Springtime in the Rockies

Or I should say near the Rockies. Denver is at the base of the mountains. While we are the Mile High City, we are not up in the Rockies. Anyway, spring here has been interesting so far. Today a high of 75 degrees. Last week, snow. Right after the snow, I planted sunflower seeds. Next up, pumpkin seeds.

Yesterday, I saw a swarm of bees! Yes, that big, brown bird's-nest-looking thing is not a bird's nest. It's a cluster of bees. Since seeing it, I've been Googling bee swarms and have learned that when the bee hive gets too crowded (that's the most common reason for swarms), about 60% of the bees will take off. They gather someplace like a tree branch around their new queen. (I haven't yet read how a new queen is picked.) They wait like this while scout bees go out and look for a hollow tree or some other suitable place to set up their new hive. It's really fascinating. Too bad The Secret Life of Bees used the bee imagery so much and so well or I'd feel this happening in one of my novels.