Hi! I love to locker hook or crochet in the evenings, relaxing and watching the news. I am a night owl. Jake is an early bird. Sometimes I’ll stay up after he goes to bed and hook into the night. It is so quiet and peaceful! We live up and on the side of a mountain. We are in Anchorage and there are many who live up here, but we have lots of trees and privacy. It feels like we live in the wilderness when we drive down our dirt road to home. Nights are when I get a lot of things done. This is when my creativity juices flow. I know I am not alone as many artists and crafters enjoy the nights solitude.
About two weeks ago, I was crocheting and watching a scary movie (I don’t very often at night!). Jake and the animals were downstairs sleeping when I thought I saw a large black figure go past our front door window panel. I absolutely froze! We don’t get visitors here, especially at night. And because we live in a dome home, we don’t have curtains. It went up the stairs to the deck. I shot up off the couch but my legs got caught in the yarn! I could see he was coming back and by the time I reached the front door I came eye to eye with this huge black bear. Scared me to death! I gasped and he went back to the deck while I flew downstairs yelling for Jake. Well, by the time he came upstairs the bear was gone. I was really freaked out! We have black bears here in the summer but NEVER that close! Well apparently our neighbors left their garbage out the night before and they don’t have a bear protected garbage can. Jake said there was garbage spread all over the street in the morning. Also bird seed attracts bears (we found that out the first year we lived here!). Several days later we hear that a bear nearby tried to enter a home and was shot. Wow, it could have been me!
Last week I went back to crocheting on my couch and enjoying the solitude of the night, feeling safe again. The dog started barking (she doesn’t very often) and I turned to look and we both looked right into the face of a black bear! AGAIN! The bear went up and down the stairs to the deck. When I got down to the front door window, I was looking right at this huge bear’s face, eye to eye! We were both standing. Then he suddenly leaned over towards us and took his huge paw with long claws and took a swipe at the dog, scratching his claws against the glass, then slowly walked away! This time I came running downstairs yelling “where’s the shot-gun”!! I love Alaska, but this is ridiculous! I knew if that bear came back again he would definitely bust the door down and come in. I haven’t slept well since! Jake didn’t think he could.
A few nights ago Jake and I were watching the news and they reported that for the last two weeks they have had trouble with bears trying to get into people’s homes on the hillside. Last Thus. three black bears broke down someones door and came into their home and they had to shoot the bears. But one got away! Jake and I looked at each other. I was thinking “I knew it could happen!” and he was thinking “Maybe I should have believed her!”. At least I hope he was thinking that. So……one is still roaming around!
Everyday living in Alaska is an adventure!
Donna
Some of my crochet rag rugs
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