"Well that stitched up in 2 shakes of a lamb's tail," I said to Frat as I was sat on the porch. Frat just chirped an unhappy chirp. She was a little peeved and was in no mood to chirp sweetly. And... Yep, she had already built a nest in the 2nd fern before I could deter her.
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| Look at those delicate finch eggs. I was careful not to disturb them. She has already been back on her nest. |
A short while earlier , I brought my basket of stitching supplies and sat on the porch. The rain had gave way to sunny skies. I listened to Frit and Frat, the House Finches, and from a distance I could hear Mr. Pinker rumble and grumble.
"What's going on I asked, Frit? " I then laid down my stitching and walked to the garage.
As I approached, I could smell a sweet aroma drifting with the breeze. Mr. Pinker had been to the bee yard at the farm and brought back some supers to extract the honey. Bees were buzzing all around .
And the honey smelled delightful.
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| The super with frames of honey. |
"Whatch' doing, Hon?" I asked as Mr. Pinker picked up the hive tool to separate the frames.
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| The J Hook Hive tool is used to open up the super, pry apart hive bodies and lift heavy frames. |
Mr. Pinker looked up as bees darted around his head.
"Some of these supers are full. It is time to extract some honey , Honey, "he replied with a smile.
The bees continued buzzing all about; they were none too happy on this muggy day. 🐝🐝🐝🐝
"It smells divine," I said as I touched the frame with my finger to gather a drip of honey for the tasting. "Tasty too. "
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| A frame of capped honey |
Mr. Pinker stood by his work table with the hooded veil covering his head while I meandered from the frames to the extractor with not a care in the world that the bees were buzzing all about.
"Buzz, Buzz, Buzz" went the bees. 🐝🐝🐝
Mr. Pinker soon went to work - uncapping the honey.
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| Cutting the caps off the combs to expose the honey. |
I watched curiously. " It smells so sweet! I think I could eat the whole bucket. " I said with a smile knowing good and well I could never do that.
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| Glistening uncapped honey. |
Mr. Pinker continued working . He was hot and the bees were still buzzing mad. "Will these bees find their way back to the barn?" I asked.
"Yep, they will be fine." he replied. He was doing the extracting at the house and not at the beeyard. So I was a bit worried that so many bees had rode along in the truck to the house .
Once the a frame was uncapped , it went into the honey extractor. This is an old extractor given to us by my uncle many years ago. It is hand cranked and made in the good ole' US of A.
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| Antique honey extractor |
Soon Mr. Pinker had two frames in the extractor , and he began to hand crank and spin the honey out of the combs.
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| Two frames are put in the extractor and then the honey is spun from the combs. |
CRANK ! CRANK! CRANK! RATTLE AND ROLL!
Once Mr. Pinker had extracted the honey from the frames, he would open up the valve and the honey would drain into the strainer and into the food grade bucket, but I did not stay to watch that process.
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| The extracted honey will drain into the strainer and then into the food grade bucket until bottled. |
As Mr. Pinker cranked and cranked and cranked, the bees began to buzz by me. I turned and headed back up the hill intent on not getting stung.
"Hey , where are you going? " asked Mr. Pinker.
"It looks like you and the bees have got it all under control , Hon. I have got stitching to tend to. " And with that I sprinted up the hill , up the steps, pass Frat the House Finch and into the sanctuary of a cool living room.
It was not long before I had popped "1776" into a thrifted frame that my sweet baby sis gave me years ago. Because I gave myself little finishing room, I had to add a little bit of patriotic fabric to fill the frame. Hey at least it is a finish. Hee! Hee!
This is a "Choose Your Own Color" chart. If you are interested , I used DMC floss colors- Blanc, 815, 3750, and 3852.
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If you are interested in stitching this piece, just grab , the images. For printing tips, refer to the post Tips for Printing which has loads of tips from my sweet friends.
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Well Sweeties, that's what has been going on in the holler- Bees, birds and a little bit of stitching. Hmmm, now what can I get into today? Hee! Hee!
Have a bee-autiful day and thank you so much for dropping by for my Thursday tale.
I am going to continue patriotic stitching all through the year.
Are you ?
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| My buffet is filled to the brim with patriotic goodies. In the background in the frame is Waxing Moon' Design's Patriotic Trio Houses- a favorite stitched years ago. |
As always,
Happy Stitching and Quilting, y'all
Melisa
"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey. " - Winnie the Pooh
Hugs and Stitches!!! 🤗
Dedicated to my dear sister, Amy. I miss and love you so much. ❤👼
🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯🐝🍯
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What a lovely post about the bees and extracting the honey. Beautiful old honey extractor! So you love the old tools also! 🤩
ReplyDeleteAaw thank you so much, Rita. Our hives have been very active this year and keeping hubby very busy. Oh yes, we love the old tools. We are so fortunate that my uncle gifted his supplies to us decades ago. It is good to put them back into use. Have a very lovely day and thank you for the sweet visit. Hugs.
DeleteMy parents had beehives, and one of my sisters is a beekeeper. I love watching her take care of the bees! Your vintage honey extractor is beautiful! Happy sewing, your "1776" is very pretty.
ReplyDeleteOh how interesting, Frederique. Does your parents and sister harvest the honey in a similar fashion. I always find it interesting to hear how others do things and the tools that they use. It is a joy to work with the bees. Thank you so much for the kind words on my little stitch. It worked up in no time. Have a blessed day and Happy quilting. Hugs
DeleteThank you so much for your "honey bee" tour. I have learned so much about bees from you! In fact, I even watched a movie on Great American Family called "Bee My Love" and thought of you! My respect for bees and beekeepers have gone up quite a bit! It's also going to be the last stitch on my Summer SAL - a little bee-hind on it. ;-) Blessings!
ReplyDeleteOh and congratulations on being the winner of the prize box for your Little House Quilt - well done!
DeleteAaaw you are so welcome and thank you, dear Donna. I learn something new about bees and beekeeping all the time. My oldest grandson has taken an interest in beekeeping so we bought him his own little beekeeping suit. I am going to have to watch Bee My Love. I love a good movie. Ooh I bet your Summer Stamps are looking fabulous . I am over the moon to have won the prize from Melva. I cannot believe it! Have a fabulous day, Donna. P.S. I am nearing a finish on LHN Joyful. The little sheep is so cute. Thank you so much for sharing the charts with me. Hugs.
DeleteThat was fascinating Melisa. Mr Pinker is truly a beekeeper! Do you just jar it up and that's it? Or is there more to the process? I love the 1776 stitchery! Yes I'll be stitching patriotic throughout the year. Now if I could just get started - lol!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so much, Linda. I always find it fascinating as well. Mr. Pinker does most of the work with the bees though I love watching and taking the photos. He sterilizes the jars and then bottles them up. We just give the honey to friends and family throughout the year. He has a lot of fun tending to the bees especially since he has retired. LOL I know what you mean about getting started. I have been dragging my feet on my patriotic stitching which is surprising since I am so excited about our 250th. Have an awesome day. Hugs.
DeleteI forgot to say, I love the way you framed your 1776 finish!
ReplyDeleteAaw shucks, thank you so much , Linda. It was a super quick stitch which was satisfying to get something done. LOL. Hugs.
DeleteThank you for the 1776 design, Melisa. I will be continuing to stitch patriotic. How much honey did Mr. Pinker extract?
ReplyDeleteAaw you are so very welcome, Robin and thank you for the sweet Thursday visit. Last year we got about 15 gallons of honey. This year the hives are bursting so he had to harvest a few frames a little early. It will be interesting to see how much he harvests this summer. I hope you are having a great day. It is awful hot here . Stay cool. Hugs.
DeleteLove the "1776" stitchery, Melisa;)))
ReplyDeleteLearning about the honey process was so much fun--
I think about it on my toasted bagels in the a.m.--yummeee
Stay cool--we are in a big heat dome right now, so staying inside mostly hugs, Julierose
Oooh , yes! Honey on toasted bagels or biscuits- Yummmie! This year's honey so far is super sweet and delish. The bees certainly make Mr. Pinker and I happy campers. Oh do stay cool, dear Julierose. It is scorching hot too. I have ducked in and out , but it is smothering with the humidity. Have a blessed day. Hugs.
DeleteYour displays always look like something you would see in a store window! I can almost taste the honey, yum!
ReplyDeleteAaaw shucks, Vicki, you are so very sweet . Thank you so much. I enjoy creating little colorful vignettes. The honey was super yummy , but those bees were not very happy .LOL. Have a wonderful afternoon . Hugs.
DeleteHola mi dulce Meli qu esuper deliciosa se ve esa miel!!!! y es un orgullo que puedas disfrutarla 100 % organica y de tu propia cosecha! Hurra! me encanta todo el proceso y que tengas ese filtrador o estractor antiguo de tu tio! Wow! que lujo! me encanta vivir rodeada de objetos antiguos con historia.... NO hay para mi nada mejor que eso y mas si viene de la familia que pasa de generacion en generacion. Gracias pro mantener vivo esos recuerdos y esas tradiciones tan escasas hoy en dia. gracias pro compartirlas con nosotras.
ReplyDeleteGracias por tan bello bordado.
Deseo tengas un feliz dia amiga😘🌹🐝 Un abrazo cariño.
Dianet de Parchesdeamor
Good evening, dear Dianet. I hope you are having a lovely day. Oh thank you so much for the sweet compliment. We enjoy working with the bees and using the old equipment. . You are so right --older tools are even more special when they are handed down from family members. My uncle used to tend hives years and years ago. He has a beautiful farm and is a wonderful gardener. My oldest grandson is now interested in beekeeping. Perhaps one day, he will be using this old extractor. I wish you a wonderful and relaxing afternoon. . Hugs.
DeleteThank you for the perfect 4th of July stitch. I think it is really something that the finches build their home so close to where humans are. It'll be fun to watch when the babies hatch. The honey harvesting is fascinating. I would love watch and learn if I could oversome my aversion & allergic reaction to bee stings. Always enjoy the wise Pooh-isms.
ReplyDeleteAaw you are so welcome, Ginny. It was a quick stitch which gave me a feeling of accomplishment. I am surprised about the finches too. They have been very busy today- keeping me thoroughly entertained. I still find the bees and the honey harvest fascinating too. But I hear you on the allergies. I am also allergic to bees , but even with the allergies I go to the hives and enjoy the process. Fortunately, though I have an allergic reaction to honey bees it is not as bad as wasps and hornets. Thank you for the sweet visit. Hugs and Blessings.
DeleteI enjoyed seeing the process of extracting the honey, I loved reading about it too. That has to be the best honey! I also loved the 1776 design. I'll keep it in my future projects as I'm still wortking on the Summer SAL. Thank you for sharing!
ReplyDeleteHugs
Oh Diana, the honey was just divine. Hubby didn't harvest all of the hives so it will be interesting to taste test the others in the future. Aaw I am so honored that you will be adding this little stitch to your stitch list. I hope you are enjoying the Summer SAL. It brings me so much joy that you are stitching it. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Hugs.
DeleteWhat an interesting way to extract the honey. I wondered how many minutes and how fast Mr. Pinker has to crank to get the honey to spin out. Your stitch piece is perfect for this month!
ReplyDeleteHmmm that is a good question, Terry. I will have to ask Mr. Pinker. Last year I stayed down at the garage and watched that part of the process, but this year the bees were all over the place. He had to take a break until dusk so they would calm down. My little stitch worked up quickly which was right up my alley. I hope you are having a great day in your quilt room . Thank you for dropping by. Hugs.
DeleteOh that is so cool to see how the honey is made!! Do the caps that he takes off go into the honey too?
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so much, Alycia. We keep the caps. Some of them we melt down and make wax and I mold for waxing my threads and we make lip balm. I will have to show a photo of them soon.I really like using the wax to condition my threads for quilting and for my Embroidery. Have a blessed day. Hugs.
Deletei'm very intrigued by the by the bees
ReplyDeleteAaw thank you so much. I am still enamored with them. I think we captured 3 swarms this year so our hives are slowly growing. They are entertaining to watch too. They really enjoy the hot days. Ours are certainly staying busy . Have a super day . Warm hugs.
DeleteWell that's not what I wanted to do - darn. Thank you for the patriotic freebie - love it. Have a wonderful day. Lots and lots of hugs.DarleneJ
ReplyDeleteLOL you are so very welcome, sweet Darlene and thank you . I hope you are having a wonderful day. I have been staying indoors for the most part. Big hugs from the holler.
DeleteExtracting honey from the hive is an interesting process. I imagine it tastes sooo good. Love the latest patriotic stitch, Melisa. And you are so creative with finishing. I never would have thought to add fabric to a framed piece but it certainly works! Yes, I am also stitching patriotic all year. Have a great weekend ahead!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you so much, Jeanna . We have a wonderful time tending to the bees. I still find them fascinating even after all of these years. Oh yes, the honey I tasted was amazing- very sweet. The little stitch was just a quick piece to wet my appetite for a finish . I really wanted to use this frame so using a tad of fabric to extend the piece worked out well. Have a wonderful weekend. Hugs
DeleteThe bees and the honey process are fascinating to me! I always enjoy it when you show me what is going on with them, Melisa. I am still stitching the Apiary stamp for the sampler, so this was the perfect post for this morning!
ReplyDeleteAaw well that was perfect since you are stitching the bees this morning. I cannot wait to see your stamp, Diann. I enjoy sharing the bees with everyone. They still fascinate me as well. I love watching them and am especially happy when I see them on the flowers. Have a wonderful afternoon and thank you for bringing a smile to my day. Hugs.
DeleteI wasn't familiar with the honey extraction process, and I found it very interesting.
ReplyDeleteI love your patriotic embroidery.
Hugs from Spain.
Aaw thank you so much, Isabel. Our hives are bursting at the seams . The bees have been so busy this year which makes me very happy. They are amazing creatures. I hope you are having a lovely day. Warm hugs.
DeleteI enjoyed reading about the bees and the honey process, Melisa--had no idea how it was done! There are always so many interesting things going on at your house :) Thank you for the 1776 freebie--love the way you've finished yours! Happy 4th! ♥
ReplyDeleteAaw Carol, thank you so much. We enjoy tending to the bees and keeping them as happy as possible . They are fascinating little creatures . 1776 was a super quick stitch and finish which felt so good. Now to choose what I will be working on next. LOL. Happy 4th . Hugs
DeleteI love bees and their honey. I eat a bit of lavender honey every day.
ReplyDeleteOh lavender honey sounds divine. I bet it is delicious. Our bees enjoy the clover and early fruit trees. This year the hives are filled to the brim. Our bees seem to be very happy. Thank you so much for the sweet Thursday visit. I hope your day is a lovely one. Hugs.
DeleteMelisa, oh my goodness! That tour was fascinating! I have never experienced anything like it. Nor will I ever in reality. Thanks for sharing your bees (which I am deathly allergic to) and the cute patriotic stitch. Happy 4th!
ReplyDeleteAaw I am so honored that you came along with me as I showed the honey harvest. Oh my , I am so sorry to hear that you have a terrible allergy to bees. That is frightening . Thank you so much for visiting me today. You always bring a smile to my day, Gail. Hugs and Blessings.
DeleteHi Melisa, Thank you for the patriotic stitch! Love them all! Guess I'm not the only one who has finches living in my hanging plants. Ha!
ReplyDeleteAww you are so very welcome . I hope you enjoy the little stitch. LOL I had already moved one fern but the finches sidetracked me and went to the other. Oh well. Hee! Hee! Happy Independence Day. Hugs.
DeleteThank you for the chart! Love your patriotic display and seeing all the goings on at the farm. Margie \TN
ReplyDeleteAaw you are so welcome Margie and thank you for the sweet visit and kind words on my little patriotic display. It certainly has been busy at the farm. The bees are having a wonderful year. I wish you a very Happy 4th. Hugs.
DeleteI always enjoy your posts about the bees - it brings back fond memories. My father was a beekeeper. It is wonderful that your grandson has an interest in beekeeping. I will be stitching 1776 - such a fun project. I have a lot of patriotic patterns, so I will be stitching them throughout the year - I hope 1 per month. Thanks for the pattern and the visit. Alicia
ReplyDelete