Bertha

We've been having a visitor in our neighborhood lately. A HUGE mama bear and her two (adorable!) cubs have been walking through the yard pretty regularly. She and the cubs were up on the neighbors 2nd story deck the other day, our guest in the studio saw her sitting next to his car a few nights ago, and then last night, while I was watching TV, the mama bear was in my courtyard and looked right into the window! I saw her out of the corner of my eye and when I looked over to the windows, I screamed my head off. It was such a shock seeing her look straight in at me! I almost peed my pants!

My screaming must have startled her. She turned and lumbered off towards the rock wall. I grabbed my camera from my office and, after checking to make sure she wasn't in the courtyard any longer, opened the back door. I climbed up onto one of the rocks and watched her in my neighbor's yard for a bit before she and the cubs crossed the road and then proceeded to hang out on the other neighbors front deck. This bear is apparently used to being around people and is very comfortable around houses. While she’s cool to look at and I sort of want one of the cubs as a pet, the idea of a 400 pound bear hanging out in my yard is a bit unnerving.

I've named her Bertha. Bertha the Big Black Bear.