The other day someone stopped me here in the shop and said, "I really like your BEE mail."  !!!  Great way to put it!

 

The bees, I am happy to report, are easing  into their new homes nicely.  Iona, one of my hives, is faring well, the bees tiptoeing out, politely surveying their new yard, their new digs.  Stonehenge, on the other hand, is teeming with life, the bees pouring out to greet the day each morning.  I have expanded their hive already, hoping to avoid a swarm (which they would do if they were too crowded.)  

 

Yesterday I drove way up in the hills north of here to pick up some hive equipment.  The roads narrowed and steepened and finally led me to the apiary where my hive parts waited in a box.  One enthusiastic guard bee chased us around, bumping into us, warning us to get the heck out of there.  This apiary has hundreds of hives all over the hillside, so this lone bee amused us all with her enthusiasm.  Funny how their personalities emerge.

 

This afternoon everything stops for the 127th running of The Kentucky Derby.  We're close enough here in North Carolina to pay attention and to pause for a westward salute.  My water glasses at home are all Kentucky Derby ones, so saluting is the least I can do.

 

We make dinners to go Monday through Friday.

 

Call 252-1500 by noon or so and then come pick up your dinners between 3 and 7, when we close. Add a salad for 3.25 or bread for 1.25.

 

Monday, May 7

Rosemary-roasted Chicken with Glazed Turnips and Carrots 8.25

 

Tuesday, May 8

Grilled Portabella Mushrooms with Sweet Potato Polenta 7.25

 

Wednesday, May 9

Elsie’s Swedish Meatballs and Egg Noodles 8.95

 

Thursday, May 10

Beef-stuffed Poblanos with Cheesy Cauliflower 8.75 (GF)

 

Friday, May 11

Call by noon and then come pick up between 4 and 7 that day!

 

Casserole:

Whole: 36 Half: 18

 

Lasagna:

Mother's Day around here is the day to plant tomatoes, or so I've heard.  I noticed a number of volunteers in my raised beds yesterday as I weeded and I will let them grow, but it never hurts to supplement with new plants.

 

Its time to mark some dates on your calendars, my friends.  I'm starting a new series of cooking classes, focusing on Cooking from the Wednesday Tailgate Market. 

 

I'll go over when they open and pick from the available offerings, searching for some of the more obscure things I might find.  When you arrive I'll have planned a class around these purchases. 

 

The first class will be on Wednesday, May 23 from 6-8 pm.  The cost is $35.00 per person and will include the demonstration class, recipes, wine, and a fun evening of inspiring food.

 

And, starting in June, we'll be inviting our farmers to grow and share dinner with you.  This year we will feature one farmer per month.  We'll make a dinner with as much food from that farm as possible.  The farmers and their families will come, join you for dinner, and then tell you why and how they do what they do.

 

Lucky lucky me!  I come in each day, have wonderful coffee, a fresh scone or muffin, stroll through the kitchen, say hi to everyone, wander into my office, write and catch up with life, and then, when I am so inclined, drift back up front to see what catches my eye.

 

May 5, 2012

 

G’morning my friends,

 

I’m at work. The birds, who have managed to poke holes in my building’s rock walls, are chirping happily, thrilled, along with me, to have the relief of morning rain. Actually, I speak as myself, not as one who has parties to attend to. We have a BIG wedding this afternoon and Ray’s weather says that it is not going to be a good time for outdoor activities. Sigh. Life in the mountains. Weather is its own thing and I’m glad there will be a tent, but I know our staff is going to be soggy by the time they finish work – late, late, late tonight.

 

Though this is just the first week, May seems to be flying by, at least in my own mind. I’ve been working on my book a LOT. Yesterday I had a panic session about how much I still have to do. I’ve been handing portions of the book to various readers and bee experts. That’s all well and good, but then they bring my manuscript back to me and it is loaded with adjustments and suggestions which involve simple corrections to my work or, in some cases, back-to-the-drawing-board work. The list of what needs to be done does not get smaller.  I am chipping away at that part. But on the other end, things grow. Sigh.

 

This week I am having a group recipe marathon. I’ve invited some friends to come to my house, help me blast through some of the remaining unwritten titles. It feels like crunch time, though that is really a fabrication of mine. I’m fine. All is good. I will get done. And yes, I comfort myself, it is good, informative, fun, delicious. It will be a good book. AND writing a book is a big deal in the best of circumstances and mine, as you know, have not exactly been the most conducive for uninterrupted writing. So be it. One recipe at a time. It’ll get done.

 

I continue to heal. And, as with the book, the healing takes a couple of steps forward and then, sometimes, a step or two back. I’m delighted to have my port out but I forgot that it HURTS to get cut, even if the cut results in no foreign apparatus in a girl’s body. I’m tired of being sore, but I am also trying to be patient with my wonderful body, which has been subjected to so much this past year. All in this case is improving and all is well and all, all shall continue to be well.

 

And now, my friends, it is time to send this out and get in some more writing and editing and such.

 

So, in sum:

Okey doke - it is official.  I am going to do another bike ride.

This one will cross the state of Iowa, a week long ride of some 470 miles or so.  It is in Pie land so I'm sure I'll be well filled with sweets.

 

The important part about this ride is that I ride as a recent cancer survivor.  I'll be riding with a group of survivors from Team Livestrong, Lance Armstrong's foundation that focuses on cancer survivorship services around the world.