Harvesters

Well, to start off,

note that the post title is plural.

I was piddling about on a little painting when

 I got home from work last night,

thinking that I really ought to be outside

enjoying the day and doing one of a thousand

yard/garden chores that need attention,

when I heard a weird noise.

I looked up from my drafting table

and saw the makers of the noise,

a mama bear and her 3 babies!

3 babies!

They were all fluffy and shiny and quite healthy looking.

They were all hanging out under the apple tree

that you were introduced to in yesterdays post.

The apples were already harvested by us.

But one little bear managed to get WAY out on a limb

and find one or two we were unable to get.

I ran out with the camera, they didn't see me.

Then I got thinking about that whole protective mama thing, and I went back in

 and observed from the window.

Mama and two babies wandered off leaving one baby in the tree.

I went out again; then tree baby started making baby bear noises

I didn't know what they meant, so I went back in

just in case it was saying,"hey ma! There is some human here

near the tree and I am scared, come save me!"

The family wandered off.

I heard them in the trees near the creek

and then nothing.

Mike got home.

We went and looked at the trees by the creek to see if

they had damaged them.

They hadn't. They didn't eat the apples either.

So Mike picked them.

I went to the garden for some dinner.

Here is what I found.

We had rice with brocoli and gilled planks of zuchini

drizzled with garlic infused olive oil and balsamic

with a grilled neighbor grown pork chop on the side.

I made applesauce while Mike cut up the remaining whole apples.

One more night of apple processing and we will be done with the transparents.

We have 3 more trees to harvest, but they are late ripeners,

so we get a break.

They are "keepers" too, so we just pick them and store them

for eating fresh.