My sister called me last night and we yakked for an hour or so. That's pretty standard for our calls, so it's a good thing we both have long distance plans! Anyway, they had moved to a new house just before Christmas, and after doing most of her interior work to her liking, they are now on to getting the yard done up the way they like it, digging new flower beds and such.
She goes on to tell me this story about one of their neighbours spotting a mama bear in their yard at about 4:30 am one day last week! YIKES! They aren't even in the country! They live in my hometown, Nanaimo, BC., and they're in a newer subdivision that backs onto a a large forested area, which is in the process of being excavated for future developments. All the major shopping for Nanaimo is within a five minute drive from them, so they are definitely not out in the boonies!
So back to the bear sighting... my brother in law went over to this neighbour's place to check out the footprint left by this bear in one of their flowerbeds, as he had never seen such a print before. He's not a hunting type of guy -- he's more of golfer for his sport of choice. A couple days later, he's out working in their own yard, and he calls my sister outside, where he shows her two bear prints in a new flowerbed, right under their bedroom window! Holy Crap Batman!! She said this bear must have been up on it's hind legs looking in her window! I just about crapped when she was telling me this, and of course she said had she been opening or closing her blinds to see a bear staring in at her, she would have crapped! I guess so! I told her she wouldn't ever be able to leave her windows open or she might have an unwelcome guest.
Then she said this has the neighbours all talking, and telling other stories, like the cougar that was spotted in this gated community last year! Or the owl someone else saw that swooped down and picked up a rabbit! Oh my god! I'm freaking while she's telling me all this, because I keep thinking of their sweet little dog they have, Fletcher, who is a miniature dauschund. He's really no bigger than a rabbit himself, and I would hate to hear that an owl swooped down and grabbed on to him. Or that he had a run-in with a bear or cougar! In their old house they had a little Fletcher door installed in their back door so Fletch could come and go outside whenever he wanted. He loves to lay out in the sun and tan! They could never ever have such a door where they are now. Not at this time anyway while there is still this forested area in their backyard.
I hope I don't see any of these sightings while I'm out there this summer. Then again, it could make for some cool pictures! ;-)
Olivia
