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Saturday, July 5, 2014

Big Storms, Flowers, and Bears!

I woke up feeling better this morning. I've noticed out that sudden drops in barometric pressure trigger migraines for me. We're having daily thunderstorms, and, when the whole world turns dark just before a big storm, I often get a migraine. I'm hoping that there are no big storms in store for us tonight.

Feeling happy not to have a throbbing head, Shyla and I went for our mountain bike ride this morning.
It was muggy and somewhat cloudy, the aftermath of our big storms last night. Fortunately, neither of our dogs is afraid of thunder or other loud sounds (although there were no fireworks near us last night). To keep them unafraid, we play a fun "treat game" during thunderstorms. After the loudest thunder booms, we excitedly give both dogs treats!

The flowers are going wild in this wet weather. I think that there are more Columbines than I've ever seen.
Columbines are my very favorite flower so I can't help myself but take lots of photos of this year's bounty. Shyla is now well enough trained that I don't worry that she'll jump into the flowers, breaking them, so I can take her photo with them. I love seeing my beautiful girl with these beautiful flowers!
Other flowers have bloomed for much longer than usual, including the delicate Ninebark blossoms.
The one weather worry has been that our spring and early summer were cooler than usual, with a couple of very late deep frosts thrown into the mix. Consequently, the foods that our Black Bears favor are developing more slowly than usual. Most years, we have a nearby hillside that harbors endless Buffalo Berries - and the hillside rustles with foraging bears. In contrast, this year, some of those bushes have no signs of berries and some bushes have just tiny green berries, only now starting to develop. I suspect that the bears are having a difficult time finding the thousands of calories that they need to eat each day at this time of year.

Despite that, I haven't heard that bears have been spending too much time near human residences. I'm still catching footage of them in "their" territory. Here's a yearling cub who was checking out a bear-marking tree early the other morning.
 Then, she actually marked it, for the first time in her young life that I've "seen" with a trail camera.
Just hours later, our second-largest male bear, Milton Jr., passed the same tree. He didn't mark it but he seemed fascinated by the scent left by the yearling. He looks humongous compared to the yearling!
Based on my cameras, I know that the yearling doesn't spend a lot of time on this "bear super-highway". She usually appears at one tree, checks it out, and then seems to leave the path, perhaps to avoid meeting other bears. Being a small and inexperienced bear makes her shyer than she will be in the future. It's such fun to follow our bears using trail cameras!

Happy Saturday to all of you!

21 comments:

  1. glad you felt better this morning. the columbines are such beautiful blooms.

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  2. Treat game during a thunderstorm...that's a great idea.

    Hope the bears find enough food before they have to hibernate.

    XXXOOO Bella Roxy & Dui

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  3. Hi Y'all,

    So glad you're headache was gone so you could enjoy such a glorious day!

    My neurologist told me my headaches that sometimes last weeks are a combination of sinus, tension and migraine. He gave me medication to relieve them and hopefully abort them if I caught the flashing lights, but there was nothing he could do for the ones caused by weather fronts. The ones caused by low pressure systems tend to follow you around until the system is gone.

    Acupuncture has done more for me than anything.

    BrownDog's Human

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  4. So incredibly beautiful! I'm glad you're feeling better.
    Nola

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  5. What a GREAT game to play with your dogs during thunderstorms!Very ingenious!

    Beautiful photos of the Columbines.

    Glad you got to enjoy your ride without your migraines.

    Behr Behr's mom :)

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  6. Lovely wee brown girl, making her mark. I found a drop in barometric pressure could/would almost always trigger a headache, nature will prevail. Hope no more storms forecast for some time. Lovely spring flowers, Shyla glows with them. Cheers,Jean.

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  7. What a difference in size between the bears! Good luck with the migraines. :(

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  8. It's fun to think of it as a bear super-highway.
    Good luck with the migraines.
    Melon

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  9. We like the idea of treats during storms and during fireworks! You are so pretty posing with the lovely columbines, Shyla!

    Love ya lots♥
    Mitch and Molly

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  10. The flowers sure are pretty and those bears are just so interesting to see!

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  11. Wow, that is a bear super highway! Glad the throbbing is gone!! Love the pics. Do you ever get tired of us saying that? No other way to describe it!

    Your Pals,

    Murphy & Stanley

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  12. Soooo glads your throbbin' is gone!! Yea!! Ma's is still holdin' on for dear life and I swear she's gonna have to take the pain med that she tries to avoid. Anyhu, those blooms are just so beautifuls!! And Shyla looks just as beautifuls next to em'! I loves seein' Milton Jr.!!! Ma was hopin' for a look at Tiny, butts the yearling was just as good!
    Kisses,
    Ruby ♥

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  13. Thank you for sharing the bear adventures with us. Glad your head is better.

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  14. So glad you're feeling better!
    I love the shots of Shyla by the Columbine - just magnificent!
    We are fortunate that our girls aren't afraid of thunder or other sharp, loud noises, either. It was unbelievably loud here, from all the fireworks and firecrackers. I was proud of Cam for staying calm - and happy that Mags took her cues from her big sister. :)
    KZK

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  15. I've been thinking of you as I walk my back trails - wondering if you're doing the same in your neck of the woods. No Columbine blooming yet by my house, but I have many budding in the gardens. Everything is late this summer because our snows were still on the ground into June. Love the pics!

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  16. KB. Your world is so beautiful,,, and watching you and Shyla enjoy gives us such a good feeling too!
    Were glad your migraine is better,,,, and we love all the bear photos,
    Thank you for always taking the time to share your world.
    love
    tweedles

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  17. Love the shots you get with your trail cameras. Lions, bears...glad there's no tigers!

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  18. I just love the shot of Shyla with the Columbine!!

    Thanks for the bear update! I just love reading about the wildlife you show us!

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  19. Hi!
    Oh she is small. Lovely Pictures.
    We have great summer wheather now about +27C, very warm. THe dogs are exhausted. We visited 2 litters of Trym yesterday. Very Lovely.

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  20. Glad you were feeling well and got out and about. I love to see the scenery and the pretty flowers. Have you ever had a problem with bears being too close?

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  21. I hope you won't have any more storms and migraines! Yesterday (Sunday, I think?) I was shattered by a migraine that woke me at 1am and lasted til after nightfall. I did the barest minimum chores and that was it for the whole day. Don't know what brought it on, but I was certainly relieved to wake up without it this morning! Still operating at about 60%, but that's 55% better than yesterday. No complaints!

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