Bears have a curiosity bump. I had taken a walk this morning, about 6 am, and taken the camera with me to take pictures of dewy cobwebs. All the way at the back of the pasture I found a patch of lovely ones, and was bent over taking pictures when I heard a rustling in the brush. I immediately thought “Oh, Dad’s moose!”
See, Dad has been sleeping out in his tent for a week, and the day before this had awoken to a moose crashing through the brush in the ravine below his tent. He’d crept to the edge and watched the south end of it proceeding north up the creek. So it was a natural assumption on my part to think that this large crashing in the brush was also a moose.
I swung the camera up and took a shot from the hip, flash and all. The flash was my undoing. I might have gotten away with it, but Mr. Bruin saw that light and stood up to see what the light was over the brush. At this point I realized that He was bigger than I, and although not known to attack humans often, I am not going to trust one further than I could throw it. Dad got away with kicking one in the…um. Well, you know. But that one was a yearling, a lot smaller than he, not a big ole bruin looking at little ole me. So I went. Toward the house, wishing that I were a sprinter, not an endurance runner (and that a decade ago!) I am pretty sure he went in the other direction, but I wasn’t really looking. All I know is that he didn’t follow me home!
Talk about adrenaline to start your morning – that was a little too much.
Comments
2 responses to “Wild and Wet Walks”
Oh my SWEET LORD! No one told me about the BEAR!! Cedar, you’re going to have to start wearing bells on your shoes!! *shaking my head* adrenaline? OMG my heart is racing now with the thought of seeing a bear that early (heck at ANY time!)
Cedar–Your bear story brings back memories of MY bear story, on the Alaska homestead when your mom was 6, your uncles Doug & Mark were 5 and almost 4, and I WAS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT with Pam & Julie. I didn’t want to shoot the bear, but didn’t want it to come into the cabin, either! And by the time bruin had been around the cabin 1 1/2 times, trying to get in, I was feeling like I was going to pass out. I am very glad that you got away unscathed; but I must confess that my first thought was what a great picture that would have made!!! I do hope that you will someday put your writings together in book form. I gather that you do some of your typing with one hand. It does slow yoy down, doesn’t it? My left arm and hand are in a cast because of joint reconstruction surgery (left thumb); and I had carpal tunnel release surgery at the same time, in July. Had carpal tunnel surgery on my right hand in May. Love to all–I would really like to see my great-grandchildren. I so much enjoyed having you and your sisters, sometimes for a week or three at a time!!Love, Grandma La VaughnPS Your Mom and I are working on a concrete block foundation for your Great-Grandma Vanderburg,s garage–a learning experience for both of us! We have to go to town for some more mortar mix. I will be glad when we get to start pounding nails!