Exciting times

Black bears are North America's most familiar and common bears. They typically live in forests and are excellent tree climbers, but are also found in mountains and swamps. Despite their name, black bears can be blue-gray or blue-black, brown, cinnamon, or even (very rarely) white.




Black bears are very opportunistic eaters. Most of their diet consists of grasses, roots, berries, and insects. They will also eat fish and mammals—including carrion—and easily develop a taste for human foods and garbage. Bears who become habituated to human food at campsites, cabins, or rural homes can become dangerous and are often killed—thus the frequent reminder: Please don't feed the bears!



Solitary animals, black bears roam large territories, though they do not protect them from other bears. Males might wander a 15- to 80-square-mile (39- to 207-square-kilometer) home range.



When winter arrives, black bears spend the season dormant in their dens, feeding on body fat they have built up by eating ravenously all summer and fall. They make their dens in caves, burrows, brush piles, or other sheltered spots—sometimes even in tree holes high above the ground. Black bears den for various lengths of time governed by the diverse climates in which they live, from Canada to northern Mexico.



Female black bears give birth to two or three blind, helpless cubs in mid-winter and nurse them in the den until spring, when all emerge in search of food. The cubs will stay with their very protective mother for about two years

So why the words on black bears?



Well, the bear in the picture above isn't the exact one but there is one in the neighborhood..... but close. Jim went over to the neighbor's to help bury the goats and whatever else it killed. they actually saw the beast. ..... estimated it weighted about 600 pounds... that is a big one.... maybe old and clever... maybe he ate a goose and a hen recently. I decided not to shoot at him with my pellet gun :-)

I'm not even going to shoot at him with my 22.... if forced into a corner the shotgun and/or the 45 might be considered. No .... there is not going to be a race between him and me.... nor am I going to climb the old oak tree to try to escape.... I'm sure he would better me on both attempts.

Actually I am hoping the trap will catch him and the Fish and Game will take over. I have not seen him yet but I would like to observe from the deck or the window. OK...OK... so me and the chickens have something in common :-)

I have some new or "improved" paintings but do not have any good fotos yet... hey, the paintings need all the help they can get... bad fotos ain't the way to go :-)

Yesterday I went to Reno to help Bear service his rental units ... not that I haven't done my share of that but it was a good day to spend with Bear. We had a good time.

Time now to rustle up some grub.... it'll be a raw salad tonight including a cage-free, fertile egg and some cheese... and probably a couple ounces of Shiraz.

Smile, relax and enjoy the rest of your day.