Honey Candles

I haven't written here in such a long while. It's because I've been busy with 'the book' but, even now that it's finished and I have time, I tell myself to wait for a day when I feel inspired to write something that is actually good.

Today is not that day. But this morning I took some photos of my sweet husband's self-styled candle making project and I want to post them before they become lost in the files and files of photos I keep on my computer.

I woke this morning to this arrangement of Dixie cups on the kitchen counter. I was groggy enough that it took a moment before I figured out what Carlos was up to. We lost a honeybee hive last year and he'd harvested some honeycomb. A lot of honeycomb. Over the past 9 months he's been gestating a couple jars of what I'll call 'wax wads.' After chewing a mouthful of comb for dessert, he'd place his wad of wax in a Mason jar.

Last night marked the end of the honeycomb supply, thus today began his beeswax candle project. Turns out that engineers make pretty good candle makers.



The suspicious Dixie cups I awoke to.

Bees wax (and Carlos spittle) melting in a double boiler.

Wicks are made from kitchen string soaked in beeswax.

Pealing off the unsightly Dixie cup to reveal a glossy beeswax candle.

Quite by coincidence, candles fit perfectly in votive holders.

Finished candle.

The burning candles smell like warm honey on toast.

By the way, my book, The Front Yard Forager, is available for pre-order at Mountaineers Books, Barnes and Noble, Powell's Books and Amazon. The release is scheduled for August 3.

Blankets for Homeless

Yes, I know, this is quite off topic. BUT....

If you would like to help the homeless, but aren't sure where to start, please consider giving a small donation to my new cause - blankets for the homeless.

Making a donation is EASY and it doesn't have to be big to make a big difference. More information at the link.

THANK YOU!
http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=12930&url=blanketsforthehomeless

SPRING BUSYNESS

At two days, already striking an adult pose.

I guess I need to explain why I've been absent for so long. I've signed with a publisher to write my urban foraging book. I can't tell you how excited I am about getting this book out! My first deliverable is due in May, so I've been doing a lot of writing, just not here in my blog pages.

Also, Spring and all its activities are full upon us right now. All 3 of our goats were bred in the fall, so we just had 7 (adorable!!!) kids added to our back yard in the last couple weeks.

Little Donatello (names are all courtesy of Noah.)

Our silver lace wyandotte chicks are almost to pullet size, so we'll be introducing them to our partridge rock and auracana hens soon.

Venus

Donatello

Emma's three (Gene Simmons, Patch and Groucho)

Long Day!!

I am teaching my urban foraging classes through Seattle Tilth now and have been busy teaching classes on the side as well.

So, please forgive my absence here. I will probably not be back, at least not entirely, until August (at which time I hope to complete the first draft of the book.) But please do stay tuned. There's so much more I'd like to share with you about this unusual, delightful lifestyle we've somehow gradually adopted!