch in Washington State, where blackberry honey is popular. It was this Bohemian lifestyle—hitching rides with my dog and eating a simple, natural diet (including honey when I could afford it)—that kept me lean and healthy.

    With my white fluffy, fun-loving pooch in tow I headed toward Canada. (I had to smuggle him into the country because I didn’t have paperwork that was required.) Once we crossed the border, the closer to the city we got, the more disoriented I felt, not accustomed to being like a honey bee in a swarm. The locals spoke fluent French. (I did not.)  The street signs were foreign and the metric system on food labels confused me. I was lost, cold in the mornings and nights, but I had my warmhearted dog that was American.

          One night my canine companion and I spent the night in a forest off the main road. We snuggled up in my sleeping bag. Another creature comfort I enjoyed was the foods I guarded stuffed in my backpack: fresh fruit, nuts, whole-wheat bread, peanut butter—and a jar of clover honey. It was a reality TV show real-life moment when I used my finger to scoop out the creamy butter and gooey honey. And yes, I shared a bit of honey, butter and bread with Tiger (today reminding me of Cerberus, the three-headed dog who was fed a honey cake). *Click on image of book and listen to a sample.

          Tiger and I had cuddled and slept in the backyard of an estate on the outskirts of Quebec, on beaches in Mississippi to the Florida Keys, on an Indian reservation in Arizona, in a cornfield in Kansas, and in the back of a pickup truck under the stars at a motel in Tennessee. From rest stops to national parks, this dog and I were inseparable, like bees and their beekeeper. Tiger was my protector and sounding board. It was comfort foods, honey, peanut butter, and whole-grain crackers from the United States, that didn’t spoil, kept me energized—and I shared with my best friend.

          And while I didn’t know it then, later on as a health author I learned I was eating foods of the Mediterranean diet—heart-healthy honey and peanut butter (in moderation) with a dog that provided heart health benefits, too, by keeping my blood pressure down during stressful and lonely times. 

Wheel of Misfortune, Leaving Las Vegas

I faced sweet and bitter experiences on my road travels, like a honey bee in flight; I was stricken by untimely challenges. On afternoon in Las Vegas, Tiger and I were in front of Lady Luck Casino. It was my idea to leave my long-haired partner in the shade with water at the doorstep of the entry way while I tried to hitch a safe ride back home to California. As I was walking inside, an older man called out to me, “Nice dog!" I got an uneasy vibe but tuned it out.

Fifteen minutes later, I left the casino. My beloved companion was MIA. Shocked and disoriented like a beekeeper with stolen bee colonies, I stood outside in the hot sun. I tried to fight back the tears. After a long search through nondescript streets and talking to people with unknown faces--there was no rescue. My canine buddy was gone. I cried all night long.

At dawn, at a café I ordered a cinnamon roll, tea, and honey. I was like a devoted beekeeper without his bees. I was alone. It was one of the worst experiences I endured on the road. And flashbacks of our travels from coast to coast haunted me then but now are cherished memories of a dog and a girl—an amazing human-animal bond. I left a photo of me, the hippie girl with her dog in Ontario, on the bulletin board at the local animal shelter in Vegas. Through all the pain and loss, I moved on.

A few months later, fate paid me a visit. A black Labrador pup with soulful brown eyes came into my life on the road. We rescued each other at Ocean Beach, San Diego. We bonded instantly like a beekeeper with new queens, and Stone Fox and I, California Butterfly, continued on our journey together.

(Excerpt from The Healing Powers of Honey, published by Kensington). 

Superfoods (Healing Powers Series) Author Speaks on Fave Foods for Fall

Discover more at newsmax.com/superfoods The 20 Most Surprising Superfoods -- Gift Book

By Cal Orey

32 Color Photos!
#7 Healing Powers Series

Did you know the keys to a long life and vibrant good health can be found on the shelves of your local supermarket? 

If you haven’t heard by now, listen up. Your health—mind, body, and spirit—may depend on it. Chances are, you like me, already have superfoods in your kitchen fridge, cupboards, and on the countertops. I’m talking about whole foods—good, clean, edible fare—most processed junk with ingredients you can’t pronounce or define.

The verdict is in, and it has been evident since the ancient caveman and hunter-gatherer days. Eating a whole foods, natural, plant-based diet is the path to good health and well-being. The best superfoods can and do vary, but despite controversy between the food of the week in the media and scientific nutritional studies backing them, superfoods are functional foods—not a gimmick to sell products or a brand despite what some medical doctors believe. Yes, superfoods are real food with super nutrients that provide super healing powers.

Graze with Mediterranean Cheese Plates

Infuse Water to Detox and Energize
Lose Unwanted Weight

The top U.S. ranked heart-healthy Mediterranean diet includes all of my top favorite picks! In an A-Z order, common foods of the groups include: cheese and yogurt, fruits, grains, nuts, vegetables, and water—an overlooked superfood for survival. Here, take a look at Mother Nature’s favorite functional foods.

1 CHEESE:  Cheese can be upgraded into superfood status by using the right kind and right amount and pairing it with whole-grain bread, nuts, and berries. Grilled cheese sandwiches were common kid food in the twentieth century, and they were budget friendly during the Great Depression. But some nutritionists do not believe cheese—any kind—deserves to be included on the healthiest-foods list, let along tagged a superfood, because of its high fat and high sodium content.

“Cheese is a ‘good’ food!” I find myself saying. Cheese is a super source of calcium, which is good for calming your nervous system and for your teeth and bones. Past medical research shows that people who get an adequate amount of calcium by eating a moderate amount of dairy, which includes cheese, may be likely to keep their blood pressure numbers in check—lowering their risk of heart disease and stroke.

2 GREEK YOGURT: The popularity of yogurt grew in the 1950s and 1960s, but it made it mark at health food stores. In twenty-first-century supermarkets, there are an array of brands and types of yogurt, including low-fat and fat-free varieties. But it’s Greek yogurt that is gaining popularity—and for good reason.

Homemade Granola with Greek Yogurt
Nutrient-Rich

Like cheese, Greek yogurt and regular yogurt are superfoods—and taste great drizzled with raw honey or mixed with fresh fruit. In moderation, this dairy staple is touted for its heart-healthy powers, bone-boosting merits, and immune-enhancing perks thanks to its probiotics. Plain Greek yogurt is also rich in the mineral potassium. Both calcium and potassium may help you keep your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers in check.

3 MAPLE SYRUP: By the 1900s, maple syrup was used throughout the United States, mostly as a topping for pancakes and waffles. These days, maple syrup is pair with other superfoods, such as homemade granola, all-natural ice cream, whole grain oatmeal, smoothies, and sweet potatoes.

Antioxidant-rich Maple Syrup, 
egg-y whole-grain bread, berries

While honey is touted as one of nature’s top superfood sweeteners, premium antioxidant-rich maple syrup is getting more recognition for its nutritional benefits. One-fourth cup of premium maple syrup contains fewer calories than high-fructose syrup, corn syrup, or brown sugar. It boasts more calcium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, riboflavin and zine than most sweeteners. And maple syrup has more disease-fighting antioxidants than raw cabbage—also a superfood.

4 PIZZA (with Toppings): Food historians will share with you that in Naples during the 1700s and 1800s, pizza was a food popular with money-challenged folks. The food was called “flat breads,” and it had toppings such as cheese and tomatoes—two superfoods on the top 20 list.

Greek Pizza--Thin Whole-Grain Crust,
Tomatoes, Spinach
Feta Cheese--Moderation! Scientists give a 
thumbs up to sauce

Yes, a slice of pizza.  But it is whole-grain crust and superfood toppings that make it a healthful food. The crust gives you lost of energy and a dose of good-for-you nutrients. Choose superfood cheeses, such as goat cheese, feta, that provide you extra protein benefits. Not to forget a tomato-based (or basil-rich pesto) sauce.

5 POTATOES (RUSSET/SWEET):  As the story goes, the first potato reached Spain in the sixteenth century. Back in 1578, Sir Francis Drake introduced potatoes in his around-the-word adventures. Later, in 1662, it is believed that the British Royal Society sponsored growing potatoes, and by the early 1700s, potatoes were embraced by people in the United States.

Sweet Potatoes are a Superfood!

In the southern United States, folks love their sweet potatoes (whether it’s sweet potato fries or sweet potato pie), and it’s not just the super taste they’re getting. This potato has a whopping amount of vitamin A, which can enhance your immune system to stave off colds, flu, and even cancer. Medical researchers believe the carotene in them can guard again some types of cancers, perhaps because it can boost white blood cell activity in the body.

            So now you’re in the know about which superfoods are super for you—whether you live on the West Coast, East Coast, Midwest, or in the Deep South. Despite changes to Earth due to man’s tampering and nature’s wrath, we still can enjoy nature’s healthiest foods. But sometimes you have to go the extra mile to get the real deal.

Garden of Apples

During one harvest season time in California, I envisioned going to an out-of-town farm in Placerville to pick apples (another superfood) off trees. I had images of  my younger sibling and me meeting a friendly farmer who’d take us on a tractor followed by a couple of herding dogs. The autumn sunshine would warm us up while we carried baskets to fill with big, fresh apples. We’d climb on stools and pick nature’s finest fruit. Excited about the rural experience awaiting us, we drove down the winding road, off the hill, there was a glitch.

Organic Apples Are Best

I didn’t see apples on trees. Not one. A big sign read: “No apple picking.” I left and drove up the road, but the farms and small stores all had signs reading “Closed.” Locals told me, “Tourists can’t pick apples.” I ended up at a busy tourist attraction. Pumpkins and Christmas trees were visible and for sale, hot dogs and cotton candy to pricey fruit—including apples.

Disappointed I drove back up to the hill. I ended up at our local grocery store and picked up a bag of organic apples at a good price. Later, I discovered I wasn’t the only one who had endured such a wild ride at the apple haven. I was told by the apple organization that it had been a busy harvest time and we had come late in the season. There were farms, though, that did offer apple picking, but I had missed the apple boat. So my fantasy remains in my imagination until next year. Nowadays, it’s places like Apple hill, farmers’ markets, and supermarkets that all do sell organic produce and superfoods for you to enjoy.

Adapted from The Healing Powers of Superfoods: A Complete Guide To Nature’s Favorite 

Functional Foods by Cal Orey (Kensington Books, Citadel, 2019). All rights reserved. 

Lose 5 Pounds on the Caveman Diet!

  By Cal Orey

Dump Pounds on the Pre-Fall Caveman Diet

It’s almost a new season. Living in the mountains brings four distinct seasons and four different ways of enjoying superfoods. Once the weather cools down, it’s time to change it up up with superfoods and slip into jeans, crop sweaters, and boots. A spike of energy happens when you take it off so you can put your fave fall clothes on and feel cozy.

Before a trip to the Pacific Northwest, I wanted to dump five pounds. For a few days, I ate a semi-Stone Age diet: leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and fruit; no catching fish or fowl at the lake for me. It worked. At Sea-Tac Airport one evening, I was standing in skinny jeans, two tee shirts, two sweaters, a thick coat, neck scarf and UGG boots. I was lean, layered, and cool, right? Wrong.

Shocked by the crowd of people, I felt like a creature from another planet. Seattle locals and visitors were clad in Hawaiian shirts, shorts, and thongs. I looked like I was transported to the wrong terminal. One man asked me, “Are you going to Alaska?” Embarrassed, I answered, “Nah, Vancouver.” 

Note to self: Savor skinny superfoods for their amazing pounds-off powers but forego piling on clothes when going to a destination known for its warm Mediterranean climate.

Eat Like a Caveman, Sort Of

I followed a semi- Paleolithic diet, Paleo diet, caveman diet, or stone-age diet. The main foodstuff avoids processed food and includes vegetables, fruits, nuts, roots, and  excludes dairy products, grains, sugar, legumes, processed oils, and salt. (I included 1 cup Greek yogurt or 1 cube cheese or an egg (hard boiled or scrambled) I felt deprived and one cup of coffee, no meat, no cheese, no bread.)

Here is the super jump-start diet plan. It is not intended to be used long-term. But you can use it one day per week or as needed after the first time which is one or two days, since it gives your body a vacation from too much overindulging in food on special occasions that include rich and high-calorie fare.

Eating clean foods from a caveman, plant-based diet (such as berries and leafy greens fill you up) and will help give your body a break – detoxing your body. Taking a mini-fast food staycation right at home can help you get fit and dump the muffin top,

This diet plan is adapted from mini-fasts I’ve created with the help of nutritionists. It also uses superfoods in the top ranked Mediterranean Diet Pyramid (the plant-based foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs, teas, and water). Add raw honey, herbs and spices for flavor. Forget the poultry, meat cavemen ate...it's the other fare they enjoyed, too.

The Superfoods Stone-Age Diet Rules

·       Do not go below 1000 calories. Two days only.

·       Do not eat after 7 PM. If you are dying of starvation, you may eat a piece of fresh fruit with herbal tea.

·       Health authorities advise you to drink seven to eight 8-ounce glasses of water daily. The amount depends on your size and weight, activity level, and where you live. (Seasons count, too, you may require more in a hotter climate.)

·       Consult with your health practitioner before starting this diet or any new diet plan. Do not use if you’re pregnant, nursing, or have diabetes.

·       Take a daily multivitamin to help you get adequate nutrients.

Now that you’re ready to spring into autumn and healthy up with superfoods without starving – you’ll feel super during the season to love with a new you.

Adapted from The Healing Powers of Superfoods, Kensington. *This book has gone back to press for a third printing. Gift Book, too!  newsmax.com/superfoods 

 

-- Cal Orey, M.A. Is an author and journalist. Her books include the Healing Powers Series (Vinegar, Olive Oil, Chocolate, Honey, Coffee, Tea, Superfoods, Essential Oils, Herbs and Spices) published by Kensington. (The collection has been featured by the Good Cook Book Club.) Her website is http://www.calorey.com.

Going North to Alaska 2.0 and Seattle -- But Things Are a Bit Different

I wrote this post Sunday, August 30, 2015...But today it's September 2022. Yes, I feel fall is coming but we're having an extreme heat wave throughout the Golden State. Nights are 76 degrees in the cabin -- not 35!. Days near the 90s! Booked to go north to Alaksa with the northern lights on my mind--not Canada...Alaska 2.0 and the PNW coming back home.  Fish aquarium in Seattle and taking a ferry to a special island will be the plan.

Since the pandemic I've only traveled once and that way last summer to flee the Caldor Fire. Three weeks away from South Lake Tahoe and not knowing if we would have a home to come back to. But the "what if it all works out" did happen. So, as I feel the high anxiety of the unknown, going north like I did in December 2019 through hurricane force winds with a possible divert to Fairbanks, it just may work out. Once again, it's time to fly out of my comfort zone. 

Pre-Autumn is Here at Lake Tahoe!

Aspens of Tahoe

By Cal Orey

Living in the Northern California sierras has its perks. One of them is that you can feel the oncoming seasonal change earlier than other places. The temps are beginning to get cooler in the mornings (35 degrees Monday morning, heater kicked on!) The pine needles are brown and falling right after you get them off the rooftop.  Flannel sheets have arrived but still at night the windows remain open. Caveat: Companion animals sleep on the bed and not floor...
It's coming. Fall is on its way. Baking and cooking is on my mind but I will wait a little bit longer as autumn begins to trickle into the mountains. That said, pre-fall cleaning is on my mind. The fridge, pantry (update and stock like a squirrel), and windows all need to be cleaned as well as the oven (a bit). It's that time and summer procrastination lingers. 

Today, the pool is closed (I did break and go to the outdoor one). But soon it's time to make way to resort swimming pool because shoulder season is right around the corner. One more holiday madness day is coming up: Labor Day Weekend. Then, it's celebration time. Quietude permeates the Sierra...

Amtrak 1 way; glorified bus the other

Hotel is booked

Will revisit  Seattle after Canadian Coffee & Tea Show

Seattle/British Columbia So why am I booking a trip to the Pacific Northwest? Because I was invited to the Canadian Coffee and Tea Convention. I couldn't say no. It's a B-Day present to me as a work-fun trip and a fairly short one at that. I haven't told the boys yet...but the kennel, sibling know mom is going north one more time for the coffee, tea, environment, and boost of endorphins from going away and out of my comfort zone.
Here I sit getting ready to book the Seattle rooms for the first night of arrival and last night and then done. I wait. 

The upside: Courtesy press pass to the event; US dollar means great deals in Canada; I have my autumn clothes; chipped molar will be done; I will network with tea people and revisit an awesome hotel in Vancouver (another invite) for tea and scones. I'm there.

September is National Honey Month

National Honey Month is a celebratory and promotional event held annually during the month of September. Its purpose is to promote US beekeeping, the beekeeping industry and honey as a natural and beneficial sweetener. The awareness month was initiated by The National Honey Board (a US government established, USDA-overseen, organization) in 1989. September is significant for honey producers as it is the month that marks the end of the honey collection season for many beekeepers in the United States. 

 By Cal Orey

Buy the Book (Click)

GIFTS FROM THE HIVE

v  Eating honey can help lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, diabetes—even help reduce body fat and unwanted weight!—and increase longevity.

v  Pure, raw, unprocessed honey is a healthier sweetener than table sugar and high-fructose corn syrup. It’s chock-full of antioxidants, minerals, and vitamins—and only has 21 calories per teaspoon.

v  Super “bee foods” (including nutrient-rich bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly) are used and touted for their healing powers by beekeepers and medical experts in the present-day.

v  Honey can relieve a variety of ailments, including coughs, colds, fatigue, pain, and seasonal affective disorder, as well as boost libido.

v  You’ll also enjoy Cleopatra’s milk-and-honey beauty treatments and eco-friendly beeswax household uses—all made with the amazing honey bee’s gifts!

 * * *

The Vanishing Honey Bees

“If the bee disappears off the surface of the globe then man would only have

four years of life left.”

–Albert Einstein

On September 26, the UK’s Daily Mail reported the chilling story that up to 12 million bees dropped dead from hundreds of apiaries in the Brevard County, Florida. Local beekeepers and authorities pinpointed pesticides (perhaps from spraying one night by a helicopter for mosquito control) as the culprit. These bees within a one-and-half-mile distance died at the same time and were found on the premises.

So, while this chilling story is about the demise of honey bees and their beekeepers, is the honeymoon over and how will the absence of this insect affect our planet? Here are some questions and answers, straight from experts I interviewed for my book The Healing Powers of Honey: A Complete Guide to Nature’s Remarkable Nectar! And the problem has humans in the U.S. and around the globe buzzing.

NEW AUDIOBOOK! TAKE A LISTEN!

5 Questions:

Where Have All the Honey Bees Gone?

Q. Colony Collapse Disorder was excluded as a cause of the dead bees in the Florida incident. So, what exactly is this term?

A. Back in 2006, an apiary owner in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, made the problem known. Penn State researchers took note of the bee colony decline, due to a condition now known as Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). This condition causes honey bee colonies to simply vanish without a trace—go AWOL leaving their hives in the dust—lending to eerie images of The Happening and I Am Legend sci-fi films of human and animal extinction.

Q. What are some of the theories behind CCD?

A. Theories include climate change, diet, mites, pesticides, and viruses. Also, the stress of traveling for pollination of crops and the usage of cell phones (perhaps due to the radiation) are in the mixed bag of possibilities for why the bees are vanishing and leaving their beekeepers out of work and shocked by losing half or more of their prized colonies to an unknown cause.

Q. How will the die-off of the honey bee affect our food chain?

A. Millions of acres of U.S. fruit, vegetable, oilseed, and legume crops depend on insect pollination—and that includes the sacred honey bees. This little insect gives human gifts from the hive but also helps pollinate our crops, home gardens, and wildlife habitat. And don’t forget most beef and dairy products enjoyed in the United States count on insect-pollinated legumes, such as alfalfa and clover. Worse, if the bee disappears our food chain would decline in diversity and quantity, and images of the futuristic doomsday films without fresh food like Soylent Green and The Road could become a grave reality.

Q. What are scientists doing about CCD?

A. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is trying to help get a handle on Colony Collapse Disorder. In 2010 it dished out $6 million in emergency assistance to beekeepers who had lost their bees. And scientists are busy at work trying to discover what exactly is causing the vanishing of honey bees.

            California bee expert Dr. Eric Mussen of UC Davis says, “None of us know why the bees are not as vital as they used to be. In many cases this may be due to limited access to a good varied supply of pollens.” He hopes in our lifetime scientists will discover what is killing the honey bees. “But,” he adds, “even if we find the cause, will we be able to overcome it?”

Q. What can you do to help keep the honey bee alive and well?

A. Devote a portion of your property to growing annual and perennial plants the bloom consecutively over the whole season that honey bees are collecting nectar and pollens for food. Reduce the pesticides of all kinds to a minimum.  In areas with extended dry periods, supply fresh water in a way so that visiting bees don’t become a nuisance.

Consider donating funds to bee researchers around the country who are trying to determine the cause of CCD and what can be done to bolster the bee populations.  

SWEET POTATO PIE

* * *

7 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes                1 cup Savannah Bee

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg                                        Company Orange

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon                                     Blossom Honey

2 tablespoons vanilla extract                                      4 jumbo eggs

2 teaspoons lemon juice                                              2 deep-dish pie shells

2 ¼ cups sugar

            Preheat oven to 350 F. Place sweet potatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, lemon, juice, sugar, Savannah Bee Company Orange Blossom Honey, and eggs in large bowl. Blend ingredients together until they are thoroughly mixed. Equally distribute the sweet potato mix into the pie shells. Place some aluminum foil on and around the edges of the pie shells so the crust will not burn when the pies are baked. Place pies in the oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving. Serve with whipped cream. Makes 2 pies/16 to 20 servings.

(Source: Courtesy Savannah Bee Company.)

10 HONEY BUZZ-WORTHY BITS
     

 Since the honey bee and mankind are connected because of our food chain, it makes sense to dish out a spoonful of honey trivia to show you just the honey bee is a un-bee-lievable man’s best friend (click for amazing trailer). Take a look at these ten factoids that’ll get you thinking about the amazing small creature and what it can do.

It takes about two million flowers for honey bees to tap to make one pound of honey.

1. The average honey work bee makes a mere 1/12 teaspoon of honey in her lifetime.

2. Utah is known as the beehive state.

3. Honey bees communicate by dancing. The waggle dance alerts other bees where the nectar and pollen are.

4. A honey bee must tap about 2 million flowers to make one pound of honey.

5. On average, each person in the United States consumes about 1.31 pounds of honey each year.

6. The USDA estimates that there are approximately 3 million honey producing colonies in the United States.

7. It would take about two tablespoon to fuel a bee’s flight around the world.

8. A worker bee visits about 50-100 flowers during each trip

9.  A honey bee flies about 15 miles per hour.

10. A hive of bees flies more than 55,000 miles to bring you one pound of honey.

(Source: National Honey Board)

            As you can see, the remarkable honey bee flies the extra mile so it can produce honey—a superfood (a food that has super health benefits) for people, like you and me—that can be enjoyed solo or in a cup of tea or both. Here is a perfect recipe to whip up and savor with a cup of tea and honey as you fly away with me on a journey into Honeyland. 

UN-BEE-LIEVALBE HEALING HINTS TO CATCH

            Research, especially in the past decade, shows that quality, dark honeys, which are derived from a variety of flowers, plants, and trees produce the nectar for the honey around the globe—may help you to:

ü  Lower your risk of heart disease.

ü  Enhance your immune system.

ü  Stave off diabetes.

ü  Treat respiratory diseases.

ü  Heal wounds.

ü  Slow the aging process.

ü  Add years to your life.