Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Black Bear Black Bear what do you see?

I see a big dog barking at me.
And a lady in her sweats who hasn't had her coffee and thinks its far too early for this much excitement.


I've mentioned here several times that we see quite a few bear around these parts. I am sure a few of you wonder if that is not my over active imagination at work since I have yet to produce evidence.

Well hold on to your hats because today is your lucky day.

I let my dog out into the backyard as I normally do when I get up and then I got busy gathering all the cardboard recycling to carry to the curb. I stayed up too late and hadn't had my coffee yet so everything was still a little bit fuzzy and it was most definitely far too early for all the furious barking my dog was doing. She sees lots of critters in and around our yard and she doesn't usually bark. She pants and runs and paces and pants some more, but barking? No. This morning she was riled up good and was using her angry bark which is something we rarely hear. Delivery men are often the recipient of the angry bark. And if you're the criminal type rest assured she will give you her angry bark, but her pals scampering around the woods do not get the angry bark.


I walked around to the back yard to get her and what do I see but a friendly black bear lumbering down the hillside on the opposite side of the fence. fyi- I actually have no way of knowing whether or not he's friendly but he didn't growl or pounce so in my book that qualifies as friendly. Friendly is a relative term when you're discussing bears. And notice I said opposite side of the fence...can I get an amen here?

The bear paid my pup no attention whatsoever and thankfully Dixie was her normal good girl self and came when I called. Hmmm...perhaps she sensed that while she may stand a chance with a groundhog she would not come out a winner in a confrontation with a bear. Actually my dog is big and black and I'm pretty sure she just wanted to play but luckily the bear did not.

He mozied on up the street and paid no attention to the recycling by the curb. Now, had he been out yesterday he'd have had his normal field day in the rubbish bins within reach but today he just looked sleepy.

It is an amazing thing to see a bear in your driveway....


From inside the safety of your own house of course.

If you're looking for the questions to the weekly Hodgpodge you'll find them here.

29 comments:

  1. OH. MY. WORD! I would have been scared out of my wits ... even from inside the safety of my own house of course!

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  2. Oh my gosh, I can't believe that! It's very, very cool to see but I'm glad you were indoors!

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  3. That IS too much excitement first thing in the morning. I hope the bear continues to not pay any attention to Dixie.

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  4. Oh my STARS!!!! What a way to start the day! Your bears trump my bunnies any day!!

    Blessings
    R

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  5. I am sure you have fox too? we do. Its the strangest to see one walking down the street.

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  6. We actually had a bear attack on two people and two dogs up here in the sticks of New Hampshire. All lived to tell, but required stitching. The bear was tracked down and euthanized. had to, as he was considered a danger to man and beast.
    We have a bear that lumbers through our yard and leaves his calling card. But so far no close encounters.

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  7. Wow!

    One winter many years ago, I was walking through my mom's living room and looked out back and a black "panther" (large cat) was coming up out of the forest preserve. At first I thought it was a large black dog, but quickly realized that it was a stalking cat! It was about 130-15o lbs. in size. It was coming up to the bird feeder looking for a meal. I yelled for my mom to come look. She nonchalantly said, "Oh yes. We know about him. He lives in the forest." What??? This is northern Virginia. We have beltways not stalking panthers. She said the county knew he was there and so far so good. Let's just say, I wouldn't have let my small animals out after that.

    We have a family of red fox that live in our current neighborhood. They come out at night and are actually quite beautiful.

    Isn't it interesting how nature finds a way to survive suburban living!

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  8. I'll bet you didn't need coffee to wake up after that experience! So glad you got some pictures to share!

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  9. How cool is that!!! Bears are so cute....in a warm cuddly, will rip you limb from limb kinda way. The most I get to see from my front window are squirrels running along the phone lines.

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  10. I nominated you for my Blog Lovin’ Award because I love reading your blog and wanted to acknowledge that fact to the rest of the blogsphere.

    I hope you want to take part and pass the award onto 15 of your own favourite blogs too. Thank you for enriching my blogging experience and for widening my circle of online friends.

    (And that bear looks scary!!)

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  11. That beats my "I think I heard a bear in the woods in the park" hands down! I know mine was my imagination!

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  12. All this before your morning coffee....I would not want to mess with that bear....my Sophie would run right up and be all hey you wanna play....! wag wag wag!

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  13. Oooh yes that scene sounds all too familiar... I am in hopatcong and see our fair share here too. It makes me nervous because of my dog and baby... I know they won't come near you but I still look both ways before going near the woods hahahaaa!

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  14. Wow, what a Kodak moment! That is so strange seeing it in a housing development. We see them now and then in Arkansas, but usually up on the mountain. Glad Dixie is safe, that is actually kinda scary!
    until next time... nel

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  15. Now that would scare me to death!

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  16. When I was growing up in upstate NY we had a few bears that would be out "sorting your trash" in the morning...they were cute...but dangerous. They'd also take out birdfeeders with one giant swipe of their massive clawed paws!

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  17. Goodness me ... it is strange to see a wild animal just wandering about in town. Kind of makes me wonder what he thinks of us!

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  18. whoa...so glad you and doggie are safe. they are so strong and silent...scary stuff!

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  19. Hi Joyce...that's about the most incredible thing I've ever seen! Talk about once-in-a-lifetime!

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  20. WOW so glad that you and dog were safe. That can be really scary.

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  21. Holy Cow! A bear?! Now that is a sight!

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  22. Woah! That's a little too close for comfort.

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  23. Amazing is not exactly the word I would use for it. And here I get creeped out by the raccoons. (Of course, they tend to get in the attic and die.)

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  24. What an amazing site to see from the comforts and security of your own home! I'm happy that your dog came in and didn't want to make a new friend as I'm sure the bear has enough friends:)

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  25. pack up and get the heck out of there!!!

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  26. crazy. this seems to be pretty common in alaska, too. friendly is a relative term, indeed. yikes.

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  27. OMG! I can't believe it. He did seem friendly and I'm thankful he didn't visit with Dixie.
    It's bad enough when we see one in Mammoth Lakes, Ca in the summer, I can't imagine one in my own backyard!

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