Bees

What you don't see here is the hive being constructed inside my basement wall. Mysteriously, they infiltrate the wall and I find them next morning dead at the sill of the French doors. There were hundreds of dead bees. A dead swarm.

My apprehension toward bees is a careful balance between logical pep talks and shear panic. I can keep my cool, but for how long?! Despite my instincts, I harbor deep admiration for bees. Mother Earth needs them. They face extinction in parts of the world. They perform a security dance to detect a unique scent allowing them access to the hive. Did you know that two table spoons of honey are enough for one honeybee to fly around the world? The Queen can lay up to 1000 eggs a day. And don't get me started on her; she really rules.

I have noted that they are nocturnal. Actually they cut off their busy humming work around 4pm. Not one lingers. At the moment I'm trying to do the Buddhist 'thing' and be mindful of their presence and be grateful for it, too.

It's a tough exercise.