Saturday, June 11, 2016

Bear Update....and a Slice of Life

Our weather has been so bizarre. Not just ours, of course, but all over the globe. 

Global warming? I suppose. 

It's been dropping down into the 40's at night. That's cold for June, even up here on the mountain top!

Right now as I type this we are in the midst of a huge thunderstorm. It's early in the morning and I'm the only one up in the house. 


Not even the pups are up yet. 

That's ok, I love the quiet of an early morning. Especially when there's a storm outside, and we're cozy and safe inside. 

I just hope my old girl, Lily, is sleeping through the thunder. She's terrified. 

Life's been busy on our little mountain top lately. It's bizarre, because I have time off from work right now. And yet, I can't seem to catch up. 

I made a whole list of things I wanted to accomplish around the house and gardens during my break from work. And most of the list remains undone. 

I think I start on one project and then see fifty other things that need to be done. It's a snowball effect. 

Also, I made a bunch of doctor appointments and a dentist appointment during my time off...that pretty much kills most of a day, when I have to travel an hour or more each way to an appointment. 

Oh well, it is what it is. 


Anyway, I wanted to give you a little update on the bear situation. 

A number of my sweet readers commented that I shouldn't be throwing food scraps out. To clarify, I generally do not. The last time I tossed out a piece of food was over the winter, when I tossed out the shell of the Hubbard Squash after I made soup. And the birds picked it clean. 

I thought I'd toss out the watermelon rind for the birds as well....but I never quite got there. I ran into the bear instead, on my way to the edge of the woods. 

We are very, very careful about bears up here. We have to be. 

We have a bear bell that clips on to our clothes for when we go hiking. 

We don't put our garbage out for collection....that's just an invitation for the bears to come rip the cans apart, and strew garbage everywhere. Our garbage is locked up tight in the garage, and everything is brought to the dump once a week. 

My veggie and fruit scraps go into the composters. Which are also sealed up tight. 


The berries aren't ripe yet....and there are no veggies even close to ready in the veggie garden. 

The only thing the bear could be looking for is the birdseed. So, now I need to stop feeding the birds....at least until he takes me off his daily route. 


The berry brambles at the edge of the driveway are blooming like mad right now. I sure hope the bear has taken me off his daily route by the time the berries are ready. 

We keep firecrackers in the kitchen drawer to light and toss at him....if we get that close. My sweetie was trying to do just that the other morning when the bear showed up at my house....but the wind was so fierce he couldn't get them lit!

On that note, guess who else got a visit from a bear yesterday?

Yup - my sweetie. Right in the middle of the day. And in the middle of the village. 

Sweetie's house is about 3 miles from mine, right in the center of the village. Right by the post office, hardware store, barber shop, etc. He was out working on his lawn yesterday when the bear paid him a visit. 

He scared him off, and thought that was that. 

But when my sweetie was weed-wacking, the bear came back and tore down all the bird feeders. 

Sweetie scared him off again. 

But the little punk came back a third time to lick up all the seed he spilled out of the feeders!

Can you believe it?

Cheeky little brat!

This time, sweetie was ready for him, and tossed the firecrackers at him. He took off. 

Now, my honey has his bb gun ready and waiting by the door. Just in case. 

I do have a theory, however. Our mountain is in the midst of a gigantic music festival at the moment. The mountain has gone from being a peaceful place for us - and the bears - to live, to a crazy, noisy place filled with tens of thousands of screaming fans. 

I think the bears were displaced during the setup, and can't return to their homes on the mountain right now. 

After this weekend, the crew will start to break down all the stages, tents, fencing, etc. And the bears can start to make their way home. 


I took this photo from a friend's house the other evening. We were at a wonderful dinner party, and she has this terrific view from her deck. 

The cluster of buildings and tents you see above the pretty house and the tree line is where the festival is taking place. It's a huge deal, with big name stars, and brings a ton of people - and traffic - to our little peaceful mountain top. 

I'm sure the bears don't like it any more than we do. 

And I bet they can't wait to go home. 

28 comments:

  1. That is so scary that you guys are running into this bear - even in your sweetie's yard! Though with that huge music fest going on right now, no wonder the bears are being driven into more of the housing areas. Poor things. I hope they go back to their natural habitat soon. And leave you guys alone!

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    1. I do think that may be why they are coming around our homes right now, Melanie. The timing coincides with when the crew arrived and started setting up for the first festival, which was last weekend.

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  2. Be careful! I can't imagine walking outside and coming face to face with a big bear!
    Brenda

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    1. It's not fun, Brenda, by any means. It's part and parcel of living on a mountain, but it's not my favorite part!!

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  3. I think you are right about the festival displacing the bears. Hopefully they will return home when the strangers are gone. But remember... How you gonna keep them down on the farm/forest after they've seen Paree'/City.

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    1. Ha ha, Barbara, you're too funny!! I'm sure they'd rather be on the mountain, where they don't have dogs barking at them and people throwing firecrackers at them!

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  4. OK - now you have me feeling sorry for the bears. We humans are such a nuisance to the wild-life. And we cause such upheaval in their lives. I do hope they are happy to return to their area after this weekend. Glad your sweetie is ok. Deb

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  5. No wonder the bears are roaming around tearing up jack. That music fest would irritate me to no end. I love rock and roll as mush as the next person...but not in the outdoors. Gaa, don't get me started on that soapbox girl. LOL. I love that your sweetie got his firecrackers ready. :):) Bless your heart, hope things smooth out soon. xoxo, Susie

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    1. You would have absolutely hated the traffic in town last night, Susie - it was bumper to bumper, not moving an inch!!

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  6. Yet another scary bear tale but you are definitely equipped to scare him off. I would most likely have nightmares. When we were in the Smoky Mountains last year, a few of the rental properties were having issues with bears snooping around in broad daylight.

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    1. Probably because people were leaving garbage out. I haven't seen my bear in two or three days now...I'm hoping he's moved on, since he didn't find any food here.

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  7. Sounds like they just want some peace and quiet. What exactly is a bear bell?
    Stay safe out there!

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    1. A bear bell is basically a large jingle bell on a strap, with a clip on the end so you can clip it to your clothing. It alerts the bears that you are in the area so you don't come up on one unannounced and startle it....or you!

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  8. Be safe!!! Bear watch time is here! Loved the photos and also all the BEAUTY!!!

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  9. Yikes, for once I'm glad we live in the "burbs. Although, your sweetie lives in town and that didn't stop the bear. Maybe the bear is not a music fan...I don't think I'd like being treated to lots of loud music. Does the bear spook the horses? xoxo

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    1. Surprisingly, I was watching the horses the other morning when the bear was so close to them - and they were standing calmly, watching the bear. Calmer than I was!

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  10. I hope your bear returns to his home soon! You have a beautiful view but I would be terrified to live there. I too, start one thing and then go to another when I have a lot on my mind and keep seeing more things to do. Take care! Nancy

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    1. I'm not terrified, I truly love living here, bears and all. But it's not for everyone! We just learn to be cautious.

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  11. I have to tell you about my hubby's grandmother, who was a rural ky farm wife back in 1900s to abt 1970. She lived to be in her nineties. Well, she had chickens. Those chickens kept her in eggs, and were also a little cottage business for her. She sold the extra eggs. My hubby says that from the time he was a little kid he remembers his grandmother keeping a "varmit" gun behind her kitchen door. She knew how to use it to protect her chickens from the various wildlife out there that wanted "her" chickens. You did not mess with her chickens! Ha! And...hubby says apthat all of the grandkids knew NOT to touch grandmom's gun! Ha! Good luck.

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    1. I guess that could be me some day, huh, Sheila? The feisty old chicken lady? :)

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  12. Love that picture mom! Pretty sunset....scary bear

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    1. Yup, scary bear indeed! I hope he's done with us now, sweetie!! xo

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  13. Such beauty on your mountain top! Yes, we humans disturb and invade the wildlife homes. I'm glad you've both been fortunate re: the bear visits! One of my dear friends lived in Cloudcroft, NM, for awhile. They had a bear visit and almost destroy some outside items. I would probably have bells all over my clothes! :)

    xo
    Pat

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    1. You could be like that woman with the rings on her fingers and bells on her toes....:) Somehow I can't recall the rest of that nursery rhyme, but you just triggered that line in my head with your comment! I had a very large bear do a good amount of damage at a previous home up here, just a few miles away....I've been very fortunate at this house. They don't really bother me often. I think they come around for a 'sniff' every now and again, and then move on when I take away the only thing they are interested in....the bird feeders. I stop putting them out for a while, they move on, and then I start feeding the birds again. Oh well, we all have our challenges, don't we?

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  14. I am so glad your Sweetie is ok. Boy was that bear determined to get to those bird feeders. I'm sure he was hungry and had been driven out of his natural habitat with all the noise from the festival. I'm with the bear on this one...I like my peace and quiet too.

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    1. No doubt, Debbie. And yes, it takes a lot more than a bear to scare my sweetie!

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