Do You See What I See?

With the great weather we've been having here, it was time for another drive to the mountains...to our cabin.  I haven't been up there for six months; last time I went was before I started this journal, in mid-October.  That's a first...I've never stayed away from the cabin for more than two months.

So, we arrive at the cabin, built a fire inside and while I'm doing a little cleaning, Sam heads outside.  After a bit he comes back in and says, "Bernie, come here."  Bernie is his nickname for me, short for Berniture...like furniture...I guess....don't ask...I have no explaination to offer.   Anyway, he's always doing that, calling me to come here, go there, usually because he wants to show me something stupid, or something he knows will annoy me.  I finishing sweeping the floor and go outside to where he's standing.  He points up and says, "Look."  I'm looking up.  I see the sky.  Okay.  I see lots and lots of trees.  Yeah.  It's another one of his stupid games, I just know it.  He steps closer to the cabin, still pointing up.  "Look," he says again.  "At what?" I ask.  "Up there," he tells me, pointing to the cabin roof.  It's mid-day and the sun is shining right in my eyes, so I shade my eyes with my hand and step closer to the cabin.  Then I see it.  "Hol....CRAP!"

It's a big hornet's nest!  Ewwww!   A GIANT hornet's nest.  Now, two years ago these little guys tried like crazy to make two nests in the front of the cabin, but the nests are tiny and one can't even be called a nest.  I thought they quit and went away.  Well, apparently they didn't quit, they just found another place, a less obvious place.  This nest is massive.  So, that's what they've been doing the past two years!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love nature, and I really don't like to criticize Mother Nature...or The Big Guy.  I mean, it is a beautiful nest, interesting symmetry, and the craftmanship is truly remarkable.  It reminds me of a cornicopia.  I do appreciate stuff like that.  However, I have issues with this as well.  Does it have to be so big?  We have a gazillion trees here...it's a forest...couldn't they have picked a nice sturdy tree on which to built this masterpiece?  Why, oh why, did they have to pick our cabin?  And let's not over look the fact that I am allergic to insect stings...bees, mesquitoes, hornets..and they always find me.  Even if I'm just sitting by the fire, minding my own business, with four other people, I'll be the one to get stung.  Everytime!  I don't even want to guess how many hornets go with that nest.  I'm getting the willy's just thinking about it.  And then there's Amy and the baby, due next month. Can't have that many hornets on the loose with a newborn baby so close by.  So, does anyone out there collect these things?  Want to add another to your collection?  It's a beauty.

So, after the excitement of that discovery, we went for a little ride on the four wheelers.  Saw a few deer who disappeared before I could get my camera focused on them.  It started getting cold, so we headed back and saw a couple more.  We put the wheeler's away in the shop, locked everything up, and started for home.  At the bottom of our driveway, we spotted deer again.  This time, I got two pics before the deer ran off.  They look healthy this year, but we had a very short and mild winter.  A couple of years ago they were scrawny looking, so skinny and their coat was a horrible ruddy color, not the warm tan it should be.

It's always a good sign to see this many deer on the first trip of the year to the cabin.  It puts me in a good way.   The doe on the right looks like she may be pregnant.  Which is another good thing.  Very, very soon the fawns will come!!!  Ah yes, spring is my favorite time of year to be at the cabin.  There are wild mushrooms to hunt, prepare and eat, and spotted fawns to spot.  Two of my favorite cabin activities.  I can't wait. 

 

 

But first, something has to be done with that hornet's nest.  I'm sorry, but it's got to go!

 

~~A light heart lives long. -William Shakespeare~~

Let your light shine.