Place of the Oak Exudation

Almost in the path that I use many times a day to get to my workshop and back again,, there is a big oak tree that, where it comes out of the ground, has for the last two years been exuding something that attracts various kinds of the winged insects around here. I have to watch myself, because if my mind is elsewhere, as it usually is, two inches more to the right and I would step right on that action.

The insects visit by progressively larger species. This year first came tiny flies that amount to no more than flecks of busy golden light. But they were followed by those little black flies that are so fond of zooming straight into my right eyeball and irritating it badly. Never the left, only the right. Later they were chased away by several varieties of bees, though not honeybees. But now the really bad actors are taking over, the big, highly aggressive bell hornets, who last year had that spot all to themselves, and it is a serious matter to be stung by them. So now I'll finally have to start taking a detour -- if I can remember.

Tiny, non-lethal (so far) brushes with danger like this are among the many pleasures of living here.