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Recently I had the pleasure of meeting with Marc and Janice Mondavi at the handsome Charles Krug winery, the first in Napa Valley. Under the guidance of the Monday family since 1943 when it was purchased by Caesar Mondavi , who built a profitable grape and fruit shipping business, the Mondavi’s remain dedicated to producing […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Are you prepared for bug bites and bee stings? The last big holiday weekend of the summer is fast approaching. Labor Day – it’s everyone’s last hurrah before heading back to school and settling into a summer finale. Many of us will be headed to the beach, camping, hiking, boating or maybe to […]

Oil & Honey Edition Wow! Essential oils for honey bees! This has me so excited! I find a new way to use Essential Oils almost daily for myself or my family but when I read about a product that uses the Eo’s for honey bees I couldn’t wait to try it out. As a beekeeper I […]

If you follow me you’ve likely determined that I am a wine drinker! White during the warm summer months and reds in front of the fire in the fall and winter. Lately the temps have been a bit toasty here in North Carolina so I keep a chilled bottle of white handy for the cocktail […]

Oil & Honey Edition Pests in the garden, mosquito bites, fleas on our pets, gnats – all signs of summer in full swing. No one is immune to the common pest. Many of them invade our backyards, our picnic spots, our gardens and our pets. Others annoy us with bites that cause extreme itching, […]

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SpreadTheHeat #CollectiveBias It’s no secret I am crazy about honey….mix it with succulent, juicy strawberries and I’m pretty much in heaven. When I swung by Walmart to pick up paper goods recently I noticed this new Smucker’s Fruit & Honey […]

Lobster – I love it anytime, but there is something about digging into that sweet, succulent meat while visiting Maine! It could be the fragrance of the salt air, the cool temps in July or the daily ritual of observing the many lobster boats fishing the coastlines that make the occasion feel more special. Steamed […]

Oil & Honey Edition Reposting a recipe because it’s so easy and elegant and perfect for a summer dessert, plus it uses honey! Last week I posted a Coconut Flan recipe using honey and coconut milk.. I enjoyed the flan so much and was so surprised at the ease in making it that I decided to […]

Oil & Honey Edition My newest favorite salad dressing uses wild orange essential oil. You might notice a trend…with wild orange eo! It is so versatile in the kitchen I can’t help but love it! If I could only have one dressing on my salads for the rest of my life it would be this […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Today I am sharing some honey facts with you! You may be surprised at the many benefits of honey. I’m not referring to a bottle or jar of honey you purchase in a big box store…no, no, NO! To be certain you are eating or using pure honey you should purchase […]

Summer is upon us and this means – time to travel. I love being at home but I also relish my travels. It’s a balancing act! We are leaving the heat and humidity behind and heading north to the granite state, Maine. Rugged coastlines, lobstah and fried clams await our presence. Haha – I just realized […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION I suffer with arthritis in my fingers and wrists from time to time. Swollen joints, stiffness and pain. I’m not ready to take drugs for this, nor does my physician suggest that I do so. One of the reasons I love essential oils so much is I find immense relief from […]

I served shrimp & grits last night for dinner. It is a quick and easy “southern gourmet” meal so I had to repost the story and recipe because you need to make this! This dish traditionally was served for breakfast to shrimpers coming into shore after long weeks at sea, but it’s […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION – In honor of Father’s Day Do you spend night after night tossing and turning, wearing out your elbows and pounding the pillows because you sleep next to someone who is snoring? See that meme above – that’s the truth! I know my hubby gets up earlier than I, so it […]

Coctel de Camarones -this is without a doubt one of my absolute favorite dishes. As the weather is heating up here in North Carolina I’m dreaming of digging into one of these. When I take a bite and close my eyes I am transformed to a gorgeous ocean view with sea breezes blowing through my […]

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #PawsToSavor #CollectiveBias We have 3 cats! Yep – every time I count heads there are 3. The funny thing is these cats don’t really belong to my man, Dan or me! Nope, one actually belongs to our older […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION We all know I am on the side of pollinators. Butterflies, bees, and wasps are all pollinators and necessary for food production! I prefer not to use poisons in my garden, flower beds or anywhere in my yard. I keep a habitat for pollinators to flourish in that is safe. I admit […]

OIL & HONEY EDITION Back in January with the new year I, not unlike many of you, thought about what changes to make in the new year. I wrote a post about diversifying The Orange Bee, but clearly wasn’t sure how I would go about that. Hundreds of ideas were swimming around in my head…but as […]

I’ve attended several food conferences in the last few years but my time at Food Wine Conference 2016 at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando proved to be the best one yet! You want to know why? I felt a deep sense of community at this conference unlike any other. There were a few perks for […]

My allergy bomb smoothie is a revelation for those of you suffering from seasonal allergies. I am sharing again because allergy season is still here! This time of year I hear multitudes of people complaining about their allergies. I understand! Before I became a beekeeper and was blessed with an ample supply of local honey, […]