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[calhound]

Berries and Bears - UPDATE July 21, 2023

Guy and Alvin
Berries have been the big talk here lately. For the Black Bear Field Courses, Andrea the cook made sure we had wild blueberries and wild juneberries (a.k.a. Serviceberries [Amelanchier sp.] to put on our oatmeal. For one of the dinners, she served wild salmon in memory of a brown bear trip she once took to Alaska.

 Blueberries    Juneberries    Wild sarsaparilla berries
In the forest, the bumper crop of juneberries is waning (and we’re seeing more bears). Blueberries are ripening with more to ripen throughout August. But the big thing now is a shift to a major favorite that is coming on strong—wild sarsaparilla berries (Aralia nudicaulus). These berries are such a favorite that the bears essentially pass up blueberries during their peak from late July into early August when they can eat sarsaparilla berries that are not only spicy-sweet but are efficient to eat. Each plant has a leaf stem about a foot tall that more or less hides three clusters of berries on a shorter berry stem (shown above).

Sarsaparilla season is revealed by very dark-colored droppings. Bear scat dark from berriesThe dark scat pictured already has the dark color. It is a mix of juneberries, blueberries, and sarsaparilla berries as we move into the sarsaparilla season. By mid-August, sarsaparilla berries will be waning and the bears will be switching back to blueberries and, with luck, a bonanza of pin cherries, chokecherries, and dogwood berries—along with hazelnuts and more. We’ll see what develops.

A bear we are happy to see again this year is Guy. He is showing his age that we believe is in his mid-twenties. Yesterday, he gave another clue. Letting us see his teeth, we saw he is missing four or his six lower incisors, that his canines are a little worn, and that he has a wide cementum-enamel (c-e) margin on his canines. The c-e margin is the dark area of cementum between the gum and the light-colored enamel. Cementum covers the root. Enamel covers the crown. Guy's teethAs the tooth grows out, the line between the two areas reaches the gum line at 3 or 4 years of age and grows out a tiny bit each year after that. Not many bears have a c-e margin as wide as his.

An interesting thing about this calm, accepting bear is that he has never generated a nuisance complaint, does not go up to people except at diversionary feeding sites, and he has survived longer than most. He is a gentle bear whose return we are glad to see or hear of. As a sign of his generally gentle nature, he calmly shares his nuts with this ultra-trusting chipmunk we’ve named Alvin. (shown at top)

Thank you for all you do,
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center

[calhound]

hi you guys its 66 here 58 in ice 57 in kviv and 68 in the barn. love that alvin and guy bear. well love all the bears

hi joho i am confused on your furnace filter so did the young guy put in the right one i was going to ask jim our filter is 16x25 we got a big furnace ac got it few months ago when that thing starts up sounds like a jet plane taking off jim all the new ones do now it works really good so i got no problems with it jim came home yesterday from a special lunch deal at ford and one of the guys there send home a sack of stuff for me home grown tomatoes which are so good squash and cucumbers i googled that squash and saw just cut in to  slices and put on pepper and salt and top with cheese bake so im going to try that. a few weeks ago walmart was out of my milk too had to get it at harps and they only one gallon left 1 percent i buy 2 percent and whole milk for the kittens i drink skim when i drink it with cereal. in the whole area only two grocery stores walmart and harps. jim has to get my pop in excelsior

hi neva i saw earlier on weather channel it was cooler for you and your cactus and stuff.

gb ukraine gb all animals gb all of us

http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/C9055D5C47B5?z=0

[johoward]

5:54  On the boardwalk.  Looks like a good place for slivers.
Well it was another long day without seeing Mary. Was a hard day.  Nothing went my way. Even the simple task of changing my furnace filter was botched up.  Now I am stuck with a good filter I can't use and nobody wants.
 Today will be more of the same, but at least i know early so I won't wonder all day what to expect.  I want to go see Joan's Memorial Brick at Frostville, and I want someone to share it with.  Debbie wants to go, but not today.  She is on nanny overtime due to Mary's home being without power for two days now.  Seems half Mary's block is out.  While the other half is on.  Should be an easy fix I think. 
I did have all my start up stuff already.  That is why I did so well on the puzzle.  That bear is great to see.  As are all the bears who come there.  That cook Andrea is really special too.  She has a great imagination and transforms her ideas into dishes to serve the guests and the team.
  Hope I get to see him next year when I go back to Ely.
  Now I will say be well and stay cool  especially you Neva.  CUL EV1 GBU and GB Ukraine

[johoward]

Yes Cal.  The first guy who did nothing for the recall did put in the right one for $40.  It is a huge thing about five and a half inches thick instead if one inch like I am used to.  I am not sure where I can get one like it.  So far I only tried Drugmart.  I will try the hardware store in N. Eaton.  They had one they said last year.

[calihoula]

hi joho jim said you can get one online but maybe your hardware store will have one really thick filter i never seen one like that

[neva]

  Board Walk ...  26:56      109°  (4:15 pm)    Sunny, cloudy to the east, and no wind.  It did rain last evening and the temp came down to  89°   we were delighted. 

I hope everyone has had a decent day and something to be thankful for.

Cal    That is such a sweet photo of Guy sharing lunchtime with the Chipmunk.  Thanks for posting the updates each day.

Joho     Could any of the stores special order the filter that you want and need?

[johoward]

Thanks for the good idea you guys.  Amazon and store to special order.  Since it has already been in a year and is not really very dusty.  I will take the time to order one and see what happens.
Another whole day without seeing Mary.  As Cal would say, "I just can't stands it".
I did talk to her this evening for a while. She told me about her very exciting day and about a terrible neighborhood escapade last night.
Happily, she asked me to come take her away tomorrow.  I will gladly do that. We will, I hope, spend the day together.  i will take her to some gardening places I know of, and some other places too.  I am really excited to spend time with her.
Now I will hit the sack.  I am pretty sure she does not read our posts, but I will keep encouraging her to do so.  The update and the daily chats with you all are a very good thing.  I want her to enjoy it as much as we do.
GN EV1 GBU and GB Ukraine

[calhound]

hi you guys its 67 here still need to replace this lightbulb in here it is on its last leg very dim 57 raining in ice 75 in kviv and 70 in the barn. today last day of nice weather we go into neva mode tomorrow well add humidity here at least no rain so be able to finally cut the hay fields and indys back pasture which is so tall animals have to cross it to get to that back pond of ours. all hay fields need mowing bad.

hi joho! yes i do say i cant stands it. yay you waited for mary to ask you. that is a good thing! i hope you have fun today and you dont slip and overdo it again with her. patience joho. i would order that filter soon before winter. have it on hand. mary has alot of stuff coming here may not be something she can do right now. i  can barely come here anymore.

hi neva i am so happy you got some rain! cool it down happy for cactus. you must of did some negotiation with someone we are losing 1 to 2 minutes of daylight now every day yay

http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/07055D4E582E?z=0

gb ukraine gb all animals and gb all of us

[johoward]

5:51 Those look like cornstalks rolled up into round bales.  I don't think they do that around here.  They usually just chop and drop.  Then till them into the surface.  I could be wrong.  I will ask a farmer friend, TJ, about this.
Yay for me.  Going to get Mary in 25 minutes.  We will go to Penitentiary Glenn Wildlife Sanctuary in Kirtland, OH.  We will get lunch somewhere on the far East side of Cleveland.  I also hope to visit my cousin Carry's widow Elaine.  I have not seen her in a long time.  I would like her to meet Mary, but I have not called yet to see if it is possible today.  I hope it is. Will let you know later probably tomorrow.  I expect to be away a long time today.  As long as Mary will allow.  Her two little dogs may need her attention at about their dinner time.  If so, it will be a shorter day. Bye EV! GBU and GB Ukraine

[calihoula]

hi joho i thought this on big bales of corn stalks. After the fall's corn harvest, the leftover stalks, leaves, husks, and cobs can be baled together and used as a good source of roughage for cattle. When supplemented with nutrients, cornstalks can supply the nutritional needs of cows during fall and early winter. They can also be used as livestock bedding.3:54 on puzzle

missy left me a voice mail friday at five course i was doing chores she said i miss you you are probably doing chores i was then come in and about hour half of chores left tired eat bed for few hours so i texted niece jeanne cant talk sunday morning going to call missy cant do both wow miss lots of news first she lost 50 lbs she saw a doctor helped her with her anxiety alot she is feeling pretty good her youngest daughter graduated from high school few months back been working in the city by ford dog grooming miss has another house on her corner lot been renting it out well that lady had tons and tons of trash in there tore it up older woman too missy kicked her out back in march lady would not go but missys mom got her help and three weeks ago lady out 18,000 damage that lawyer filed against her missy said many huge dumpsters to clean it out so now her youngest and her boyfriend going to move in tony does lawncare remodeling they will fix it up keep their lawn and missys done he does missys now anyway and miss said three dogs will be going with them miss has seven now. three are daughters boyfriend so i ask how little parker was little boy missy use to watch his mom friends with miss parkers dad not living with them he bought a can of that get dust outta your keyboard he got on the train tracks behind walmart in excelsior first he left his id that can off to the side and train ran over him miss said nothing left train had told excelsior police someone on the tracks but they did not come took train two miles to stop miss upset she said he was just over at her house few weeks ago replacing her front windows i got to go do some chores more stuff miss said. 

[neva]

  Landscape ... 28:05      107°  (3:00 pm)   Sunny w/ clouds and a light breeze. 

I hope all is well for all of you.  I'm doing okay.  No complaints.

Hi Cal     What a horrible way to leave this life.  I imagine it was depression... ?  Maybe he was good at hiding it most of the time.

Hi Joho    I hope that you two have a great day.

[calhound]

hi you guys its 70 here 56 in ice 78 in kviv 72 in the barn storms coming this morning and again tonight then just hot hot hot dry jim was going to mow indys pasture but now not till tomorrow. it will over a hundred every day now. i will go out with the dogs make sure they get right back in. barn got up to 83 yesterday afternoon it was so hot but barn was doing okay esp for them under a vent and a fan on them. raccoonies just holing up here tuck back in that big space behind all the old hay i looked with a flashlight saw like a couch tv little cots

hi joho hope you had a good time yesterday

hi neva yes it was terrible he did that. must of had some real issues. i feel sorry for the person driving that train too.

gotta pick up groceries again manly dog food raccoonies go thru lots of dry dog food in dead of winter they hibernate like bears.

http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/2F055D4DF5B8?z=0

gb ukraine gb all animals and gb all of us

[johoward]

Hi Neva and Cal!  I did have a great day with Mary yesterday.  We went Penitentiary Glenn Animal rescue and rehab in Lake County.  They were having a 40 year celebration and it was packed.  We had to walk a long way from the lot to the buildings.  This was a great experience for us and for all the many families who were there.  This long walk was nice, because we could do it! Mary is very fit and strong.  It was important too , because while we were in the buildings the rain dumped big time on everything.  Especially the field we parked in.  The car tracks were a mud river and the grass was soaked and long. We were pretty hungry when we left the park.  So we headed for the nearest Chic-filet which we both love.  Imagine our disappointment when we finally find them, and they are closed.  We forgot that they are a religious organization and worship on Sunday.  We felt like heathens for not remembering the sabbath.  We went done the road a little and pulled into a Mr Chicken.  Let me just say that is a poor substitute for Chic-filet.  We did get plenty to eat though and started home.  I was trying to make contact with my East Side cousins, but had no luck.  One was out on the local river canoeing in the heavy rain.  The other I found is suffering from Alzheimer and does not communicate well.  So we headed home to let Mary's two little dogs out.
 WOW ! the TV babies are really putting on a show right now.  The camera is not keeping up, but the sound is good.
Anyhow I had a great day with Mary.  I met her giant son for the first time, and I like him.  I think he likes me.  We have some common interests and share some acquaintances.
Well you guys.  My second coffee is cooling. CUL EV1 GBU and GB Ukraine

PS Finally did the Tower puzzle.  6:14  No bragging there. LOL

[neva]

  Devil's Tower ...  31:01    103°  (11:04 am)   Sunny w/ a few wispy clouds; no wind.

I hope all is well with everyone.

Cal  I had no idea that Racoons hibernate.   What a good idea - no running around, starving and freezing all winter.

Joho    Glad to hear that you and Mary had a good time.  Life is easier when you pass inspection with the son...  whew!

[calhound]

hi you guys its 75 here 57 in ice 87 in kviv 74 in the barn will be 100 today with humidity cant forget that.could be worse lots of people have it worse lots hotter all over the world really. it will be getting hotter here tomorrow okay runs thru sunday i think just get here august and leave.

hi neva well in the dead of the winter lots of snow ice very very cold yes they hibernate that is good not having to trek out get hurt or worse. i have a couple that pretty much hole in the barn here during that bad weather nice and warm in the barn well 50 and no snakes other day i saw a big black snake by sweets water tank just had came in mice hide i know one is back but i had two new sacks of snake away so i started throwing it out starting with at that snakes head he was looking at me there take that he did take off that stuff smells gives me a headache but dont want snakes in the barn. i still need to mow the dogs yard may do that in a little bit.

hi joho i googled that chick fil a place i have never ate there and yes they are closed on sundays i was like wow they picked god over profit.

gb ukraine gb all animals and gb all of us

http://www.jigzone.com/puzzles/BB055D5017F6?z=0