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