Sunday 26 April 2015

WHOA! WAIT!

We are in the season called "Spring." I checked the calendar to make sure. Today is the 26th of April, which is definitely after the 21st. Of March.

But we Bears don't need calendars to know what time of year it is. Usually. 

But yesterday wasn't "usually."



Yup. It snowed!


It showed yesterday, and even overnight. This morning, when I ventured out of the house, it was pretty tough slogging. And messy.

Sigh!












Adding to yesterday's excitement, an old friend came to be a house guest.


Yes, that's Wally. 

For those of you who don't know Wally, he is our daughter-in-law's dog. If A has to work late at the university, I get to take him for a walk, somewhere around supper time. (Our son's family is only two blocks from our place, so walking Wally is no big deal.) Since he and I are already good friends, why shouldn't Wally come and stay with me?

You see, A is going to be away for a while at meetings, in a nice place. So she is taking her whole family along. And J (my wife) is going, too! 

Since a trip to a "far country" would require much more energy that I have, I get to stay home with Wally. And look after two houses. But don't worry about me. I can still split my own fire wood and shovel (at least part of) our sidewalks. (Yes, we did light a fire yesterday, when the electricity was off because of the storm.)

Anyhow, Wally does one of several predictable things. He follows me around the house when I'm moving. He'll rest on the floor of my study while I'm working there — sometimes. Or he rests in his kennel.


Or he sleeps in his kennel.













Or he sleeps on the kitchen floor when I'm eating.

From all that sleeping and resting, you'd think he is a really laid-back dog. And generally he is. However, when I take him for a walk, sometimes Wally sees a cat (or something like that). For Wally, who is a sighthound, cat = prey, and he wants to chase it. In the process, he can drag me all over the place if I'm not careful. He is fast and he is very strong. He would think nothing of chasing and killing a Fox or a Coyote. All in a day's life for a sighthound. For me, not so much. In fact, not at all.

Anyhow, for the next week and a half Wally and I will be sharing this house. And I'm sure we will get along just fine. Unless he decides to chase one of the birds in our back yard. That is just not on! It will bring out the Bear in me! And that will be another matter, entirely, because Wally isn't built to handle Bears.

So, in the meantime, friends, blessings and Bear hugs. As always!


Today's Weather Report


It's 2°C and overcast right now. It is supposed to be -4C overnight with a light wind. Tomorrow's anticipated high is  12C — enough to melt most of the remaining snow. Tuesday's expected high is 17; Wednesday's, 23, with a 10% chance of rain. All this white stuff was just an atmospheric "blip." But I hope the storm didn't kill too many calves — spring storms have a nasty habit of doing that. 

Friday 10 April 2015

BEAR'S LIVESTOCK REPORT AND OTHER MATTERS

Well, looks like an interesting assortment of livestock around here this year. Several Black-capped Chickadees. A couple of American Robins and a couple of Cedar Waxwings. All very delightful. (Plus a few House Sparrows and Rock Doves — aka Pigeons.) Maybe we'll have a nest or two in the yard, or nearby. But I hope not pigeons on the roof — they wake J far too early!

I finally got down to the river, which is virtually ice-free. Spring seems to be coming along.

Most interesting: some of the ice has been pushed up on the rocks. I've never seen anything like this before.




Strange crystalline shapes and blocks. Fascinating!

Through much of the winter, I struggled around with a very bad back. I even had to use my third leg (the wooden one). I am thrilled to say that things are much better now! Time to celebrate!

And apropos of perhaps absolutely nothing, a picture I came across. On Facebook (where else?).



Hmmmm. Different ways with words intrigue me.

Many of you have left very kind notes, in relation to my prior post. I'll make a point of replying to them next week.

Blessings and Bear hugs, friends!


Today's Weather Report
So: 5C tonight, 8C tomorrow morning. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 18C. (For easy conversion, 20C = 68F). We're expecting a clear night, with lots of sunshine and a few clouds tomorrow. That is wonderful! 

Maybe I'll get to play in the garden tomorrow. 

Sunday 5 April 2015

IN WHICH BEAR RETURNS

Grwlf .

Humph.

Er, ah, . . . scratch, scratch.

Sniff

Shake. 

Oooh. Ahhh. 

Sunlight in my den!

(That's what it feels like when a Bear comes out of hibernation. Just wanted you to understand that important reality.)

Let's have a better look. Stick my snout out the den's door.

Snow is almost gone! 

Lots of sunshine.

Air is cool, but it smells good. 

OK: let's see if there is anything left over from the winter. Even a snack. Perhaps some dry grass or leaves, even (though they don't taste very good). Maybe a dead bird or coyote.





Things look kinda familiar. There's the fountain (too cold for water, yet), but I see some leaves on the ground. There's the place where the birds nested last year.

Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! Sniff! 

Smells like there has been a fire here, recently. Must check that more closely.

I also need to get down towards the river, too. Though I doubt there will be any fish, yet.

The start of another year. Seems pretty good, so far. But I'll admit I haven't done much.

Blessings and Bear hugs till next time (and even after that)!



Today's Weather Report
Let's see: -8C overnight, feels like -14. Tomorrow's high is supposed to be 3, but it's going to feel like -1. OK, so when you're cool, you're cool. 

Oh? Do I still need to give you temperatures in Fahrenheit? Or have you discovered you've "got an app for that" — as in translating Celsius to Fahrenheit? If not, I can still do the conversions for you. (For example: it will be 18F tonight, going up to 37F tomorrow.) But if you don't ask, you're on your own for this "atmospheric conversion." (Oh, big words bother me!)