When I tell friends from home that I live in New York City, a lot of them don’t understand how I can deal with being so far away from nature. I used to try to defend city life by explaining to them the beauty of Central Park, the proximity to a variety of beaches and hiking routes, and all of the other options that New Yorkers have to enjoy nature.

But then last weekend, my mom, who lives in suburban Virginia, found a hornets nest the size of a watermelon under the cover of her outdoor grill that she hadn’t used for about a month:

The next time someone asks me how I deal with being so far away from nature, I’m going to show them this picture. Nature can suck it.