They gathered right by her front door, a large household of bumble bees...Though it had been there for years, a decorative birdhouse perched in the Crepe Myrtle tree, for some reason this year the bees spotted this as possible home territory and moved in...
She first noticed these new inhabitants by way of their euphonic buzzing. As she left the house one day, this actually pleasing sound made itself known. She exclaimed to her younger son of this discovery and he said matter of factly that he had noticed them several days before.
This bee discovery gave her joy. She was very communal, by nature, and there was something about having these new neighbors in her front yard that warmed her heart. She also knew that they were important for the environment and it made happy to know that she could support the earth’s wellbeing in some small way.
Additionally, she felt they had an understanding. She told them they were welcomed in her front garden and they in turn treated her with respect, only darting by occasional as they went about their bee business.
One day a week or two later, they seemed to have vacated the nest. No primordial-sounding buzzing met her ear as she departed the house. No hard-working bumble bees could be seen adorning the birdhouse. By then, the Crepe Myrtle was festooned in its gorgeous array of pink floral elegance.
She wondered if they would return at another time. She was surprised at what seemed the short duration of their visit. But, she accepted this.
And then not long after, they were back. This brought a smile to her face. And, she told them she was happy to see them again. She sensed they felt the same.
Annie Kiyonaga
June, 2019