You may recall that earlier this summer, Mr. Neil's newest dog Lola learned that if you violate bee ettiquette, you get stung. I must say, this incident of swollen dog face was not enough to convince her to avoid mischief around the hives. Non Birding Bill and I took her to the hives after this incident and she went straight for one and started sniffing the entrance. She got bonked and a sting and then went back to the entrance for more. We had to guide her away and fortunately, she did not swell to the epic proportions as she had before.

When we went out last weekend to the hives, I learned that Lola is in love with piles of leaves--like any eight year old (even the one buried inside every adult).

Which is a much safer area for her to play in rather than right in front of the hives.

If you are wondering about her cape, it's hunting season. Currently it's bow hunting season on deer and grouse shooting season. In a couple of weeks it will be deer shooting season. The dogs run so quickly it's best that they wear orange when they are barreling after small mammals in the woods. You may think that a white dog couldn't be mistaken for a deer, but there are some hunters who shoot first and ask id later (as in this infamous 2002 MN incident) and we do have quite the population of albino deer up here. I saw them on my first trip to Father Hennepin State Park...I should go back and try to digiscope them sometime. Here's a video of an infamous albino buck that used to live along the Minnesota/Wisconsin border.

But check out the unadulerated joy that is Lola in a pile of leaves!

Dog smile! A much better time for Lola at the hives than earlier this summer.