On the Way to the Schoolhouse
We haven’t seen any evidence of bears in our yard for quite a while but the reports from the neighbors indicate that is only matter of time. They are on the prowl. On Tuesday there was a medium-sized one in Wachsmuth’s yard “not more than five minutes” before I arrived to give Carol a lift to book club. Tucker got some great pictures of it.
The photo I like best shows the bear on her (I think it was a her) way toward the schoolhouse. “A higher class of bears here in Oysterville,” I thought to myself. “Interested in learning… “
Yesterday I heard that there had been a bear in Bradley’s chicken coop. Yes, “in!” The coop is behind the Andrews Garage and the chickens – three roosters and two hens at latest count – are under the watchful eye of April. I have not yet spoken to her directly about this dramatic event and I have lots of questions. The only information I got by the usual ‘oystershell telegraph’ method was that the chickens were safe – no fowl play you might say. Next time I see April I want to know:
Up Close and Personal
How did that bear get in? Does “in the coop” really mean inside the building or just in the run? Did the fence need to be repaired? Were any eggs taken? How about the chicken food? Did the chickens panic?
Our own chicken coop is located behind a large planting of cypress trees and rhododendrons. It can’t be seen until you round those rhodies and are right on top of it. I think I’ll be singing and carrying on when I make my morning and evening chicken visits these days. I wouldn’t want to startle that bear even if she (or he) has been hanging around the schoolhouse and is a smarter class of bear. Goldilocks is not my middle name!
For an unknown reason, I was drawn to the face of this animal and spent considerable time considering life….the chickens, the bear and us, the creatures called human beings. I will live this day filled with awe.
Hopefully everyone’s chickens are buttoned up tight from bears and wind today.
“She” was happily ensconced, munching away up in the apple tree next door at the Gray’s/Bottle House/Heckes Inn in the bright sun at 9 in the morning!
Good for “her’! I’m glad the apples on that old tree are not going to waste!
I wonder if “she” may be the same one who was keeping Greg from trimming his lawn on the 18th. I also wonder if bears are wandering up from Ocean Park since their woods down there got logged.
Oysterville has long had its “own” population of bears. We see them fairly regularly as they walk across a road or a field intent upon some ursine business known only to themselves. I truly hope the Ocean Park bears aren’t coming this way. We have plenty for our purposes!