Bees, Bears, and Dogs

Living on the mountainside brings challenges as well as joys.  Last week I received an email from neighbors reporting that a bear had broken into their rabbit cages and one of their rabbits was missing.  A few days later, our closest neighbor reported that her early morning REM sleep was destroyed when a bear was interested in a visit to their bee hives and her dogs (being very protective) went crazy.  Our dog, Tar, went into a frenzy of bounding (rather like a kangaroo) from one window to the next last night, barking furiously to scare off an unseen, but very likely nocturnal ursine visitor.   

The poor bear is all grown up from last year's cute cub and somewhat less adorable.  However, we all believe the bear's territory has been invaded by us, and are trying to protect it from being re-located by not encouraging its visits.  Which means that today, I am moving my tomatoes back to the south deck.  It is somewhat less accessible with metal posts and on the second story.  I am hoping the large bite out of one of them was actually many chipmunk bites instead of a bear!

Since I don't have a photo of "our" bear, here is one that a friend took in Glacier Bay after we left the Alaska trip when Norm's Mom had her first stoke.

Grizzlies in camp

 Now we know why tents should have a front and a back door!

Here is a sneak peek of a project I am working on which will be a fundraiser for children's ministry events at St. Mark's.  Any guesses what it might be?

Leave your guess in the comment box below. and the first person to guess correctly will receive one of my watercolors in the mail.