Bears

There have been many, many bear sightings in and around Trinidad lately.  Just last night Les and I were laying in bed watching TV and a very pungent scent hit my nose.  Kind of skunk-like, kind of musty.  I figured it was a bear.  (Of course we keep all of our windows wide open to enjoy the night air.)

Sure enough, our neighbor told us that his dog was going crazy at the bear last night.  So that's confirmation that odor is coming from pure American Black Bear.  We've smelled it a few times during the past month or so.  For the longest time it was so hot and so dry.  The bears were wandering into town looking for food.  Now, even though it's cooled some and we've had some rain, they've found that picking through dumpsters is an easy meal.

One bear was chased away from the dumpsters behind Taco Bell.  Another -- and in broad daylight -- strolled up Main Street last Thursday afternoon.  He peeked into a few of the stores and then walked right into Haddad's Furniture Store right next to my friend's Art Gallery.  He sauntered right through the store and then out the back door.  No harm -- no foul.  He made his way back to the river and was out of sight again.

We've only had our trash knocked over once, thank Heavens.  I guess our trash is too stinky for the discriminating bear.  Our neighbor has had his gone through a few times.  A client I saw on Friday showed me where a bear made his way through her garden in her back yard.

I was just thinking today how glad I am that I didn't have to take Schultz out to pee at night.  He didn't like going out by himself at night time.  And that was fine with me.  It gave me a chance to gaze at the stars.  But I just thought about how I'd feel if I ran into a bear munching in my back yard.

Then I thought again about that.  If I had to go out with Schultz every night for the rest of my life I wouldn't mind...as long as I could have him back again.  Bear or no bear.