The wonder of honey

Newly arrived bee hives

Spicy and Sweet Black Beans

   sauteed onions

   black beans

   tomato paste

   Mexican spices

   chard

   carrots

   dollop of honey

   olive oil, salt, pepper

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

   olive oil

   walnut oil

   apple cider vinegar

   small spoon of Dijon mustard

   small spoon of honey

   salt and pepper

Hi Winnie and Steve,

We had a late arrival the other night at the ranch that is nice -- honey bees.  The poor honey bee has suffered a lot lately.  There is something called Colony Collapse Disorder that has had scientists baffled.  Honey bees leave their hives, and they never return -- the colony just dies off.  Researchers wonder if it might be several factors in combination -- insecticides, mites, stress due to overworking the bees, air pollution?  I often will feel sorry for the plight of an animal, but I did not think my feeling would extend all the way to an insect!  Yet it does.

Anyway, an interesting couple that immigrated from Russia came around a few months ago and introduced themselves.  They are bee keepers in the San Joaquin Valley.  In an effort to save and protect their colonies, they are placing many of their hives here on the coast where the temperatures are cooler, the air quality better -- and they let the bees roam the hillsides in natural gathering -- less stress I'm guessing.  We gave permission to locate some of the hives on our ranch. Other farmers have done the same.  In the night, we heard sounds across the road near the wheat fields.  In the morning we saw that some hives had been relocated here in the night.  I tried to get a photo, but the bees wouldn't let me get too close.  Honey is a mysterious substance, and I am amazed that these little bees deliver such a nectar.  Our reward for letting them live here -- jars of honey!  I love that.

Thinking of you.  Donna