Those of us addicted to photographing honey bees hate it when the cold, rainy California weather settles in.

December and January are the worst for capturing images of bees outside their hives.

However, if you plant a pollinator garden with seasonal blossoms and locate it near an apiary--Voila!

Such is the case at the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, a bee friendly pollinator garden located next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility on Bee Biology Road, UC Davis.

In between rain drops, when the sun bursts through the clouds, you can count on seeing honey bees going about their work.

Yesterday we noticed honey bees foraging in the azure bush germander (Teucrium fruitcans), a perennial that blooms in the winter and spring.  

Mother Nature's watercolors!