"Hole-y" cow...

While mowing my lawn recently, I came upon a large expanse of leaves that had fallen from the trees. As I mowed over them, I saw that there were some type of flying insects hovering very closely to the leaves. Since they flew away as I got close enough to get a better look, I figured they were flies and that they were circling some deer excrement. We have loads of deer in our yard, and as I mow I sometimes catch a whiff of what they leave behind. I didn't give it another thought.

On my way back up the hill, I looked to my right and noticed a very LARGE hole in the ground. I decided just then that I would not try to mow over it because the riding mower may get stuck. But, curiosity got the better of me and I had to find out what lived there. I put the mower in park and went to check it out. I figured that it must be a nest for some large rodent, probably a prairie dog, groundhog, etc.

As I approached the hole, I noticed there were a lot of those same flying bugs around the hole... but when I got closer, I quickly realized that they were not flies. Instead, there were smooth yellow and black bees zig-zagging all around the hole. When I got right over the hole, I realized it was a bees nest. There were hundreds inside the hole. I couldn't even tell how deep the hole was because of all the bees. I, of course, immediately got back on the mower and retreated.

I've never heard of a bees nest in the ground. I've seen them in trees, along buildings, in wood, but never in the ground.

Our neighbor keeps honeybees, and we had a hornets' nest in the trees about an acre down the hill in the front yard -- so my first thought is that the bees might be one of these two varieties. But the bees seem flat and smooth, not round and hairy. I have no idea what they are. If anyone can help me out here, I would be more than thankful. I'm very worried that they are yellowjackets.

I went back the the hole later and snapped a couple pictures. There weren't as many bees in the hole this time, but there were a couple and there were scads of them buzzing around me while I snapped away. I think the mower must have made them all retreat to the entrance, because there were so many the first time. Here's a picture of the hole, and a picture of the bees (if you can make them out. I zoomed in on one of the hole pictures to get a closer look.)



Help!

bit o' blues

I've hit a wall.

.

I want to revise my entire ms. but I don't know what direction I want to go anymore.

Breaker

So, I've been noticeably absent from the blog-world lately. I have gone back and forth with myself about just giving up the blog or keeping up with it. I guess for the time being, I'm going to stick with it.

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Today, I felt true comfort. I am beginning a celebrity-bed fund.

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I came this close (I am making a little pinch with my fingers) to buying a kitty brother for Kitsch. I think I would name him Sink. I can't quite convince myself that it is the best idea - even though my heart melts every time I see the little guy.

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What have I been up to?
-Holding a good friend's beautiful baby girl.
-Grading 90 papers. (I should only have 88, but I have one person auditing a class, and an extra person in my early class).
-Shopping for furniture and dreaming about the celebrity-bed
-Running errands for my family.
-Watching Big Brother 8 -- I seriously dislike Danielle, she's far too whiny for a grown-up woman. Zach made the biggest mistake when he didn't choose to save Eric with the POV. Both Dick and Danielle would be gone by now.
-Having one killer migraine and a few migrainlets.
-Waiting and waiting and waiting for our first paycheck.
-Considering this blog.

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As of a couple years ago Low is my favorite band, and from what I've heard of their new CD - it's just as good as all the others. You should probably be listening to it right now.