TO BEE OR NOT TO BEE

Posted on 2006-Mar-28 at 08:13

Photo of Susan holding her newly made beeswax candles.

Photo: copyright 2006 Alaina Friesen

I learned a new craft—beeswax candlemaking. A fellow homeschooling mom invited other moms and kids over to her country home to learn this skill. “Nan” lives on a 5-acre spread, and raises bees and chickens, grows vegetables and herbs.  She crumbled a sheet of expensive beeswax into a container on a hot stove, liquefied it, then set the hot wax on an outdoors table. Kids and adults grabbed a wick and learned how to dip, roll wax, keep on dipping until a proper taper candle was made.

Some people used pieces of colored wax to press designs onto the hot candle. I took the time while the candles dried to walk to the bees-hives and chicken coops. I was raised in the suburbs—not exposed much to ranch life. My youngest daughter was a bit panicky when a bee followed me back to the candle-dipping area.  I wasnÂ’t afraid of it, knowing it was just checking me out.

Untitled Comment

Posted by glenda on 2006-Mar-28 at 08:19 - Link

Now that sounds like a wonderful day.. And wow to have a candle that you made yourself.. I have to say it sounds like a great day to me..
glenda