Queen Bee Tea at the Taylor Conservatory

On July 11th, I posted an invitation to the Queen Bee tea, hosted by the Taylor [MI] Conservatory, and it was held yesterday. This was the third Conservatory tea to attend. It was held in an open pavilion this year [instead of a banquet hall], and Mother Nature cooperated by providing a beautiful sunny day with an occasional  breeze, and temperatures in the high 80's.  This was my first time to visit the Conservatory, but it won't be my last now that I know where it's located.

~ The Pavilion ~

~ The tablescapes were lovely.  ~

Everyone received a beaded bee stick pin as a favor.  So cute!

~ Centerpieces ~

~ Food prep tent right next to the pavilion. ~

 Bee Skep [beekeepers no longer use them to house hives, but they make cute decorations]. 

I walked around to take pictures of attendees who wore bee hats or dressed in yellow and black.  If there would have been a prize for the most creative hat, I think it would have gone to the lady below.  She said she did a computer search for "bee hive party hat" and it turned up the source for her adorable yellow bee skep surrounded by flowers and bees.

The staff and committee members were dressed in black and yellow.  Below is Louise Doute, Volunteer Coordinator for the Conservatory.

~ Joanie [left] with a friend. ~

~ Jennifer [left] and Cheryl [right] ~

My brain's creative juices clearly weren't flowing because I wore a navy blue and white outfit instead of yellow and black, when I had the perfect outfit in my closet that would have been in keeping with the theme of the tea. Fortunately, many other ladies missed their opportunity too and wore outfits of other colors.

What I should have worn! 

Linda with her granddaughters Juliana and Jamison, and Jamison's friend, Emma [right].

I think it was a sell-out event because there was even a table of ladies just outside the pavilion under a white tent. I took a cross-section photo to show how many ladies attended. We ladies love our tea time, don't we!

Caterer, Vicky O'Neil [Victoria's Tea Salon Catering] prepared the delicious food for the event.

Sandwiches [from 12:00 o'clock position] Roast Beef w/Horseradish Sauce on Light Rye; Carrot Raisin on Italian flower shaped rounds; Cucumber with Dilly Cream Cheese on Wheat; and Chicken Salad with Apples on Cinnamon Raisin [center].

There was Lady Grey Black Tea and Honella Honeybush Herbal Tea to accompany our meal.

~ Blueberry Scones with mock Devonshire Cream and Lemon Curd. ~

Desserts were Raspberry Squares with Walnut Streusel, French Chocolate Pecan Truffles, and Honey Bee cupcakes with Honey Cream Cheese Frosting.  Are you hungry yet?  ;-)

After our delicious meal it was time for the program, "Coexisting in a World of Honeybees" by beekeeper Bill Bray, and two other ladies who are also beekeepers, and they were fittingly dressed in bee costumes.

The program was fun and very informative.  Did you know 1/3 of the foods we eat are pollinated by bees?  They are extremely important to our health and lifestyle.  I was lucky enough to win some honey at the event.

Of course some real bees had to be present at the event.

Thanks for a wonderful tea, Taylor Conservatory!  I look forward to next year's, because they keep getting better and better!  That's me peeking through the Queen Bee's head below.

Laura Lee, who was one of the servers at the tea, handed me a gift bag to take home.  Inside were six British-themed tea towels.  Thank you so much, Laura!