Now It's Bees!

     Do you ever feel like your trying to accomplish something and for some reason the universe just doesn't want you to do it?  That's where I'm at with my herb garden.  For several years I've talked about putting a herb garden in a particular spot by the kitchen.  What I've wanted to put in it has gone from culinary herbs to a dyer's garden to what I'm now trying to accomplish - a medicinal herb garden...but the main thing is I want the garden...right...there.  
     I decided a few months ago to really get down to business with the project.  This year is the year.  I chose a good layout, scoured books and the internet for info on different types of medicinal herbs, and have even been taking an on-line class about them.
     At the beginning of the month Hon got the big tiller out and tilled up the area.  Then I began the tedious job of raking out grass and weeds, laying down old brick from around here to outline it, and make a walkway through the middle. Then the rain came and I had to work around that.  Even so, I was slowly making progress.
     Last week I got one half of it ready for planting and added seeds.  It was a wonderful feeling...until the turkeys noticed it.  Next thing I knew there were turkey butt prints in the dirt from where they had taken a dust bath or ten.  It wasn't just one turkey.  It was Buddy, Potsy, and their eight little turkey poults.  The little ones didn't do too much damage, but Buddy and Potsy made sure to scatter any seeds I had planted.  It was pandemonium.  Needless to say, none of those seeds have sprouted...but the weeds are doing quite well.
     I've been periodically chasing the turkeys out of my garden, and Hon said he was going to put a little fence up to keep them out.  I thought that settled the matter.  Then today came another problem.  See that picture up there in the corner?  Yup, that's right.  Bees.  Lots and lots of bees.  There's this nice little apple tree right next to my herb garden.  It has delicious apples, by the way.  It's now the home to a bazillion bees.  They weren't there yesterday.  Eldest had seen them in the woods.  They must have decided they didn't like their previous location.
     Earlier this morning they were checking out our chimney.  I wasn't worried about it because we've had bees check it out and then move on.  No big deal.  Well, after deciding the chimney wasn't a good place, they moved on, but not far enough.  Now, I'm not a bee expert, and I don't even know what kind they are, but in  Winnie the Pooh the bees were always in a tree...not hanging off a branch in a big chaotic mass.  We had a bunch of bees up in one of the big Silver Maples last year, but they were up high in the tree, and never a bother.  These, on the other hand, are a problem.  Even Buddy the turkey decided it wasn't worth trying to sit under the apple tree today.

     I'm not sure what we're going to do about our new neighbors, but they're a little too close for comfort to the kitchen door...the patio...and my herb garden.  I thought I was going to work in it tomorrow, try to clean up some of the turkey destruction, but instead I'm going to try and get a hold of a few folks that raise bees for honey and ask if they have any suggestions.  Maybe I'll be real lucky and they'll just go away before I have to get rough.

     So, there you have it folks.  Bees like I've never seen them before...except for in those creepy science fiction movies, anyway.  I'm hoping maybe tomorrow they'll decide the apple tree isn't to their liking and move on.  One way or another, they have to go!  Oh, and if you have any suggestions for relocating our neighbors, or if you even have an idea what kind they are, I sure would like to hear from you.  Smiling & Waving, Sharon

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