Full Swing In Bear Country

Summer weather is in full swing here in the southwestern area of Virginia.

Hazy, yet blue skies hang above the mountains filled with 98% humidity with afternoons bringing thunderstorms that crop up here and there making us all run indoors in front of our floor fans.... especially the fur covered pups.  They can't be left outdoors for too long or they overheat and pant for what seems to be forever.

I have started to take short walks with my husband during the early hours of the day, taking the pups along.  Our uphill driveway continues to be a source of discomfort for my knees so I park my SUV at the bottom of our driveway so that I can haul myself back home up the drive on our return.  So far this works for me.  

Summertime also means that the bears come out along with their cubs.... MANY bears throughout this area of the country, so my husband made the decision to purchase us each a container of bear spray just in case it should become necessary to defend ourselves. It is a strong spray of capsacin which will not harm the bear, but rather burn it's eyes and throat as it would with a human.....  the shot of spray is good for 30 feet.  If out and about in bear country I recommend this method of safe guarding yourself and there are a number of brands on the market.

Welcome to summer in my world.

Forest Living

 These are some of the woods on our property. 

It's only a measly three acres, but most of it does not need maintaining, other than the occasional taking down of a dead or nuisance tree that has been damaged by storm or insects.

 This is why our home is hidden from the main road, and by main road I mean a blacktopped road that hasn't been re-done in probably decades, other than an occasional patch of a pothole or damage done by heavy snow and heavy gully washer rains.

 Other than the sounds of school buses during nine months of the year, the weekly garbage/recycle trucks, a propane delivery truck once a month and Fed-Ex trucks delivering to we rural folk who shop online, it really is pretty quiet in these here parts 'o the country.

This forest is why we have so many twittering birds and nest builders, deer who hide and peek out from time to time, scampering squirrels, shy snakes, possum, and other things we hear but have not seen as of yet.

It's an ideal place to live if peace and quiet, tempered with a bit of outdoor work are what you seek in your retirement years.

It's all good...

unless of course you hear banjos.

Then you should paddle faster!