So we've had wwoofs from Europe all year here and one common desire is to see a bear. I tintillate them with the story of the bear that walked through while August was digging carrots for the reindeer on Christmas Eve...
The phone rang, my very breathy stressed out bearly (can't help the puns) controlled excited neighbor said "There's the HUGEST bear I have ever seen ripping your garbage apart at the end of your driveway!!!!!" (The ONE week I was organized enough to get it out early!)
Immediately I yell for the family we have staying here now....."GET IN THE CAR THERE'S A BEAR AT THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY!!!!" 6 excited kids and 3 adults crammed into the suv head off down the driveway (600 feet) to see the bear!!!! (I'm thinking 'crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy in the middle.....') And see it we did in the raspberries.....HUGE, agitated, not liking my dogs - who treed it. The bear didn't like the tree so it came down...and ran at the dogs, who wouldn't let up - to my dismay (I'm hoarse from yelling at them.....) - we saw it run into the copse of trees at the corner of our property! Very exciting! Turns out it had been sleeping under my neighbor's apple tree all day eating and sunbathing....She wasn't home....
Which brings to mind the COOLEST dance we went to last night on the Comox Native Reserve. In the longhouse - the local natives dressed up and doing traditional dances. When the drums first started drumming I have to admit my eyes did well up at the thought of their lost culture and their efforts to save it......My favourite dance was the bear dance....a bear did a very effective dance with mask.....The kids were enthralled by all the dances and at the end they had us all up and dancing a special river dance (and the speaker joked "not michael flaherty") as the river in this valley is/was very important in their local culture.....I can't believe I have lived here all my life and I've never been to see one performance....I'm ashamed....
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