A Banner Bear Month!
I’ve had bears on my mind lately, with a bear-themed project on the go. I also wonder if the Universe is pointing them my way…in the few weeks, I’ve seen no less than five black bears.
One sunny morning I was cycling on the main road, past a trio of wild apple trees, and heard a crackling in the brush. I turned my head in time to see a smallish bear scurrying into the woods.
With bears on the brain, I absently thought, “Wouldn’t it be interesting to see another bear today?” And my friends, I actually did!
Two hours later, I saw a bear meandering across the road about a mile from my earlier sighting.
I’ll admit there’s a strong chance it was the same bear. Black bears are notoriously shy, but this critter was un-savvy enough to be out in the open both times.
Also, the way it was bumbling across the road, far from any fruit trees, then wandering back again, indicated it probably wasn’t the sharpest knife in the drawer. Certainly not “smarter than the average bear” like Yogi, the cartoon character!
The week before, I had an actual bear encounter…
Again, I was out cycling, on a road very much like the one in the photo, passing a stretch of tall, old firs on one side of the road, and a woodland if young alders on the other. With our new great-grandbaby recently out of the hospital (he’s doing great, by the way!), I was pondering motherhood…my own, my daughter’s, and her daughter’s.
That moment, just as I was thinking about mothers, twenty yards in front of me, a mother bear and two cubs stepped out of the firs into the road.
Of course, I stopped immediately. As I’ve experienced in the past, the mother bear gave me long, assessing look. She must have decided I was no threat, because she took her eyes off me to actually check for traffic!
I think it does take a smart bear to look both ways.
With no vehicles in sight, she and the kiddos proceeded across the road and into the woods. Naturally, I waited a few minutes—to make sure Mama Bear hadn’t changed her mind about me—before I climbed back on my bike!
Calling All Book Lovers!
“An interactive thrill ride for book lovers.” Megan S., Librarian Extraordinaire
If you’re in the Seattle area next weekend, or near the Northwest corner of the state, you won’t want to miss this free, all-ages literary “thrill ride”!
At the festival, you’ll find experiential booths and live speakers, a maker space, a speed-puzzling content and regional authors; meeting kindred reading spirits is also part of the fun. And as an attending author at the last Open Book, I can confirm that the event really is a “thrill ride”!
“Explore, eat, browse, buy, experience!” says Megan the Librarian!
I’ll be one of the authors again this year, and showing my library love by giving away books in all three of my series…If you get a chance to attend, I’d love to meet you in person!
