​The Winter Solstice is upon us; the darkest day of the year.  The sun has succumbed to the moon and the chill gently beckons us home; nature is calling us inward.
 
Beekeepers are by nature, lovers of the great outdoors, as are the honeybees they tend.  And yet there is a season and a cycle to all.  The Winter Solstice is a time when honeybees follow the setting sun home early to take refuge in their hive through the long dark night.  We as beekeepers must do the same.  On the surface, it seems like less time to work and play.  Our childlike desires for “more” will inevitably stir, but best to let them pass.

​A fickle day for a photoshoot.  Wind, rain, and a feisty ocean, King Neptune seemed to awaken right before our very eyes after his summer nap.  And yet, Moona, glowing in the elements, was as cool as could be. For those who know her, that’s not surprising. Moona Whyte, 3-time world kite-boarding champion, University of HI graduate, entrepreneur, and Honey Girl Organics Ambassador has accomplished much in her 25 years-- and she takes it all in stride.  I was excited to have a morning with Moona to see what makes this Honey Girl tick. 

If you’re like most people, the Fall equinox brings with it crunchy leaves, pumpkin spice, and the crisp hint of cool, dry air. For those of us on the North Shore however, autumn means the first swells of the season roll in, a honey harvest is on tap, and pro surfers start to come home after their summer travels. Case in point, Polly Ralda, aka big wave phenom. This little 5' surfer girl is small but mighty! In fact, she’s currently ranked 7th in the world on the female big wave circuit. ​

3 Two-Ingredient DIY Fall Face Masks to Complement Your Honey Girl Organics Crème
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On the mainland, the fall equinox is finally here.  The endless days of summer are growing shorter, thank goodness, so we can all have an easier time getting our eight hours of sleep each night, one of the bedrocks of beautiful skin.  Gardens are in full swing, and green thumbs struggle to keep up with the abundance. 
As we transition from a warm, moist summer to a cooler, drier fall, our skin takes notice.  Through the seasonal transition, you may notice patches of dry skin, or that your skin is more sensitive due to the drier air.  Thankfully, we can use natural and organic gifts from Mother Earth to supplement our Honey Girl Organics honey and olive oil based skin care routine with a simple homemade face mask.  

Do you see the sparkle on your computer screen? It's Sarina, shining through. You see, behind the scenes of the HGO website and blog is our Honey Girl Sarina Erstad. She's the one who makes your online shopping experience a smooth sail. How does she do it? Personally, I think it's all about that sparkle. 

We at Honey Girl Organics never forget our beginnings. It all started over 20 years ago, when owners Anthony and Gwen Maxfield moved to a property on the North Shore of Oahu that happened to already "bee" occupied-- with you guessed it, honeybees. :) Rather than move them out, Anthony and Gwen got to know this colony of bees, and grew to love and care for them. Anthony, who at the time was busy building their house on the property, took a couple days off to harvest some of the abundance of honey that had stored up.  He recalls, "it was my first time harvesting and I didn't' have any fancy equipment, I simply squeezed the honeycomb to extract the honey.  The honey was luscious! There's nothing like raw, organic Pupukea Honey!”

I’m in a relationship and I didn’t know it. All the hours, days, months and years I spent in companionship, but not in relationship took a toll. I have no regrets, just an appreciation that I finally woke up and now have a willingness to take care of this very important person, because I’ll be with her the rest of my life. If you guessed that someone is me, you’re exactly right.