Bee Meeting and Honey Tasting! Tuesday.....

I made my first solo trip to the ranch today.

It felt a bit odd but it was rather nice. Louis Dean, Summer and I finished up the last of her van conversion late last night and  I knew he would be just too tired to do anything else.

Summer was gone before 7:00 this morning back to Rowlett and she will head out tomorrow on her maiden voyage. It's been a full week since she received the injection that has given her so many days of 'normal' life. The first few were relatively pain free. Last night she had an episode where the pain came with no warning and gripped her so bad she lost her breath. It then shot down her leg and left her trembling and in tears. But it backed off after a bit. Summer is amazing and has been pushed to the limit so many times the last three years and yet she doesn't give up. The fact that she has been able to do what she's done this week has been a gift to her and she continues to be grateful and is hopeful they last as long as possible.

I drove straight from home to the HEB in Bellmead without stopping once.

And it rained all the way to 5 miles from the store.

I loaded up with bread for tonight's honey tasting and picked up some sandwich things.

I traveled light this trip with only one small bag that has a change of clothes and then the laundry I was returning to the camper. I put things away and then settled down to enjoy a little quiet time.

My sister, Luann, had given me a bag of magazines so I poured a glass of wine, ate my sandwich and browsed away!

Our bee meeting met at 7:00 and we had a good crowd. 

There were about 100 people there and everyone was so excited to talk about their honey harvest!

All who harvested brought a small jar of their honey to sample.

More jars were added after I took this picture.

They had information on a paper with each jar as to name, location of hive and the kind of honey.

Most of it was Wildflower Honey but there were also  jars of alfalfa, clover, mesquite and others.

They were all sweet but each one tasted at least a tiny bit different. Some were a LOT different.

It was such a fun meeting!!

I met a new friend who has a hive in Marlin which is close to us in Mart.

Our honey is on this table and the Bitterweed jar had quite a few tastings!

Everyone agreed it has a 'whang!'

It's an after taste that doesn't kick in fast but it does arrive albeit slowly.

And that taste seems to linger.....

Everyone agreed that it will most likely make a fine mead.

I'm still so excited that I am actually a beekeeper!

Sherry does most of it and has far more knowledge than I but I intend to keep learning!

Now it is late and I am all alone for the night - for the first time in two years - back when Louis Dean was in the hospital!

It's beautiful down here. The stars are brighter than they were when we were here last.

Dean says the Milky Way is even bright and that's what I'm going out to see now before I go to bed.

I called and checked on Louis Dean a few times today and he has been busy - with his music and resting! Although he did run to the grocery store the minute I left the driveway and bought more hamburger meat. When I called the first time that's what he was cooking!

I'm going home tomorrow so I guess he thought he needed to work fast!