Let’s start with the bees.

Honeybees to be exact.

In my chimney and, like a scene from Hitchcock’s The Birds, flying out of the fireplace and into my living room.

Yup, honeybees; very angry honeybees when they realized there was no exit to the outside.

While Bailey chased the bees I quickly blocked the fireplace using a large piece of cardboard and half a roll of packing tape.

The bees managed to squeeze out the edge but would get caught by the tape.

Sigh.

I didn’t want them to suffer a slow death so I …. (shudder) squished them.

A call to my handyman remedied the situation. He removed the metal cover to the chimney (this will become important later in the post) and checked for a hive.

He didn’t find a hive but he did see lots of bees hovering around.

Hmmmmm, perhaps they’re intent on building a new hive, he said, and improved my makeshift blockade inside the house.

I told him to leave the metal chimney cover off.

Looking at me quizzically, he wanted to know why.

I’m not just a pretty face; I know that Chimney Swifts eat insects and roost in chimneys (thus the name).

Fast forward a few weeks — no bees and I have Chimney Swifts.

Cool.

Blessed be :}

Il mio amato immortale.