We were lucky enough to get involved in this MONSTER BIG CIIE expo in China.

Elixir Honey is going to be  in H is for Happiness!

Saw this little beauty on my travels.  Loving the wildflowers this year.

Beekeepers get heaps of beeswax.  We always try to give it back to the bees to store their honey in, or to set up new foundation combs, but we still have more.  

Bees and wasp stings cause 33% of hospital admissions - biggest public health threat in Australia.

Marri trees in forests near us

The forests near us are full of jarrah, marri and karri trees

No idea what they are but they're pretty

This guy came to say hello while I when past on my walk

Pin Cushion Hakeas - I love them!

Jarrah trees are all around us down here along with Marri and Karri.  They have nice straight bark and the branches don't hang down as much as Marri trees do.  Eucalyptus marginata grows up to 40 meters high.  Our beekeepers guide says 'honey flows erratic', which is funny and true.  Jarrah honey is:

• A powerful healer
• Tasty
• Unique to Western Australia
• High in antimicrobial strength – this is measured in Total Activity [TA]
• Limited edition as the tree only flowers every 2 years
• 2x higher in antioxidants than manuka

         Antioxidants occur naturally in honey in varying degrees.
        Antioxidants are compounds that help protect body cells against free radical damage           that leads to oxidation and subsequent cell damage. Free radicals can potentially                accelerate the ageing process and aid disease.
        The UAF® in Acacia honey ranges up to 80 whilst that of Manuka honey can be 300             and Jarrah honey around 600. [1].  The majority of Australian honeys are rated at                 UAF® 50 to 800, ​​more than 50 is considerable of high in antioxidants.  Source:                     http://uafinfo.org.au/antioxidants-uaf

We've always tried to have a nice farm stall, but recently we got all motivated...

Such a tiny flower on such a big tree...

The fabulous Karri tree is one of the top 10 largest living things in the world.  

Phones have been running hot this week with the news of big honey players selling imported honey that's not even honey!

The school bus shelter is a bit of an institution in the country, as is the school bus...

I'm a haphazard gardener who works in fits and starts.  But sometimes it just all somehow comes together and looks beautiful to me.  And I have to keep coming back to admire it.

Tsuki the dog got stuck in the tree net - being put around the tree to stop the birds eating all the apricots like they did last year.  She wasn't bothered too much, but she did find it inconvenient as she missed out on a treat.  

Nothing nicer than a fire on a cold night,  But in country Australia fires are a blessing and a curse.

Well it's not raining in this photo - but our rain gauge is getting a work out finally this winter - thank goodness.  The earth is having a good deep soak.

Nothing blows away the cobwebs like a windy day at the beach.

There's our lovely friends Eddie Hooper and Mark and Erica and Lizzie round the back trying to get around the girth of this beauty.  

How wild's this widlflower.?  It's an aptly named Southern Cross flower, growing in our backyard forest.