Bears and broom.

The yellow plum tree is sure looking pretty!

A quick walk around and I can see  my trees have been cut back/ pruned nice. 

I got out the tarp and set about finding a flat spot for the tent. ... I will have to make one sometime! 

Nah I will build a house instead. 

The neighbours and a few people passing on the street stopped to say hi and welcome....and to remind me the bear has been out recently.  

Hmmmmm....

Short walk to the neighbourhood pub for some dinner then back home to my tent. 

Will the bear come out? Will it rain on me? I can hear distant barking dogs, someone's bass, the wind, a few cars, rain drops on the tent..... and .... frogs? 

I wonder if I will get any sleep?

I know it was not rain, just the wind flapping between the fly and the tent.

But was it a bear?

About 3 am I had just rolled over and snuggled up into a fetal position when I hear something. There was something walking and then huff... Not a snarl or a growl, but it sounded mean. A black bear encounter when you are walking in the woods or in town in Whistler is not scary.... Go away bear!  But I was laying on the ground in a sleeping bag... It was scary.  I don't think I breathed for about a minute and I did not move for about 1/2 hr. My heart was racing.

Finally it was safe to move and I eventually got a bit of sleep as well..... Even after another early morning pee break to the bucket in the shed.

Breakfast worked well: cereal, orange and coffee prepared over the campfire stove. And a relax in my new camp chair, (Christmas present- thx).

So for much of the morning I sat up at the back of my property and deliberated whether to stay camping or to head to a hotel.... 

My back and hips did not like the ground... Not to mention the continual zipping and unzipping involved in hot flashes. .... Oops I mentioned it.

But camping was cheaper and I spent too much on last month's visit.....

My theory was the bear was walking down his usual path onto or off my property and he walked by my tent 1 1/2 ft to the side of this path.... And bear was upset with me. I mean black bears more often than not do not really want to encounter people. There may have been smells in my tent, but not food or garbage.

So I moved the tent nearer the side fence and then I parked the car between the tent and the path. 

After the big move it was time to get to work doing something. I decided to cut down some of the scotch broom. I got most of the big stuff, except two trees on the (other) neighbour's side of the fallen over wire fence.

And then I decided to bend back the wire fence next to the hazelnut tree to its normal upright state rather than the bear trampled doubled over state.

Then I just stacked punky logs of wood and collected shredded tarps that had long ago stopping keeping the wood dry. I did not finish the job, but it was time to quit.

I did phone the landscape guy so I could pay him, he did not answer and I left a message.

It was time to head to the rec centre, wash up and then have a sauna and hot tub. Quick dinner near the beach and off to see Rio 2. Kids movie, but fun!

Sadly the rain had started when I came out of the theatre and carried on into the night and the next morning.

It rained and it rained... And I stayed in my sleeping bag.

The phone rang and I think I won another trip with westjet.. But I hung up before the recording it explained it all.

Breakfast at my favourite spot. Then off to stare at the lake, catch up on emails and banking, call my Mom.... All while watching the SAR pilot practice searching and hovering for about an hour or so!    The rain stopped!

Oops look at the time.... Had to drive to the sweater store to see if there was a good one on sale.... And then grab a cinnamon bun, and one for breakfast.

Back home to the tent and the neighbours invited me to dinner! 
The neighbours agree there has been a bear hanging around, but think I heard their old dog that makes a similar 'huff' sound when she sees something... And she was let out for a bit at night.  

Ok so maybe it was the dog... But it was probably 'huff' ing at the bear walking by my tent!

I will add that for the second two nights of tenting the bear had not reappeared... in the rain, on the other side of the car... for the fence was still stretched tall.

I forgot to take a picture of the fence..

After a nice evening visiting back outside.... Rain is back.

Snuggled back inside and I can hear an aircraft.... And I can only wonder if the pilot is doing his night training now.

I will catch the ferry tomorrow and sail back to the house that will hopefully sell soon.