A couple of years ago some bees built a bee hive in back of a wood wall, at the very back of our yard, well it's really railroad ties, doesn't really hold much back, more for looks than it's strength. For some unforeseen reason they left, saw a huge bee hive in our tree, and the next morning they were gone, my husband pulled the railroad ties back, went in removed the honey cones, we put in lots of moth balls, about ten or twelve boxes, refilled the dirt, and put the railroad ties back. There were lots of ants in the ground around the hive, I thought maybe that's what made them leave, don't really know why ? But the bees came back last spring, we just stay away from that portion of the wall, I thought they might leave this last winter, but no they are still there and probably growing? We have lots of fruit trees around the yard, so they are good for that, have thousands of Avocados this year, the branches were loaded, and they were dropping from all the fruit. Still have so many, when my family comes, I always give them bags of Avocados and Lemons. I have many things to be Thankful for!!!!! LIFE IS GOOD Sully

Sully, You a very lucky to have fruit bearing trees, while we have all bare trees until at least May! My cousins who will be at their home in Arizona next week(they live in both Illinois and AZ.)usually send me a beautiful box of citrus they pick from their trees-but a thief has struck again-last year at this time someone went at night and stripped all lemon trees, this week they took all oranges. A neighbor always picks and puts ripe fruit in fridge for the cousins before they arrive-now no oranges! It is a gated community and there are several houses rented out so they suspect it may be one of them! It is an over 55 community also! I have never had a just picked avocado, just bought from the market-so never know how old they are--I love them! We are still very cold and have piles of dirty snow all over! Hoping for warmer weather! Take care. Helen

Great to hear sully; we are short of bees here. I blame crop spraying. Plus few hive owners who really do it right. We have one about twelve miles down the road. And a bunch of rotting hives where new owners evidentially are afraid of the bees but have a "truck garden" produce stand each summer. Oh how I wish I were in your yard but will abide with my cold and still snowy Missouri. February surprise is arriving, so we will have a few days of California temperatures. Really warm in the sun but very chilly in the shade and downright cold at night. Bud.