This Way To My Blog

This Way To My Blog

Monday, April 27, 2009

Bees & Rain

There are friends you call on when you're in trouble, and there are friends you call to share a good laugh. Thankfully, you're the handy, all- purpose kind. Borrowed from "Secrets Of Survival".

We had some nice rain today and it is much appreciated. We can use all we can get as we go into spring and summer. We were lucky some towns farther east had some bad weather and Yorktown had a tornado. Well the bees seem to be in competition with the rattlesnakes these days. A swarm of bees has moved into the farm house where John's daughter lives. They have taken up residence in the fireplace. I don't think they can get into the house as it hasn't been used in years and has been sealed off to keep the cold wind out. The bee man can't make it out until Wednesday so she will have to be very careful not to mow or run anything loud and upset them. I think I wrote here about the bees in the cattle pens residing in an old tree stump a few years ago. John had two men on horses getting ready to work the cattle (vacinate, medacate etc.). Something stirred the bees up maybe the pounding of the cattle and horse's hoves. The bees were in a swarm and after the cowboys and horses. The men hit the ground swatting and stomping. The horses ran out the gate and down the farm-to-market road. When the cowboys subdued their horses they told John they were leaving and would not be back until he got rid of the bees. He had to wait a few days that time but he did come and erradicate the bees. A lady I know told me about her sister and her boyfriend driving along pulling a trailer. The boyfriend had a stroke blacked out and the truck went into the bar ditch. Bees came from somewhere and stung the couple. Every year now there are several items in the paper about bees being excited from someone mowing and people getting stung and having to go to the hospital. Maybe Wednesday we will go out to watch the action from the truck (with the windows closed) or maybe we won't.

16 comments:

Cindi said...

no thank you...can stand bees...ew!

garnett109 said...

I heard northern texas is going to get 2 to 4 inches of rain?

Are they those Killer bees?

Jennifer said...

Last year my Dad was driving down the road with his windows rolled down and a swarm came in the passenger side and went out the driver's side. After that it was awhile before he rode with his windows down again. He didn't get stung, but it shook him up pretty good.

Janie said...

Oh wow! My oldest son is allergic to bee stings! Can be very dangerous. Sure hope she can get them taken care of. Everytime we put out sugar water to get hummingbirds.. the bees take it over! Hope you and John have a great week and be sure and roll up them window if you watch the bees. lol Janie

Helen said...

I hope no one gets stung. A person hates to get rid of bees because they are such good pollinators but when they get in the wrong place you have to get rid of them. Helen

Donna. W said...

I see I wasn't the only person wondering if these were killer bees. I often think about bees when I'm riding my horse, because no matter how gentle a horse is, bees would certainly cause a problem if they got upset.

The Guy Who Writes This said...

I'm a beekeeper, and it's sad you have Africanized bees down there. Just a note of caution, once the colony is removed from the chimney have the chimney cleaned because the left behind wax will attract other bees and if you ever light a fire the wax will ignite.

Alice said...

My bee population has diminished thanks to my fly swatter. There are different kinds of bees so I guess these bumble bees aren't so mean. At least I hope not. We are getting more rain here than we need so I wish I could send some of it to you. No change in sight but at least it just comes in the evenings/nights for awhile. I'm ready for some sun again:)

jack69 said...

Bees can be scary. Watching bee keepers always amazes me how they 'DON'T GET STUNG'.
I read once some one used bee stings to help some form of ailment.
Good interesting entry Paula.
later,
Jack & Sherry

jack69 said...

You have Sherry claiming she is the 'Cream', I might be the coffee (She does like coffee).
LOL
You kids say the darndest things. hahaha!

Unknown said...

That is so weird we have bee's at work we just noticed today, the big fat kind. The owner has got the stuff to kill them but has to wait until it's dark as my co-worker is allergic. Bee's scare me, I sure hope no one get's stung again. Hope you get some more needed rain, I feel like Im in TX its 90 degree's here today!

sober white women said...

I am glad that you got some much needed rain, but that you did not get and really nasty weather. I hate bees!
Kelli

Lynne said...

Bees???

She is a brave woman. There is no way I'd be in the same vicinity of a cluster of bees. First off, I'm not that quiet, lol.

shirl72 said...

My neighbor across the street was a beekeeper.
A man park his car up town and went into the
library. When he can out the bees has nested
in the front of the car. Mr. Wilson was
called downtown to do the getting off the car.
He got his picture in the paper with his
protective clothes on scooping the bees.

Shirl

Kelly said...

That would scare me to death to have bees coming after me. Here its the wasps that annoy us this time of year. They are looking to build a nest everywhere, buzzing around, and they always seem to want to drift into my hair or my face! Being where you are, I wonder if some of those are the killer bees people talk about. I gotta catch up with you..going down below to read whats been going on. :)

Gerry said...

I read a few years ago that bees were threatened with extinction from some kind of virus, but from the sounds of all the people getting stung both in Texas and Arizona I don't believe that is happening quite as fast as predicted. I am bee aware as I just got through reading The Life of Bees, a good novel, plus I sympathize with all those who get stung or chased by mad bees! I love the blue bonnets by the wsay in your title. Glorious! I only can see them down to Doc's. Gerry