When you have six months of winter, the rest of the seasons must share time accordingly.  Spring tends to be fleeting in Montana, and this year is no exception.  Our daffodils bloomed just yesterday,

And yet, today I’m declaring that summer has started.

This, of course, is not true, not by the calendar, nor the sun’s jaunty angle, nor the garden – yet to be planted.

But what is true is that the 1st load of our honeybees arrived home from California early this morning.  If you’ve never read about when and why we send them to California, or how we unload them upon their return, you might enjoy these previous blog posts I’ve linked to.  Brother Dear and Honeydew rose with the sun this morning to greet our pretty gals, and as of 8am MST, they’ve mostly got them unloaded:

Now that the bees are home, the work of coaxing them to make about 150,000 pounds of the best honey you’ve never tasted begins.  And that’s why for me, summer starts today.  Welcome home, girls!

2011.  Glacier County Honey Co.  Photo credits to Sanford Stone.  All Rights Reserved.