Little Bear was trapped and caught this week. I am so very sad about that. Little Bear was the smaller Bear that I have the picture of. He was yearling ( a year or so old). He did not really know how to be a bear.

He made a visit to my deck one night as I was preparing for bed. I heard him in the recycling. I ran to the back door (again in my night gown), screamed bloody murder for Jon who was already in bed. It scared Little Bear and he looked up and we were staring at each other through the glass in the door. I ran to get the air horn and set it off in the house because Little Bear was too close to the door to open it. Jon came running ( I am glad to add in his underwear, did I mention he was in bed) yelling, "What on earth are you doing?"

Then he saw Little Bear and knew the answer. Marble's young bear turned around and scampered down the deck stairs. Needless to say the recycling is no longer on the deck. But it was the last time that I saw Little Bear. Someone called him in to the Dept. of Wildlife. They trapped him. :-( Some say that they will tag him and when he gets the third tag he will be killed. Others say he will be killed right away. I do not know for sure what his fate will be. We here in this small mountain village live in his territory not the other way around. I hope things go well for you Little Bear. You were only being a bear!

LET US NOT FORGET.........I recently visited my family back in NC. I flew back home out of Raleigh, NC. As I was waiting for the boarding of the plane, I sat by a young little Army Captain. I say young and little because SHE was both. She was of Asian descent and had that tiny little frame. She was dressed in her battle fatigues and had her Army back pack with her. My mind wondered about her stories; where was she going and what had she already been through as an officer serving during war time.

Then her phone rang. She took it out of the pocket in her sleeve. You see, military uniforms have all sorts of pockets for all the little items that need to be with the member wherever they go. She answered the phone and said, "Hi honey, are you already home?" I could tell from her response that her loved one had not made it back to Fort Bragg but still had unfinished words or perhaps a longing to hear her voice again before she flew off. She told him that she missed him already and that she loved him. I can only imagine the words that he was speaking.

A young man sitting across from us, about my son's age, addressed her in the respect that the military teaches its own, Ma'am, where are you headed? Then came her response.....Afghanistan...... This tiny Army Captain with all the responsibilities of a war time officer was going to the war zone. The young man answered that he had just returned from a deployment from the United Arab Emirates. Two soldiers still serving our country..... Let us not forget!

I asked her if she was just beginning her deployment. She responded no that she had just been home for her allowed visit. I asked her if she was at her half way point in her deployment? Her answer was no, that she had waited further into her stint so that when she went back she would only have 3 1/2 months left. She told me that her husband was also in the Army and they had been saying their final goodbyes over the phone. LET US NOT FORGET!

I told her that my husband had just retired from the Air Force Chaplaincy. And we shared more. She told me of the time that both her and her husband were deployed. They had custody of his children from a former marriage and that they had to send the 2 children and all their pets to his first wife while being deployed. The first wife was now married to a person in the Navy and that he was also deployed. So she did what military families do, took on the responsibility of children and pets while all their loved ones were serving in harms way! Let us not forget.....families are sacrificing every single day for the freedom of this country!!!!

The young man began to share in that way that only youth can that he had a tendency to get into trouble on deployments if he did not stay busy. The small Army Captain took on her role as a leader and encouraged him not not to do so. I stepped in and added "As a mother and a former Chaplain's wife I also encourage you to do what is right. If you get bored and feel as if you might do something foolish go hang out with the chaplains. Believe me you will not regret serving well."

He surprised me by saying that he hung out with the chaplains often and even played an instrument in the praise and worship band. I cheered him on, thinking of the age of my own son. We ask so much out of these very young people who serve our nation. Let us not forget.

The boarding of our plane was announced. With a full heart I thanked the Army Captain for her service and her tremendous sacrifice! She surprised me by thanking me for my years of service for serving with my husband. She went her way, into harms way, and I went my way back to our little church in Marble. As I go about my business, as you go about your business, people are still serving in far flung places because their country asks it of them!! PLEASE AMERICA, LET US NOT FORGET!!!!!

I salute all of you and your families who have sacrificed so much!!!

Thank You will never be adequate for the debt of gratitude owed... ♥ chaps

 

 

Last week during the full moon, we were invited by another church to go on a moonlight hike at the McClure Pass. I looked at Jon and said MOONLIGHT HIKE!!! Even if the bears are sleeping, mountain lions do not hibernate!! How do we see? You know it is also pretty cold at night. Well I decided to go along in spite of possible life threatening danger!!

The drive up to McClure Pass was beautiful! Again at 8000 plus feet there is no way to explain the brilliance of a full moon. We began the hike with the few folks who had gathered. We had views of the mountains with the moon reflecting off the snow covered peaks that took my breath away. I was teary eyed seeing God 's creation in the brilliant light of a full moon.

As we continued along we would pass among the fir trees and the leaf bare Aspens. The white Aspen bark also reflected the moon's light. The snow glistened like tiny diamonds. It was invigorating!

I asked one of the fellow hikers about the mountain lions. He responded nonchalantly "Oh, I don't worry about that. If a mountain lion pounces on you, you will be dead before you know it. Now a bear is a different story!" I didn't ask for any other explanations on the wildlife!!!

As Jon and I walked the snow covered trail with the stars overhead and the bright full moon showing us the way, I thought of shepherds long long ago:

"And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you: He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.' Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." Luke 2;8-18

Today we took Starbuck for her morning walk. It was 10 when we woke up so we waited till the sun rose above Whitehouse (one of the mountains that guard our community). Once the sun rose above the mountain, it warmed up immediately.

It is so intense here at 7950 ft.  Due to this altitude the sky is this gorgeous blue. I think this is the echo of God's voice saying "It is good!"

We crossed over from Beaver Lake to the Crystal River which is one of those rushing mountain streams. Parts of it were frozen and it was surrounded by leafless bushes that were covered with ice so that they glistened and sparkled in the sunlight. Starbuck was running around and Jon was exploring. I found a log free of snow to sit on. I sat. I was silent. I was facing the sun above the snow covered Whitehouse Mountain. I sat. I was silent. I heard the river rushing over the rocks and saw the sun making a sparkling reflection upon the river. I sat. I was silent. Starbuck came bounding around the corner in free abandonment; she greeted me and was off again. I sat. I was silent. Did I not hear the echo of God's voice saying "It is good!"

"Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O Lord, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings." Psalms 36: 5-7

Living in between two wilderness areas in the middle of the Colorado mountains has some interesting experiences involved. Our community of Marble is located between the Maroon Bells/Snowmass wilderness area and the Jagged wilderness area. Now is the time that the bears are beginning to hibernate. We have one in particular that found a source of food in our 'backyard' neighbor's house. This resourceful bear was able to tear into a part of the 100 year old home and find the cat food which he quickly consumed. So since then he keeps reappearing. It seems that bears do not forget a success!!

Since he frequents our neighbors, we often find tracks around our house. Last night around 9pm, I heard our bearproof garbage can banging around. Jon and I immediately knew "our" bear was back. We ran to the windows to get a glimpse of him but turning on the lights must have scared him off. However our garbage can had been moved quite a ways and turned over. Jon made the comment that the bear was showing up early. Do bears have clocks? Are they not big enough and strong enough to show up when they darn well please?

Later Jon (of course I am not going to face a bear) had to take our yellow lab out for her last potty break. I turned on every light in the house and outside, stayed in the house trying to find the whistle to scare any wildlife away. Well they made it safely in but the said bear's tracks were everywhere and Jon placed the garbage can in its rightful place.

I have decided to name said bear. I call him Bear!