Tuesday, August 6, 2013

A Black Bear Named Peaches

Picture this. A black bear opens your car door, sits in the driver's seat and devours five pounds of peaches that you picked up at a local farmers market that morning. In the very back of the Subaru is a plastic ice chest containing two veggie sandwiches, a hunk of cheddar, and some cold smoked salmon. The bear crawls into the back, drags the cooler up and out the door and has a picnic on a rock. Sill hungry, he goes back for the honey and a handful of almonds, and a few bananas that he decides he'd rather sit on than eat.

I didn't know that bears opened car doors like humans. Did you? I researched black bear behavior and found out that bears recognize "coolers." If we had locked the doors to our car, I saw the damage they could do, trying to get to that ice chest. They might pry the door off with those claws. They might damage windows and dent the roof. Our bear "Peaches", he just took the food and split. Good bear.

Remember how thrilled I get when I discover that wild animals visit our land? You've seen the pictures. Moose droppings, cat tracks, bear scat. I had a visitor, alright. This black bear ransacked our car, ate all our food and left me with eyes wide open and a sticky peach mess to clean up.

I don't mind. Really, I don't. I'm happy to know that bears still roam our forest. It's unfortunate that they've resorted to sniffing out people's trash and campground goodies, though. The forest isn't enough for them. And that's sad.

The Silver Moonbeam was a sight to behold. Aluminum, shining in the sun. The aspens were healthy and plentiful. Their clean white bark with quaking green leaves, dancing on a soft breeze. In such high elevation, the air was fresh and sweet and exhilarating. Wind from Raven wings flapped in my direction, as she looked down on me and welcomed me home.

Perched on a rock, I wrote.

Perched on a rock, C strummed.

Some folks drive the bears out of the wilderness

Some to see a bear would pay a fee

Me, I just bear up to my bewildered best

And some folks even see the bear in me ~ Lyle Lovett


At intermission, we spoke of the bear. And of other wild animals. We spoke of wilderness and mountains and rivers and joy.

 

16 comments:

  1. It is sad that the forest isn't enough for them. And we have ourselves to blame for that. So neat though that you live so close to them!

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    1. Sad indeed, Keith. The humans are enticing them. Sometimes careless.
      I absolutely love that we live in such a wild place, surrounded by four national forests.
      To be near wild things is all I ever wanted. Thanks for the visit.

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  2. oh boy, what a snack! good thing your doors were unlocked!!!
    i love the photo of C's guitar against the aspens! what a great shot!!!
    not much of a comment, sorry. I have been flat out!
    I just wanted to poke in and say HI.

    xo

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    1. Lovely lovely Britt. Thank you.
      I hope you are feeling better! What's wrong? Summer flu bug?
      Hugs to you and yer pups. xoo

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  3. aw, man....bernard missed her opportunity to see a REAL bear at work!!

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    1. Peaches the bear is your brother, Bernard!
      I almost named her Bernadette toast. I thought about you all weekend. xxxx

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  4. Wow! The evidence is there. You had a visitor! I knew about the food stuff etc but was not aware they can open car doors. That's quite something... Admirable? Maybe. And sad, 'cause they'll eat stuff that might not be quite within their best interest :-(

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    1. Angelina! I never even thought of that. Lucky for him we provided healthy snacks as opposed to processed junk. Yes! So true. Thanks for the observation. :)

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  5. I had to laugh..this is kind of funny how they are...just like the fairy tale. Lucky you did not leave the keys behind and your credit cards. Well, we know that you made one bear very happy ! xxx

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    1. Hey jeansy. I've been chuckling about this incident, too. That smarty pants bear! Can't you just picture one turning the key and cruising on down the road?? Too funny. xoxo

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  6. THAT Bear stole my credit card! But seriously, Lynn, had this girl been up there, she would surely have died of a heart attack.

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    1. I know! Now we're afraid you won't come visit!

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  7. Sweet potato pie! This is funny and freaky, Lynn.
    Dang, that bear had a feast. Just read it to Greg and we decided that the bear is as smart as Zody,,, "tablefood" is better?! lol

    (It's a good thing you didn't leave the keys in the ignition.... ;))

    Love you, Prairie sister!

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  8. HOLY. MOLY.
    I had to laugh- only because peaches was simply just hungry.
    I can't imagine actually seeing this happen- a bear open a car door. Each lunch out of a cooler.
    I know we both wish peaches had used to forest for lunch, but I am happy for you that she didn't damage any other goods.

    xo

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  9. Oh Peaches! This is a familiar situation to us up here in Alaska... We've definitely learned to coexist with those lovely bears. And that song is on constant rotation in our house :) Lovely blog! Nice to meet you!

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