Loyal readers of this lofty blog will no doubt recall that last summer the paper wasps built their nest right outside my kitchen window. The nest is still there this summer, and a few wasps are still living in it. But the real happening hive this summer is inside my flagpole holder attached to the side of my garage. By the time I noticed the nest was underway back in the spring, it was well underway and I hated to waste all their hard work, destroy the nest, and then make them start over somewhere else, so I just decided that this summer, we weren't going to be putting the flag out at all. (I usually keep it out all summer, actually. Not that I'm a big flag-waver by any stretch, I just kinda like having it flying around out there. Plus, it was a gift from Rachel.)

Anyway. Remember that wasps sleep all night, right? And they usually wake-up around 8 o'clock in the morning.  (I'm serious -- I learned this last summer by watching the wasps outside my kitchen window.) Well, this new nest is so crowded that there is always at least one, if not two wasps who actually have to sleep outside of the nest. This morning I took a picture of the nest when I was on my way to do my walk. The little guy on top is sound asleep. You can't tell from this photo, but the nest is positively crammed with sleeping wasps.



And also.... guess what time of the summer it is? That's right, you guessed it! The crickets have arrived!! This morning was the first morning so far this summer that I heard the crickets chirping like mad!

And also also... Get ready, gang!! The season premier of Mad Men starts this Sunday at 10 PM on AMC!!! Set those TiVOs and DVRs! Yippi ki yi yay!!