Bees

We are pleased to see that we have significantly more bees around this year.  The honeybee populations are nowhere near their normal levels yet (at least in Indiana), but they are increasing.

To honor our flower pollinating friends, Katie and I baked and decorated this beehive cake and had a bit of a party outside.

This cake is a Lemon Honey Pound Cake recipe.  Very yummy, and even better, easy to pop out of the beehive mold.  The cake is baked in two halves, and buttercream frosting is the "glue" that holds them together.  Royal icing is then drizzled over the seam and down the sides and used to attach the sugar bees that buzz around the cake.

Our table was set with my recent placemat design--beehives!  I had to go to a specialty quilt shop to find a suitable fabric for the beehive itself and was lucky enough to stumble across the bee fabric for the napkins.  Bonus!  It took a few attempts to get the beehive shape distinctive enough, yet not too difficult for sewing purposes.

Katie insisted on decorating the table with everything she could find that was even remotely bee related.  She included the jar of honey we purchased at the Farmer's market and the beeswax bear candle from her desk.

We had tea with our cake, using a floral tea set.  Surprisingly, Katie has always liked tea--plain, no sugar.  Hot or cold.

No meal is complete without special place cards...............

Even the cake had one.

Thank you bees, for all you do!