Up Close and Personal

I’m taking time out from my regular pattern development blog posts to share with you life in the woods: Wild life, Up Close and Personal.  I’ve lived here for 15 years and seen a variety of species.  But yesterday spotted a species I had never yet seen (except at the zoo)!

With the dawn of fall, my garden brings hungry deer several times a week for a feast.  Young, old and in between enjoy the splendid buffet of berries, first, and then leaves.  In the spring, new mothers rest under the arbor of the giant white birch while young fawns spring about investigating the new world around them.  One daring young newborn even ventured to the fountain and was surprised by the splash of water on his face.  

Eco Chic Knits Garden Smorgasbord

Momma deer

Coaxing her young

Kisses

Boy, they grow up so fast.  He is quite the adventurer

What's this stuff?

Gaggles of turkey flock through the back yard.  The cliff provides them with the perfect vantage point for flight while they too search for their food.  

Just a few turkey

After some took flight.
Sorry, the flying ones were out of focus.

High in the sky, soaring above the valley fly families of hawks or eagles - I can’t be sure which - swooping down like lightening to catch their feast.  Watching these birds use the air streams to glide, rise, and circle is truly a blessing and inspiration.  Bunnies leave plenty of presents telling of their late night visits to nibble the greens growing in the grass.  One little grey and brown cotton tail was a frequent visitor when Cheeky was alive.  I think the two were friends as neither seemed to mind the others presence.  

Where are the hawks, eagles, and bunnies?
Sorry, all were out of focus, but this Chipmunk is a cute replacement, plus another visitor!

In the meadow, yonder, I’ve seen glimpses of fox tails, as the fox scamper into their dens fleeing from the thundering, running Great Dane puppy, Puddles.  

Puddles running, ya, I'd hide too foxes

But yesterday, I saw something I have only ever seen at zoos.  Up close and personal within 10 feet of my personal space, separated only by dual paned windows, it appeared plodding down the path, sniffing here and there, enjoying a later afternoon promenade…   

A BEAR!

Closer than you'll see at a zoo!

I screamed, “Bear, Bear, BEAR!!!!!” grabbed my camera, tore off the lens cap, and held the shutter down.  Hearing my exclamation encouraged it to move on a bit, but then in the side yard, it smelled a snack. 

Running from room to room looking for the best vantage point, the bear was quite content to be admired and shot.  He like the paparazzi attention and thought it was about time.  Showing all sides, he even lifted his paw in order to show off his long claws.

Calling animal control, we discovered the bear picked his time perfectly; they closed for the day 5 minutes earlier.  Without anything serious to worry about, now that the bear was several feet away, as opposed to within touching distance, and with Puddles (aka Mr. P) safely indoors, I continued to shoot and the bear continued to oblige.

First he circled the evergreen tree, paused and stared at the road, thinking about what to do, decided to circle the evergreen again.  He smelled something that enticed his taste buds.

Then he scratched an itch, then walked on, plopped down and decided to do a proper job of it.

Next thing I know this massive bear clambered under the lowest branches of the tree and practically disappeared in the darkness.

I heard whimpers and cries and thought the bear was un-nesting another animal from its burrow.  Then I saw it, a swarm as thick as bulky weight yarn.  Fast as a wink, the bear gave one last cry and bolted from under the tree.  Angry ground bees chasing after him.  He enjoyed his honey at a great cost!

Wildlife up close and personal continues to serve as an inspiration in my knitting.  I am blessed and thankful to live in such a diverse ecosystem. 

End note: I didn’t realize until reviewing the pictures that the bear knew the ground bees were there so soon.  He circled the tree several times and went under trying to get to the right spot, but it wasn’t until he stayed under and I heard the noises that I knew he was after something.