Honeybees

Today is one of the first really warm, sunny weekend days.  Our usual two pairs of rose-breasted grosbeaks are back.  The chickadees, nuthatches, mourning doves and finches are crowding the feeders.  The ticks and black flies are out in force, but I decided to risk it because my front walk and flower beds have been taken over by crabgrass and dandelions and were long overdue for some attention.

It's been a very long time since I've seen so many honeybees as are out and about.  The dandelions were positively boiling with them.  This is a good sign.

I wonder if they're wild, or if someone nearby has gotten a hive?

They were placid and perfectly content to share their space, even let a nosy human get right up to them with a camera.

I confess, many times I paused and waited for one to finish burrowing in his blossom and shuffle off in search of another.

Then would I heartlessly dig the dandelion out by the root.

There are still plenty to go around.