Life is getting busy in the garden. I have a few echinacea plants mixed in my vegetable garden for color and whimsy. I've never used the plant for tea or medicinal purposes. I should look into that. In the mien time, the bees surely enjoy themselves. And boy are they healthy. I'm convinced they are why I have such a thriving garden. Problem is, they are nesting in the side of our house. I few years ago, we had some electrical work done, and the electricians didn't seal up the holes they had created in the stucco siding. Within a year, we had an exuberant bee community living inside our wall. I'm pretty sure they are confined to a small area on the second floor, which is just outside our bedroom closet. Every night, especially in the heat of the summer, they sing us to sleep. It's good to be close to nature.

So here's the rub. The department of water and power needs to do some electrical work and they can't do it because of the bees. They've come, they've tried, they're chicken. So now they've sent me a letter threatening to fine me, blah, blah, blah. Get rid of the bees! Frankly, I've been in denial about the whole situation, as I enjoy the fruits of my bees labors. A year ago, I called a bunch of different bee experts/exterminators/relocators, and got several different takes on the matter. The one I liked best was a nice old lady, who'd been rescuing bees for 30 years. She suggested the bees weren't really doing any harm; agreed. They were contributing to our well being; correct. So why not just leave them alone? My kinda gal!
(Thriving zucchini plant)
Well, the power company doesn't see it our way. So now I have to do something. The thing is, if you just exterminate the bees (the easiest/cheapest solution), the hives inside the walls will not be maintained and the honey will heat up, seep through the walls and make a real expensive mess. Not to mention the fact that I love my bees, and don't feel like mass murdering them. Another option is to have them relocated. There are companies that specialize in this. Problem is, they have to destroy your wall to get to the bees. Some will even take the honey they find and bottle it up for you! That would be fun. Then there are the repair costs. I guess I should get off the computer and make some phone calls. Any suggestions on what I should do?
Maybe a good zucchini recipe?