Some new Candles!

Santa & Acorns and a wonderful trio of Racoon Moose and Bear
Could it be any better?

Candles are magical and beautiful and can set the atmosphere for any ocassion, that's why I'm thrilled to have come up with some more to join the ones that we already have in stock. Jim is going to wring my neck when he sees the new molds. He keeps telling me "Enough is enough." He just doesn't get it.

I'm getting ready to go to Mom's . . . can't wait. But that means I won't be updating for a little bit. I'll be back in November so until then, stay warm:)

Candles Now Have a Home too!

Well my friend Amy had arranged for us to meet Bridget Simon, owner of Something Extra at the Elephant Bar in Toledo for lunch. I had a blast. Amy had to keep me on track about showing my candles to Bridget and she decided she liked them and placed an order. Once again terms came up that I didn't know and she kindly explained what those terms meant.

How great it is that other women who are successful are willing to help someone like me out. They also came up with some other places for me to call. I'm feeling over my head with stuff to do right now because I'm leaving for Mom's on Friday, but I'll start down the list Amy left me with and what gets done gets done.

So our Candles can now be located at

Something Extra, LLC
2214 Tedrow Rd.
Toledo, OH 43614

Phone: (410) 385-7299
Fax: (419) 385-8570
email: somethingextra@bex.net

Just ask for Bridget. . . .
so I'd better get off the blog and get to work. . .

P.S. I'm looking out at the bee yard right now and the leaves are the most beautiful shade of gold. That means the leaves will be gone in the next few days, but for now I'm floored at the beauty. Take time to notice those things. . . they won't be here forever.

Product Now at Sautters 5 Star Market in Sylvania Ohio

Yipee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jim Sautter (Sautters 5 Star Market)
met with me on Friday and agreed to carry our Whipped Honey and our Deb Bee Lip Balm. I'm so excited. I was worried about how the people who had been buying my product down at the market would be able to still get it when I stopped going to market and now I don't have to worry about a thing.

Yes the market at Erie Street is over for me until next year. I will be going down to the Sattelite market in front of Elder Beermans on Wed. for the last time this year as well. Folks it's getting pretty darn cold standing outside and although I will miss the company of the other vendors and all the people I've gotten to know who have purchased our products, I'm kinda glad that it's over. The last three market days have been cold and rainy, and I mean cold and rainy. It's been soooo bad that last week people said I looked like a popsicle. Great!!!!!just what I wanted to be remembered as.

Bees are finally settling down. I'm thinking that they are getting a little tire of me messing with them and wish that I would stay inside. I've still got a few hives that are light, I'm trying to find out how I can get them fed without causing some major problems. The temperature is getting down to freezing at night now and if I put a glass feeder on top I'm afraid that it might shatter or freeze up and then when it does thaw out if it doesn't freeze I'm afraid that it might sweat and freeze drip on the girls. I've said it before but I'll say it again. Bee Keeping is a never ending learning experience. . . . .

Today I'm going to have lunch with someone who might be interested in carrying our candles. That would be absolutely phenomenal. I'll keep you posted as to if it happens and where you will be able to find them.

I also want to mention that I've recently run into an old friend Amy who has the greatest marketing skills. She has given me a ton of great ideas and has helped me market our product in places I never knew existed or thought of. She is also a really great word smith who has graciously agreed to rewrite some of my marketing material. . .Ok, I never said I was great at writing. But Amy is allergic to bees so we can't all be good at everything. Just wanted to acknowledge her and let her know how much I appreciate everything she has done for me.

Thanks Amy!!!!!!

By the way. . .are you watching the world series? Of all things, my Uncle Ted is a long time Cardinals fan and of course I'm here hoping the Tigers win. . .It's pretty painful to watch. I told Jim, this just isn't fair. I've been tempted to send Uncle Ted a Tigers ball cap, but I really don't want to anger him:)

Stay warm!

Here are the new photo's

Ok, here is the home fort. . . I love it when the leaves start to turn.


This is one of the girls just hanging out, I tried to tell her it was too late to worry about getting a sun tan.



This is the girls home fort.



It's really cold outside. . .



Little by little I'm getting a few things done.

I'm finally back in the groove. . . .

Well I've gotten a chance to catch my breath before I head out once again. There has been alot accomplished here at the bee yard. I obtained the licensing I needed to bring our product into stores, so that means now I am in the process of calling on stores to see if I can actually get them put on shelves. I have a list that I'm starting with and I'm working my way down the list. I never thought we would ever be able to wholesale, but here we are. I think that this is a real good example of never assuming that you've finally reached a level and won't be able to go any further.

This last few weeks we also have been busy getting the girls ready for winter. A few of the hives are going to require some bottle feeding. I know that sounds corny, but I like the way it sounds. What that means is that the hives are not heavy enough to get through the winter. (They don't have enough honey weight) So I'm going to supplement feed with mason jars and sugar water and essential oils. The weather is totally unpredictable right now so I'm not sure just how long I'll be able to do it. But I don't have much of a choice. I'm leaving to visit my Mom in about 10 days. . Yipeeeeee!!!!!!!! (Finally some real me time) so I've got to make sure that everything that needs to be done is done. I also am in the middle of doing one more health check on the girls. Yesterday I went out and did a sugar roll in about half of the hives and they still look pretty darned good. (What that means is I put about 1/2 cup of powdered sugar in a mason jar that has been fitted with screen, I put about a cup of bees in and gently, (and I do mean gently) roll them around so they are coated in powdered sugar. I then shake off the powder that is in the jar on a white board and count the number of mites that fall off.) You can get more info about this by doing a search in google.)

Funny but my daughter Dana called me last night and said, Mom your web page needs some major updating. I know I know I know. . She must have missed the entry where I was going on and on about how hard it is being the beekeeper, the bottler, the marketer, the labeler, the packager and . . . . lots more. . .So I'm working on it. Today the blog. . this weekend the website.

I'm uploading some photo's because it's been awhile. Just to let you know on the cold winter days the girls are pretty much staying close to home and keeping snuggly warm inside. Today I've got my second to last market at Westgate. I'm hoping it's warm enough to actually go there today. For the last two weeks I've been rained out.

I'm totally frustrated by trying to upload the photos I'll give it one more try and if it doesn't work I'll publish this and add the pictures later. . .
Enough. . .

Ann Arbor Arts & Craft Show

Ok, here we go again. Off in uncharted grounds. . . I'm not going to the usual farm market this week, I'm hoping that this works out for me and I'm able to get our products into some new homes. I'm a little nervous, ok I'm so nervous that I haven't slept since the night before last. I have no idea how I'm going to survive the day.

Thank goodnes my friend is coming to help. Maybe she can prop me up at the table and put toothpicks under my eyes.

The truck is full and I do mean full. I've never been more prepared for anything in my entire life. I sure hope it goes well.

I'll post later.