Hey, I saw a bear last night

NOTE TURKEY IN TREE

YOU ACTUALLY COULD SEE CLAW MARKS

NO, CUPBOARD WAS NOT OPEN WHEN I WENT TO BED

Long, long day at the Crow Fair yesterday.... which is another story. It was hot and I was tired but I loved the pow wow.

I went to bed early and then the wind picked up (the Nye breeze as it is called). I actually find the wind a nice companion (when it is not sending chairs flying.....the chairs around the fire pit did get toppled last night). Anyway, the wind was loud enough that I heard it slam the bathroom room downstairs from my sleeping loft. then I heard the wind rattling papers I have on the refrig door. hmm. wait. I took that big piece of brown paper with a note from brother's family down last week. After a bit, I realized that it was a bit too noisy for wind. So, I got up and headed down the stairs. As I turned on the light halfway down the stairs, I saw a BEAR..... I said a BEAR... calmly walking out OF MY HOUSE onto the deck. So, leaving all of my intelligence sleeping soundly with my alleged protector, Wally the wimp dog, I continued down the stairs. Went to the door of the deck and closed the screen. Hmm. On the second thought, I will close the sliding glass door as well. Turning towards the kitchen area....a mere 15 feet away... cantalope rinds on the floor, trash can cover off, chicken pot pie pan licked clean, cupboard opened, jar of peanut butter open on floor with discernable claw marks.

I went back up stairs to bed...... not to sleep. Holy S**T, Batman!!!! There was a bear in my house. So I went back down and turned on the outside lights hoping that the bear had not heard Motel Six commercials with Tom Bodette (I'll leave the light on for you).

It took a while to get back to sleep. u n d e r s t a t e m e n t. By morning's light, I also discovered that the bear took the metal lid off the can with bird seed and dragged the plastic bag off into the woods. There is a trail of thistle down one side of the deck and I spotted a piece of plastic bag in the yard.

Oh, and there was a flock of wild turkeys in the yard this morning and Wally chose to chase THEM. Great..... yeah, turkeys are a big threat..... where were you when the bear was in the house?

For once, I am without words........... I believe I am simply gobsmacked.