If I were to draw my property more close to reality I would speckle the whole thing with yellow spots to signify dandelions everywhere. The whole time I've lived at this house they've been a problem. Even when I seem to get them under control they sprout back up. A main cause is that my neighbors to one side don't do any weeding, so even if I can truly get everything out of my yard before too long seeds will land and start sprouting.
Toward the end of last week I spent one evening pulling up as many dandelions as I could find. The ground was wet from rain so I was able to get at some of the roots. I filled two grocery bags with weeds and had to stop. Except for one section on the side of my house (that borders the no-weeding neighbors) I think I at least pulled all the flowers off so that I won't get any seeds before I have a chance to mow and put out some weed-n-feed.
I hate that dandelions are so unsightly in my yard. I remember last year on Christmas Eve being out in the yard (mid 70's) and seeing honey bees going from flower to flower. This was most striking to be because I don't recall seeing any bees over the summer. I've read about a dwindling bee population worldwide, and since I've witnessed it I don't want to do anything else to hurt them. I've planted a few other flowering plants in my yard this year, and many of the crops I'm growing will flower as well.
The farm I worked at a couple years during college (I haven't mentioned that before have I?) had a bee hive. I thought then that I'd like to have one of my own. I'm not sure that I want one in a suburban neighborhood, but someday would be nice.
This post started out about dandelions, I didn't really mean to end up with bees.