Some bear news, non-ACA...

I'm sitting here in Charlotte getting ready to go into work, and have police and news helicopters and scads of emergency vehicles on-scene one subdivision over..a construction/trench rescue, I think.  Anyhow, in searching for the breaking news, I ran across an article that is worthy of FYI.  For many reasons, bears in our region are on the move and having more encounters with two-leggeds.

For the first time in at least five years, camping has been closed in the Shining Rock Wilderness area and Graveyard Fields, two very popular destinations just off the Blue Ridge Parkway.  There have been seven recent bear encounters with campers in those areas, the latest just last Monday when a tent and food bag were torn up.  No one was injured, thankfully, though you can imagine the two people inside the tent have quite a story to tell.  Those areas are open for daytime use, but overnight camping has been suspended until further notice.

Looking forward to getting back to ACA in a few days...crazy work schedule of late.  I did phone in the elk report to the wildlife officers at the Smokies...seems like lots of critters have on their travelin' shoes these days.  :-)

Bob

Fall is 'bearing' down on us...

Just got a nice phone call from Irene...I've been out of town a good bit and missed this morning's event in the 'too much fun!' department.  I'd heard Keith Patton had been wanting to get a pup for a while, which explains why he now has one.  Around 9am his new pup came running from the pond between his house and Irene's there in the relative 'flat' of Apple Creek Road.  Tail between his legs and the whole nine disturbed yards he came at full tilt.  

Keith walked up from his abode toward the pond....only to realize why the pup bolted. Keith stared at the digging bear.  The bear then stopped and stared at Keith.  Keith calmly turned around and walked back down, and the bear continued his digging for what they guessed was a big ol' beehive in  a stump or hole in the ground.  Consider it Winnie the Pooh on steroids.


We continue to have regular bear sightings, and many of us muse if it is more than one bear finding our mountainside fruitful.  Backing up the bus, Chris Martin had sent in some good pics of the bruin at his place after it helped itself to suet cakes.  So when Chris and Helen took off on a trip, I couldn't help but send him the picture below to let him know "the word has gotten out!"  

PARTY AT CHRIS'S PAD!!!  (click to enlarge)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bob

Bears still active

Just this morning, two ACA homes were raided by a bear (or bears, but guessing it's just one).  Of course, we know they're around, and while we'd like to think they are moving on, they clearly have learned where and how to get some grub, and probably won't do what we 'think' they will, not at this time.

Bear  at the Rose house this AM

The Rose's take their feeders in at night, and put them out in the morning...alas, this morning, the bear Al Rose got a picture of visited around 9am and had a little feast.  But later today, I got an email from Dick Fields that they, too, had their feeders ransacked this morning, though the perpetrator was not actually seen.

Yeah, yeah, yeah, bears come through here from time to time and we all know the routine.  Just wanted to put this information out there that you may want to be watchful yet, maybe take your feeders in or do what you can to minimize attracting our furry four legged ursines.

As I told Dick Fields, if it'll make you feel better, I'm happy to loan you one of my 3 pups for guard dog duty...the only problem is they may well take liberties chewing up something near and dear to you!  :-)

Happy Fall, y'all!  Officially came in this morning just before 11am EDT.  Feel the excitement....

Bob

A few updates...

I've been out of town more than I've been on the mountain the past few weeks, so I've been out of the loop a little bit.  Heavens but this drier cooler air feels wonderful up here!  Been a Turkish steam bath in Charlotte until last Sunday...and might I say what an experience it was to be working at my station which sits in Uptown Charlotte, with the Democratic National Convention going on.  Fascinating on many levels, with security out the wazoo.

I'll start with an open note to the new board that if there is news/info pertinent to homeowners here to please let me know so I can post it.  The board has already had its first meeting and elected the following officers:

Lorraine Conard, President
Linda Hughes, Vice-President
Frank Moskos, Treasurer
Terri Rose, Secretary
(Jan Woodlief resigned from the board)

Been a busy late-summer with bears here, with numerous reports/sightings in ACA.  Al Rose sent me this short snippet of a deck visitor that was searching for a tasty bird feeder a week ago.  Hopefully the ripening acorn crop will have them move on to other feeding areas.

 

Bob

Onward and upward....

Dawn from a couple of weeks ago - click to enlarge

 The annual meeting of the Apple Creek Homeowners Association was held this past Thursday, August 16. 29 homeowners were present, holding a total of 91 proxies...might well be a record, at least in recent times. The meeting officially began around 6:45p and adjourned a clean 3 hours later at 9:45p.  To say the discussions and dialogue were 'spirited' would be putting it mildly, but anticipated.

By the close of the meeting, a new board had been elected: Jan Woodlief, Frank Moskos, Lorraine Conard, Terry Rose, and Linda Hughes. 

Many concerns among some of the ACA home owners boil down knowing and interpreting our by-laws and covenants.  At the end of the meeting Norman Jacobs made a generous offer to any takers; on his own time and nickel, he made copies of these documents and had them in folders, free for the taking.  I would urge any of you that do not have copies to contact him and pick 'em up, and also to read over them.  As with most things in life, knowledge is power.

Too, throwing this out there...I hope each board member gets a copy and familiarizes themselves with these documents as we move forward.  It can only help.  :)

Bob

NEW SIGN....

Okay, so there really isn't a new sign...but one could argue putting one up at Chris Martin's house at the lower end of Apple Creek Road:

BEAR CROSSING

For the second time in just a few weeks, an adult black bear has found some things in that area pallatable, like a suet feeder Chris had 7 feet off the ground just this morning.  This from Chris (click on pics to enlarge):

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Dear Apple Creek,

Not my bear #1 is back.  After pawing down a 7 foot high hanging pad of suet he ( he for convenience, might call him shorty) strolled casually off behind the left  side of the garage to eat.  Sorry I missed the shot of him standing to reach the suet.      Has anyone else sited this critter.  Would like to figure out his route.  I'm beginning to suspect he's coming down from the Batchelor's via the 

This is a very adult bear not carved of wood and very sneaky.     I suspect  Suet is just the thing bears are looking for this time of year.  A wad of fat!  So heads up you guys and the Conner bees too.  It's  time to hide the beer, wine, and cheese.  Don't want this bear addicted to the stuff we eat.  It'll kill ya.  

By the way, the Conner bees eat at my place too via the hummingbird feeders. Is this a good or bad thing for bees?   They can put away a lot of juice in a day.      

 Just another fantastic day in the the Apple Creek Hood.  

Our best to all,

Chris and Helen

 

 

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Bob