There is a routine for the pups in the morning. They eat. They get their collars. They pester us to take them out to the dog run in back. Then there is the selecting of the cleanest and bounciest (is that a word?) tennis balls to throw.

The climax to this routine is the opening of the deck gate. They have to sit and wait until they are released from the sit.

They then scramble down the stairs, run around an oak tree, run through the mountain roses and stop at the gate to the dog run.

They are a hoot to watch.

Today we got to the deck gate. They sat. They were all aquiver. I had my hand on the latch.

I heard something. A murmur. Like a wind going sideways.

I stopped and look toward the sound. It was getting louder and I saw something moving in the air over the top of our house.

The sound became a loud buzzing and I realized that the BEES WERE BACK!

Hundreds of them (maybe thousands–have you ever tried to count flying bees?). Two years ago bees had swarmed in the oak tree outside out bedroom window. There is a hollow place in the tree and, for two days they stayed there. Then they were gone.

Confused dogs were given orders. They ran back to the door and into the house. George whined that he had been promised a run but quickly went quiet. I was running around looking for my camera. Then I had to find the battery. (For heaven’s sake, woman! Can’t you remember anything!) I wanted to document the process.

Look at the brown pointing thing. That is not part of the tree. That is a bee swarm. It was rather difficult to film through the screen of my bedroom window but it gives you the flavor of a swarm.

It is a lucky thing that the spouse had just left for an appointment. He is allergic the the little buggers. And they tend to like him. I am not but I had no idea if the pups would have problems. So they stay indoors. Whine away, George. You ain’t goin’ out right now!

I continued to take pictures of the swarm.

The “pile” got smaller and smaller. The nest in the hollow was complete. The queen is safe.

There are worker bees still flying in the area but their concern is the swarm. They will not bother us if we do not bother them.

But for the next day or two, the back porch is off limits to the dogs.

The swarm is smaller this year and I grieve at the loss of these precious insects. I am glad that they can find shelter here.