WORK OF ART

“What do you think?” I placed the bee house on the side table next to the glider.

My son Alex and I were on the back porch getting ready for another season of porch sitting.

“Isn’t that a bee house?” Alex asked.

“Yup.” I had to smile as I adjusted it on the table. “It’s like a little piece of art! Don’t you think?”

Alex shook his head. “But that’s where I sit.” He was pointing at the glider, the bee house right next to his spot.

“It’s for Mason bees.” I explained. “They’re not aggressive.”

Alex was still shaking his head. “I still don’t want to sit next to it!”

“Well, it’s not going to be there all summer.” I pointed out in the woods. “Your Dad’s going to hang it up on the shed for me.”

“Okay, that’s a better idea.” He sat down in his spot.

“But until he does I kind of like it there.” I sat down in my rocking chair, tipping back so I could put my feet up on the wooden ottoman.

“So exactly how does it work?” Alex tipped the bee house back looking into the empty tubes.

I shrugged my shoulders. “I’m not exactly positive but I think the Mason bees lay their eggs in the tubes, then cover them up with mud and in the fall we take the house and put it in the shed. Then next spring we bring it out when it starts to get warm and they hatch!” I looked over at him and smiled. “It’s our way to help the pollinating bee population keep growing!”

“Okay, I know you like helping nature and all that but…” Alex put the bee house back in place. “This is going to happen out by the shed, right?”

“I guess.” I shrugged my shoulders again. “You know how busy your Dad is.” I raised my eyebrows. “So that could mean this week, next month or…”

Alex picked up the bee house again and looked at the back. “It has a little hook on the back.” He looked over at me. “All it needs is a nail hammered into the side of the shed and it can be hung up in two seconds.”

I sighed. “I know, but your Dad likes to do those kinds of things for me.”

“Well, how about I help him on this one.” Alex picked up the bee house and headed for the garage.

Lifting open the door he reached into the tool box and grabbed a hammer. Pulling a nail out of a jar on the shelf he turned back to me. “We’re all set. Just show me where you want it hung.”

We went into the back yard, walking along the path through the woods that had dozens of daffodils blooming on both sides, until we got to the shed.

“I think at the far end.” I pointed to where I wanted it hung. “It’s supposed to be on the sunny side.” I looked back at the porch. “And I want to be able to see it from the porch.”

Alex looked over at me with a confused look on his face. “It’s not like you’re going to see the bees laying their eggs from the porch.”

“I know. But I told you I really like the look of it. The way the tubes are set in it, it looks like a small work of art to me.”

Alex shook his head and laughed as he made his way down the side of the shed. Placing the bee house on the ground he took the hammer and tapped the nail in. Picking up the house he placed it on the nail and stepped back to look. “Perfect.” He looked over at me. “How do you like it?”

“I love it!”

We stood and admired it for a few moments before walking single file back up the path.

“So, you really didn’t want that on the porch for even a day did you?” I called over my shoulder.

“Nope. Not even for a day.”