the bear and I -- Wednesday night

Well, so here's what happened.

I put on my boots, and a shirt (still wearing shorts) and got the powerful torch and went out side.

One dog is panting and barking outside the door.

The other dog is halfway up the driveway, Maybe a hundred feet from the house. And barking, but not going any further.

So, I do. I walk up the hill. I know somethings there. I'm making all sorts of noise, afraid that I'm going to walk in between a mother and her cubs. That's what the books always talk about as the time you get eaten by momma as she protects her babies.

So I walk up, flashing the light this way and that. The beehives in front of the house aren't touched.

And then I hear it. Or I hear something.

Its further up the driveway. A sort of scratching. Loud. Is it behind me. I turn around.

And walk back toward the house.

And for a second flick off the light

And its loud. The hiss and its up a tree.

The poplar on the hill.

I quickly turn around. Flash the light.

And there he is.

A bear.

Not large.

200 pounds.

The trees large so he's having a hard time. maybe 8 feet up. Hanging on at a crook in the tree.

So I grabbed that little camera and in the confusion try to take a picture. Let me see.

(next installment coming up)

Leigh Hauter