Maximillian Sunflowers

 I stopped on the constitutional to watch a bee at work.  She was visiting each flower on a patch of Maximillian sunflowers. It was nice to see her in light of the concern over colony collapse syndrome.  I wasn't close enough to see what kind of bee she was but her fat little abdomen made me think bumblebee. I could hear her buzz on her way to the next blossom. Reminded me that once again a guest had mentioned how quiet it is here.  I begged to differ.  Even though the morning chorus of birds has ended, a murder of crows has a loud shouting match every morning (don't know what their problem is).  Coyotes hold a nightly 'sing-fest' in the meadow.  This late in the season the insects are a constant background hum.  The sandhill cranes and Canadian geese make a ruckus every time they are on manuevers but even flying in 'stealth mode' I hear their wings.  Before it reaches me rain makes a distinctive noise hitting leaves as the storm sweeps over the forest.  "Ah," said my guest, "The point is it's quiet enough here that you can hear those things."