Backyard adventure for animal lovers (from rural Canada)

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Boomer13
Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
edited 26. Sep 2013, 14:26 in Living with Arthritis archive
My husband was helping me and our elderly dogs enjoy a short hobble over to the neighbor's property yesterday evening. I made him walk down a short hill to get a look at a plant I wanted to identify, when we turned around on the edge of our yard, there was a young black bear a few metres up a tree and only about 10 m away from us. I guess we had disturbed him/her from the hillside when trying to discover the plant I was looking at.

Then, the comedy began as my husband tried to rush upstairs while holding me up and trying to rush past our arthritic, deaf collie who was gathering her legs on the stairs. Our other somewhat naughty dog managed to evade his grasp and headed off for a closer look. Alas, no camera shot as husband was rendered disabled by us three, and we were all stuck on the stairs in a pile. I had managed to call naughty dog back before she could bother the bear, and he/she came down the tree and ran off.

Nothing dimmed the excitement of seeing the bear, lovely!

(apologies if I should have posted this in chit-chat, I thought of it too late)

Comments

  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    A bear? :o Crikey! :shock: The most we get round here is urban foxes which, on the whole, I think I prefer. I am not brave. :oops: Just how rural are you, Boomer? It sounds rather idyllic - and do you get snowed in? Now that is something I have always wanted to happen as long as I had plenty of supplies (of all kinds :wink: ) DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Yes, DD I guess you would call it remote, although it's the best of both world's as we are in between two small towns and reasonably close to a main road. I think we have weather similar to UK's, very rainy, Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada. Yes, we do get snowed in; we're close to a mountain and seem to get the tail-end of mountain snow/other storms, and mountain wildlife!. We keep well stocked with supplies in case of snow/power failure. It was a lovely adventure moving here when I was healthy....

    It's absolutely beautiful and I treasure every day here, no matter what. I know they are numbered for me as it is a very impractical spot to live when you are arthritic!

    I do have my can of bear spray (super-sized pepper spray) to take with me outside, although mostly I think I would use it in case of two-legged intruders. I find myself less and less brave as time goes on, my vision is not so great nor are my legs, so I think I be easy pickings for a bear, or maybe even a raccoon :lol:

    Urban foxes? What do they live on?

    Anna
  • dreamdaisy
    dreamdaisy Member Posts: 31,520
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    The foxes around here live on the fast food droppings left by humans (drunken or otherwise) and scraps from overflowing bins. People nowadays think nothing of eating on the hoof and casually discarding what they don't want, something I've never done and never will.

    It may be a tad impractical where you live but surely the peace and beauty helps matters? Or does it mean that you spend a fair amount of time on your own (which won't, maybe) ? I live on a main road and there is always something going on out there - currently it's my husband arriving home from work. :) Curry house here we come. :D DD
    Have you got the despatches? No, I always walk like this. Eddie Braben
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    You are right DD, the peace and beauty really do help my outlook. Contemplating natural beauty is very healing for the spirit and I've often thought I should host retreats here for ill people who don't get a chance to experience nature. I am never well enough to get something like that going. If you have to be sick, it a lovely place to do it in.

    It's isolated but I have friends and my former place of employment nearby where there are lots of friends that will lend a hand if I need anything. We also seem to have a high number of RA people in our local town for some reason, so we get together for group coffee outings etc. I do find it easy to fall into being a hermit out here, though...Maybe that's not so healthy.

    The tossing of fast-food waste and other garbage is a ubiquitous problem. Drives me nuts! I was raised differently too. Besides being ugly, it causes many problems for birds and animals.
  • mazbaz
    mazbaz Member Posts: 38
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    ooh a bear , how exciting!!

    I live in a town and the most exciting thing we see near our house is next doors cat !! :)

    Have got the GGs a few miles away though.
    I always fancied the idea of a trail riding holiday in Canada, sadly now I couldnt manage the 7/8 hours a day in the saddle.
    In my ideal world I would win the lottery (obviously!) and move to the New Forest . We are actually fairly close to it but the house prices are ridiculous and out of most peples reach.
    Would be lovely to wake up to the forest view and have all the wildlife just outside your door.
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    It is lovely Mazbaz. The sad part is so few people seem to really appreciate it. The most popular local hobby is motorcycling/atv riding. They fly by with a lot of noise and I think miss most of the nice stuff.

    Maybe you could do shorter rides on a holiday someday? I hope so. That does sound fun doesn't it. Some ride companies are pretty luxurious in what they offer guests. Funny, but I always thought going to the UK for a riding holiday would be wonderful :lol:

    I did get all excited once seeing a black critter through the trees. Dogs were all on edge as we looked and looked.....and...... it was the neighbor's black cat :lol::lol::lol:
  • Toots
    Toots Member Posts: 483
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    How fantastic Anna! And I didn't realise you were in Canada - we have plans to move out there in a year or two and I can't wait! (aside from the winter weather of course haha!) Also assuming I won't have any issues getting a visa given my new health position, but that's something we'll need to look into.

    I'm in the suburbs of Edinburgh and we have regular foxes passing through at night. I quite often sit and wait to see them, it's lovely when they have their cubs in tow!
    Toots x
  • maria09
    maria09 Member Posts: 1,905
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Wow a bear how fantastic we'll for us not you
    I would love a trip to Canada my hubby is scared of flying so that's out
    I'm glad you all made it home safely
    Maria
  • kentishlady
    kentishlady Member Posts: 809
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    How lovely Anna. Am glad to know you all got safely inside and that the bear decided to move on. My garden backs on to a wooded area so I get a great variety of birds visiting and occasionally a fox or a hedgehog.

    It sounds lovely where you live but I guess there are a few disadvantages along with the plus sides to it. How lovely to have such wildlife for visitors.

    Hope your day is as good as possible.

    Beryl (in semi-rural Kent)
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    That's exciting Toots, what part of Canada are you moving to? Some places are very cold, but thankfully not where I live. I think watching foxes would be lovely. We have mostly raccoons, Oh they do some very funny things!

    Maria, you should have a holiday in Canada without your OH if he's not keen on flying. Good idea, yes?

    Hi Beryl; I have lots of birdlife here too, mostly bird visitors in fact. Watching and ID-ing them is a perfect hobby for me. I have a semi-tame raven that comes for a handful of cat food every day. Yells at me if I'm late! Your place sounds lovely too. We don't have foxes or hedgehogs; they look like very interesting creatures! Mostly we have deer (eating my roses :shock:) raccoons, shrews and occasionally a bear or skunk. Every winter I say it's my last; it's just too difficult, but I adore it here so keep staying anyway.

    xxAnna
  • maria09
    maria09 Member Posts: 1,905
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi
    There are so many places I want to visit my first is New York and hopefully will go with my daughter for her 21st if she's well enough also depends if she has surgery for her colitis next year and how well she recovers so 2015 may be the year
    I also want to go visit his family in Italy oh I really want to go to Egypt that's been a life long dream my son said he'd go with me will have to wait till all the troubles die down!
    Had two holidays booked one last year and one the previous year both had to be cancelled the first due to my mums stroke and she was seriously ill then and the second as my daughter was seriously ill and getting diagnosed with colitis so we booked no where this year good job as daughter hasn't bee too good again and plus our central heating has given up for good so need money to sort it
    I digress we have the foxes near my house as we back out onto open countryside and have seen an o couple of occasions one actually walking down the street on the path trotting along during the day as if it was normal every day activity a lovely sight to see
    Didn't mean this to turn into an essay
    Maria
  • barbara12
    barbara12 Member Posts: 21,281
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Boomer how lucky are you ...not just seeing the bear but living in such an idyllic place...when I was 4.. I am now 63..we were emigrating to Canada..then my father bacedk out ...so I could have been bear spotting now.. :D xx
    Love
    Barbara
  • Toots
    Toots Member Posts: 483
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Not quite decided as OH keeps changing his mind Anna haha! He's a Newfie working in Alberta (surprise surprise ;-)). He's got a hankering for somewhere back home in Newfoundland which I love, however, that would kind of negate the whole purpose which is being able to 'pop' home on his days off, so it'll likely be somewhere in Alberta, possibly Camrose. They have some beautiful period properties there and I've fallen in love with more than a few! Needless to say, this whole health issue with me has put some question marks over things with no ready solutions until I know more. We would both prefer to be fairly rural, but he's concerned that will put me at a big disadvantage. Frankly, I've told him that as long as I have a fully stocked chest freezer, I couldn't care less!

    Didn't you have some awful extreme weather this last year? Or is my memory/geography letting me down a bit? I'm so glad you love it so much, we holidayed in BC last year and it was just stunning.
    Toots x
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Toots, Camrose? Wow, my grandparents lived there many years ago and my parents were married there......I grew up in cold-wintered Edmonton not too far away from Camrose. There are urban coyotes in Alberta....I saw one red fox there many years ago. They're not common at all. Alberta is a beautiful province, in it's own way.

    I've lived in BC for so long now, 25+ years. I tried to move back to Alberta ~12 years ago but found the winters too cold; they were not as much fun as I remembered....The positive is, the winters are sunny (what :shock: !!) whereas at the coast, I don't see the sun for months in the winter. I'm used to it now and I wouldn't live anywhere else.

    We haven't had much extreme weather; we always get terrific wind storms in the winter, so those are normal. We're due for a huge snow storm one of these years. Those happen every ten years, or so it seems. The last one was ~'97.

    Maria, it sounds like you've had quite a few holidays postponed :( I hope you get to see some of those places (or all) one day. I always wanted to travel too, but the trade-off for me is where I live now :D I'd like to see where my family came from in the UK, and see Spain. Maybe one day but getting less likely, though.

    Barbara, we could have been neighbors, talking bear spotting and arthritis! I'll keep you posted on "our" bear now I know you are a fan :D.

    gentle bear-hugs to all,
    Anna
  • Toots
    Toots Member Posts: 483
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    It truly is a small world Anna! I've actually yet to set foot in Alberta - we had planned a holiday there in August, fully expecting my knee issues to have resolved themselves. Of course it was put off, put off, then, well, here I am with the rest of my body joining the party. I'm gutted because it would have been the perfect opportunity to get to know Alberta better. We could get a cheaper property elsewhere, like Wetaskiwin or mostly outlying rural areas, but OH really loved Camrose and felt it would be a good place for me starting out over there. Some wondrous properties, at a price of course, but it was more the ready location that had convinced him. He hasn't been home since I started on this potentially RA journey, and I suspect he'll be ever-more adamant that we move somewhere that has most things within easier reach (rather than being a bit more rural which is what we both really want). We shall see!

    I thought I recalled Vancouver Island having torrential rain/storms/tsunami type weather recently, but I could well be very wrong! I hope the bad winters stay at bay for a while for you! x
    Toots x
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Hi Toots; We always have torrential rains so maybe I didn't notice!! :lol::lol: Laughing aside, there were some terrible flooding events in the main part of BC the past couple of years, and earthquake/tsunami warnings from Haida Gwaii (island) last year. The worst flooding this past summer was near Calgary in Alberta.

    I can tell you many adventures around Wetaskiwin, although I'm sure it's very different now. I was there in the late 1970's- '80's. On second thought maybe your husband would rather I didn't :lol: Lot's of mosquitoes in summer....

    Hoping you get to have that rural place!

    xAnna
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,716
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sorry, Anna, I've only just found this. That sounds like a bit of a close call. The nearest we've come to a bear was in the Sequoia National Park (California). A nice path said 'Disabled Access' so we set off only to be confronted by a family running towards us :lol: Small brown bear on the path. They showed us the photo then legged it before Mum rolled up.
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sticky, I wasn't very worried. I just didn't want my dog harassing the bear and possibly making it mad. When we see bears they mostly want to get away from people as fast as possible. This poor fellow just wanted to escape. They have yet to to any harm in our area and most people are good about keeping compost/garbage secure so they don't develop any bad habits.

    For everyone's sake it's best if they stay wild. It was a treat to see one.

    Were you sorry not to get a peek at one in California?
  • Toots
    Toots Member Posts: 483
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Ah yes, Calgary got more than it's fair share. I have some relatives in Alberta and it was a bit of an anxious time for many of them. Someone once said to me that the rain of BC is very much like New Zealand particularly. Beautiful places, just a tad damp! Hope you stay safe and relatively warm!

    We aren't sure about Wetaskiwin, seems its reputation precedes it, but then I don't live in the best area right now myself, so swings and roundabouts. Is the mosquito problem particular to Wetaskiwin, or Alberta in general? I tend to have an almost allergic reaction to some bites, although in my experience horseflies are the worst! x
    Toots x
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,716
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Boomer13 wrote:
    Were you sorry not to get a peek at one in California?

    Yes...........and no :lol: I was in the wheelchair at the time with my son pushing. He's brilliant at doing full speed wheelies with it but going over a pebble at his speed can cause passenger ejection problems :wink:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Toots, I'm glad you have heard of Wetaskawin's reputation. I would hate to move there and not know :o It's very pretty country, though. My parents had a small rural place once, near Pigeon Lake if you know where that is, so I have many happy memories of life there.

    The mosquito problem is everywhere in Alberta, depending on the year and whether control measures are used. If you love bird life, Alberta is an amazing place (maybe because of all the insect-food!) with all the wetlands/swampy lakes.

    I was delighted to find BC had few mosquitoes, comparatively speaking. I really don't miss those in summer. Not good that you react badly to them. Horseflies? I agree, those are dreadful.
  • Boomer13
    Boomer13 Member Posts: 1,931
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Sticky, I am sorry but I laughed at your pebble-chair-ejection story. I hope it hasn't actually happened.....A helmet might be in order if it has. I know several young people, well, boys who would find delight in wheeling someone at speed.

    My own brother used to put me in the baby carriage when I was little, wearing an over-sized football helmet, and go off at top speed. I never realised it could be practice for life later on :lol::lol:

    When the time comes, and hopefully I'm a few years away from needing a chair, but maybe there will be a handy spot/holster for my bear pepper spray.

    The pebble-eject problem could be far more dangerous I think!
  • stickywicket
    stickywicket Member Posts: 27,716
    edited 30. Nov -1, 00:00
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    Boomer13 wrote:
    Sticky, I am sorry but I laughed at your pebble-chair-ejection story. I hope it hasn't actually happened...

    It has almost happened on many an occasion. My two adult sons grew up with my arthritis so it's no big deal to them and certainly doesn't prevent them from doing their best to make Mum squeal in panic. I've done high speed wheelies over rickety bridges and hit several stones at speed. I have developed lightening reflexes for grabbing the arm rests. Mind you, that's nothing compared with Mr SW's ultra-confident pushing me home from parties with a few glasses under his belt :lol:
    If at first you don't succeed, then skydiving definitely isn't for you.
    Steven Wright
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