-Posted by Isaac

How great is it to be right here, right now? 

Here it comes, the Big Parade! The Honeyfest is on!

Yesterday as I walked around garnering images, I couldn't help but feel a mixed sense of luck and guilt. Here we are in mid-Ohio on a gorgeous sunny September weekend. This never happens. Over the last decade, I can't remember a single Honeyfest weekend when there wasn't the threat of rain or wind, plague or famine. Usually it seems we luck out, but not always. There have been some miseries. Well, irony of ironies, here we are living in the sunshine while the rest of the country is getting blasted- running for their lives, drowning, choking on smoke, burning up... for once, the Ohioans rolled a seven. I'm not sure how I feel about this. It's hard to get used to not griping about something.  

But over the last few weeks I guess I've done my share. It's hard to juggle the bees and the Honeyfest prep during this busy busy time of year.

Thank God Katie is on the team.

Starting about two weeks ago, she's bottled a mountain of honey, sorted, organized, counted, cut, filed, labeled, built, created, carried, collected, cleaned, and generally made this big parade happen.

And the last few days, even Lafe got in on the action.

It takes some work. Some planning, some coordination. Some people skills. It's sort of an art in its own way.

My lovely girl is, and has been the mastermind of the whole thing.

So come on out to the Honeyfest and partake! You've still got today. Relish in the irony. 

You can watch old men wearing bees. 

Or watch old men learning about bees.

Or just buzz around and be your own parade.

If you tire of the kids, drop them at the Busy Bees learning area and go have some fun.

When you've had too much fun, you'll find plenty of soak-it-up options.

Or do what I like to do- relax in the park with music filling the air.

Enjoy yourself! You've watched other people work hard for this.