Working while out on the porch. I'm three feet from a weeping cherry tree in the front garden and it's swarming with bees and wasps.

It's sunny, mild, and breezy, the birds are singing, and a half-hour ago a couple F-15Es flew overhead.

Life is good right now. Afternoon, Plurk.

I'm jealous of your workspace

honestly I am very glad it is you in this situation as you are able to enjoy it to the fullest.

contrast me, who would probably crawl under the table crying all the while.

I know, I know, I get all Justin Schmidt about stinging bugs.

But seriously, the ones around here are quite pleasant, they've never given me any trouble!

You know what is giving me trouble, though?

BULL THISTLE

This odious, pestilent weed that's growing all across the lawn and anywhere else it can plant its wretched roots

with its inches-deep taproot and its irritating hair-spikes across every square millimeter of its surface and I despise it

I can stand the fireweed. It stinks like tar when you cut it down, sure, but it's harmless enough and it mostly grows where other plants would be fool to try, so it's not crowding anything out.

I can stand the burdock. It grows into big, handsome plants and doesn't make a nuisance of itself.

I can stand the jewel weed. Yes, it's absolutely everywhere but it's uprooted by a stiff breeze, let alone a gentle tug. Also it's not, you know, covered in thorns or spines or things like that.

I can stand the field garlic. It creates a confusingly delicious smell when mowed, yes, and I need to keep pulling it out of the garden, but I can gather its fresh shoots for my eggs in the morning.

But bull thistle?

I am waging a war of extermination against this bastard plant.

I am sitting next to the weeping cherry again.

It is swarming with honeybees to a point where there is a loud, audible buzz emanating from it.