Buzzing points

Our next door neighbors and I have been having an unofficial competition of who can find the biggest hornets nest. So far, all have been found via the old fashioned surprised way where the bees are interrupted in making their honey or in whatever it is bees do in their hives and show their displeasure by stinging the nearest intruder. Unfortunately, the nearest intruder has always wound up being one of the Stanley boys. So far, Christopher, Joey and Jeffrey are pretty much tied, with Christopher being the latest victim.

Dutiful inspections around our yards in the common places resulted in barely a live hive. The latest one was discovered on the south side of the neighbor's house, an unbelievably large hive built on an outside vent. It explained Christopher's sting from a few weeks back and went undiscovered when Doris and her mom were admiring the Hostas not even a foot away! They apparently are easy to miss when you aren't really looking for them. But Bill found it, along with a few stings from the protesting bees.

The hive before that one was found in the ground in our yard near a quad of trees. The boys discovered it and as would be expected of only my little angels, provoking them to their worst point got poor Jeffrey stung more than once. When I sprayed the nest, I did so from inside the van. The fact that the can could spray up to 27 ft. has its advantages, to say the least. I managed to outwit them and spared myself many a sting.

Last night, Christopher came in crying. I was certain it had to do with a dispute with one of his brothers. It turned out not to be a dispute, but the fact that the nest was stumbled upon when he went to retrieve a flying disc from the tree. Like I said, when you aren't looking for it, it remains invisible. A brief glance upwards from where the disc landed gives you a glaring view of quite a nest.

So, friendly neighbors, we win. Until you find another hive in your yard.