Sister: "I only watch the news to see where the black bears are"
Me: "I'm not worried. They are super cool, but you just have to leave them alone."
Sister: "Well I don't want to run into them. I mean look at me, I'm a bear snack."
*two weeks later*
I'm sitting on an old metal chair at a local farm with the cat on my lap, waiting patiently for our number to be called. Unable to shell out another $100 for a vet visit, Keeks and I found ourselves at the monthly low cost clinic for her rabies booster. It's beautiful here, quiet, nothing but the occasional nay of a goat or cluck from the chickens. This is one of my favorite parts of town. The farmhouse out front is easily 150 years old as are many of the homes on this street. It has been maintained, but the barns have started to wane and show their age. The family that owns the property loans out the old grooming barn to the Vet as finding places has become increasingly difficult. The Vet is well known as he had an active, 30+ year practice before his wife insisted he retire. About ten years ago he started the low-cost clinics twice a month as a way of getting out of the house, and thus far it seems to be keeping both of them happy.
The humidity has finally given way, if only for half the day, before the torrential rain moves in this afternoon. The breeze thankfully keeps the bugs away. The hay fields are overgrown, no doubt waiting to be bailed in the next weeks, and sold to one of the many active farms in town as feed. The chickens appear to be free range. It's probably good the bears haven't made their way to this side of town yet. Bears, I should mention, are not common here, and when they do emerge, they are usually gone in a few weeks. These three have been wandering these 40 square miles for about two months now. Amazing creatures, not that I'd want to see one at this moment, cat on my lap, livestock running amuck around me. We'd be a smorgasbord of flavors for them.
The ping of my phone breaks through the peaceful moment. A text from my mother.
"Across the street, look on the hill of the neighbor's house"
Her: "LOL"
Me: "Youngest thinks it might be Yogi. You should put a picnic basket out."
Her: "Maybe..."
I don't think she actually put a basket out, though given that it was trash day in my neighborhood, there were plenty out for the other two bears who have been seen down by our house (we live about 30 minutes away from each other) My sister, however, lives less than 3 miles from my mother and I have not heard from her. I should check in soon to ensure she's not become a lunch-able.
Trash day could be snack day for bears! What a coincidence!
ReplyDeleteGlad you found a vet. :)
Oh geez.I've only seen one bear in the wild, and the poor thing was running away just as fast as it could. Maybe it kept running and now it's near you?
ReplyDeleteMaybe. We have three actually, one in my parent's area and the Mother/cub in our area. The cub is big enough to be on his own now and has been spotted two days ago at the campground I deliver to. Youngest was going tree climbing today in the state forest, I told him he had to go with someone and have their phones charged (and with service) for the obvious reasons, and also in case they came across Yogi. ;)
DeleteOccasionally, we hear of bear sightings around here but I've yet to see one.
ReplyDeleteI take it this is the "Grainy nature photo" you promised a while back? Came out better than my beaver...
ReplyDeleteI went to lunch with some of the girls from work, one of them had video of him in her daughter's yard eating bird seed from the feeder. Crazy!
DeleteThankfully there are no bears here in Aus because I would be a bear snack for sure
ReplyDeleteThankfully they are black bears only really only looking for berries and scavenging the trash. But if they feel you are a threat, it's snack time for sure.
Deletehaha. We don't have any bears in our area.
ReplyDeleteHow great that the Retired Vet is doing the Low Cost Clinic in your Community. We don't have Bears in the Low Desert, but a lot of the other Wildlife has been Migrating lately into Human habitation due to Climate Changes, Fires, Drought, etcetera. A Friend recently shared a pix of a Bobcat lounging on her front porch in the Shade, it looked knackered from the 117 degree day so she left it alone and just hopes it doesn't stick around since she has small pets and they would become a handy buffet.
ReplyDeleteYes. He loves what he does, he's a bit eccentric, but excellent with the animals. A bob cat would freak me out for sure. We have fisher cats and coyotes on a regular basis, but bears that stick around this long are really a rarity. Amazing creatures.
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