"BEARLY ALIVE!" I know I spelled it wrong... it has a purpose

Let me start by saying unfortunately I do love dogs! I am the one that stops and try to save everything from a turtles to bunnies, usually by putting my own life in extreme peril. I have dodged and jumped out of the way of cars and trucks more times than I like to think about. Actually, I love all animals I am a truly an easy target when it comes to their cute little helpless faces. However, now I find that I enjoy some animals from the comfort and safety of the windows of my car. Ones like BEARS. Oh, I have justification for my new found common sense, once a upon a time I was chased by a BEAR in the Mountains of California, and let me tell you that there is nothing more terrifying than being chased by a bear! Well maybe there is, but at that moment in time I could not think of anything that came close. Now my two boys, Jeremy and Jared, will tell you a slightly different tale, but let me state for the record I DO NOT LIE! This is the truth.

My oldest son Jeremy wanted to see more. Especially wildlife. Jared, on the other hand, well, he had seen enough trees to last him a lifetime, but Jeremy, he really appreciated it all of it. We had been on Vacation for the past several days, and it was coming to the end of our stay, and we had not seen a much in the way of wild life. It appeared that they must have been in hiding. While at the wildlife center we stopped to speak with a Park Ranger. We ask him if there was any wildlife around. Like certain areas that they frequent, since we had not really seen any. He shared with us that in the early mornings we might be able to catch a glimpse of a momma bear and her babies in a meadow at the end of the road. He said it was a rare find, and she had been there every morning for the past few days.

After his encouragement Jeremy was determine to see them. I will admit it sounded rather exciting, and apparently it was safe, right? Why else would a Ranger send us down there? So we drove to the entrance of the meadow/walking park, and at first glance, in the early morning, it was absolutely breath taking! The Redwoods were majestic and the sun came through the trees and it was... absolutely BEAUTIFUL. There was a slight fog and it just made us appreciated God's magnificent design that much more. When we pulled up Jeremy jumped right out of the car and headed down the path, and George, my husband, Jared, my youngest, and I all stayed in the car. It had been about 5 minutes when Jeremy came running back to the car he was breathing hard, and very excited and said, "Mom, Dad, Jared" you have to come and see this... it is so amazing! Mom, there is a MAMA BEAR and her TWO BABIES, ( just like the little one's on the discovery channel) and they are playing and bouncing around their mom, come on mom! You have to see it!" George decided to stay in the car, and I had to make Jared come, and so we headed down the path to watch this real life nature story unfold. It was very thrilling! I just could not have imagined the next sensory overload I was about to encounter.

Now, there were two different paths, a higher path which was a little more like rock climbing, and the lower walking path, used by the nature walkers. Jeremy took the High path, he was young and in shape, and I took the low path, and Jared well, he just fell behind. I passed a few walkers on the path; it was just like being in a Library. I know that sounds strange, but it had that feeling that you get when you saunter in to a large quite library. It was as though even the trees said". SHUUUUUUSH! It was so quite you could have heard a pin drop. Well I proceeded down the path and as I approached the area where the mom and cubs were I could see them and they were adorable, so cute.... It was so sweet, they were about half a football field away, but lower down. It was enchanting! Jeremy's vantage point was quite higher, and he was telling me all about what he could see. I was really enjoying watching them, and listening to my son.

Then as I was viewing the sweet precious little creatures, it happened, I looked down the path to see him! He was in an all out full sprint running right towards me!!!! AHHHHHH BEAR, I screamed and turned and began to run, I could just envision at any moment his enormous, razor-sharp teeth sinking in my rear end, and my flesh being torn away, and me lying there conscious but not able to move or speak as he slowly devoured me. I mean the way I was dressed I probably looked like the blueberry girl on "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", which was right up his alley! As I was running and screaming for my life, I managed to get out to the boys, "RUN! TAKE COVER! HE WILL MAUL YOU!" Of course forget the inherent instinct of protecting my children, it flew right out of my mind, they were on their own! We'll my legs are only 26 inches long from the top of my thigh to the bottom of my foot, and in shape, well let just say that I had not been to the gym since high school PE. SO I would say I was not in any sort of shape, except ROUND! But at that moment I ran like I was the bionic women! I ran and ran... then in the back of my head I could hear Jeremy, saying mom, mom, MOM! STOP! Do not RUN! So I thought". maybe the bear had lost interest or I was just too darn fast for him, or Jeremy was thinking I should curl up like a ball, even though I think I already looked like a ball. So I STOPPED! Then I quickly turned around just to see that DARN BEAR still coming, so I did what any non nature girl would do, I screamed, I mean I SCREAMED! It was so loud that the REDWOODS Shook! Heck it probably felt like a small earthquake. It must have scared the bear half to death, because he jumped up in the tree right beside me then looked down at me, like I was the terrifying one! Then Jeremy and Jared came to my rescue, and they were laughing as though the thought of their mother being ripped to shreds in front of their faces was funny! Jeremy was laughing like Thumper on Bambi and Jared was of course so embarrassed because I was so loud and hysterical. I could barely muster the energy to walk, my legs felt like J-E-L-L-O! However with the help of my non caring children we began the walk back to the car, it was apparent that I had greatly upset the balance of NATURE. I was glared at by all the nature lovers, which before this bear incident happen, I felt like I was one of them. Clearly there are different levels! They were very upset by the noise! One lovely lady went as far as to suggest that the bear was just playing with me! I thought "Yeah RIGHT you FRUIT CAKE!" Jeremy still laughing starts trying to explain that it was just a baby bear. Oh not one of the cute little discovery channel bears that the mom was playing with in the meadow, no this would be more like a TEENAGER BEAR! So what! I mean are you kidding me? He was still as big as or bigger than me, he still had teeth, he was still chasing me, and most important he was a BEAR!!!! Really, does it matter that he was a teenager bear? Do you know any nice teenagers? Even the human ones would like to eat their parents! So do not down play this, it was awful! I barely escaped with my life! It was quite a grand laugh for all of them! The next morning I began the journey into HAIR COLOR!

"BEARLY ALIVE!" I know I spelled it wrong... it has a purpose

Let me start by saying unfortunately I do love dogs! I am the one that stops and try to save everything from a turtles to bunnies, usually by putting my own life in extreme peril. I have dodged and jumped out of the way of cars and trucks more times than I like to think about. Actually, I love all animals I am a truly an easy target when it comes to their cute little helpless faces. However, now I find that I enjoy some animals from the comfort and safety of the windows of my car. Ones like BEARS. Oh, I have justification for my new found common sense. Once a upon a time I was chased by a BEAR in the Mountains of California, and let me tell you that there is nothing terrifying than being chased by a bear! Well maybe there is, but at that moment in time I could not think of anything that came close. Now my two boys, Jeremy and Jared, will tell you a slightly different tale, but let me state for the record I DO NOT LIE! This is the truth.

My oldest son Jeremy wanted to see more. Especially wildlife. Jared, on the other hand, well, he had seen enough trees to last him a lifetime, but Jeremy, he really appreciated it all of it. We had been on Vacation for the past several days, and it was coming to the end of our stay, and we had not seen a much in the way of wild life. It appeared that they must have been in hiding. While at the wildlife center we stopped to speak with a Park Ranger. We ask him if there was any wildlife around. Like certain areas that they frequent, since we had not really seen any. He shared with us that in the early mornings we might be able to catch a glimpse of a momma bear and her babies in a meadow at the end of the road. He said it was a rare find, and she had been there every morning for the past few days.

After his encouragement Jeremy was determine to see them. I will admit it sounded rather exciting, and apparently it was safe, right? Why else would a Ranger send us down there? So we drove to the entrance of the meadow/walking park, and at first glance, in the early morning, it was absolutely breath taking! The Redwoods were majestic and the sun came through the trees and it was... absolutely BEAUTIFUL. There was a slight fog and it just made us appreciated God's magnificent design that much more. When we pulled up Jeremy jumped right out of the car and headed down the path, and George, my husband, Jared, my youngest, and I all stayed in the car. It had been about 5 minutes when Jeremy came running back to the car he was breathing hard, and very excited and said, "Mom, Dad, Jared" you have to come and see this... it is so amazing! Mom, there is a MAMA BEAR and her TWO BABIES, ( just like the little one's on the discovery channel) and they are playing and bouncing around their mom, come on mom! You have to see it!" George decided to stay in the car, and I had to make Jared come, and so we headed down the path to watch this real life nature story unfold. It was very thrilling! I just could not have imagined the next sensory overload I was about to encounter.

Now, there were two different paths, a higher path which was a little more like rock climbing, and the lower walking path, used by the nature walkers. Jeremy took the High path, he was young and in shape, and I took the low path, and Jared well, he just fell behind. I passed a few walkers on the path; it was just like being in a Library. I know that sounds strange, but it had that feeling that you get when you saunter in to a large quite library. It was as though even the trees said". SHUUUUUUSH! It was so quite you could have heard a pin drop. Well I proceeded down the path and as I approached the area where the mom and cubs were I could see them and they were adorable, so cute.... It was so sweet, they were about half a football field away, but lower down. It was enchanting! Jeremy's vantage point was quite higher, and he was telling me all about what he could see. I was really enjoying watching them, and listening to my son.

Then as I was viewing the sweet precious little creatures, it happened, I looked down the path to see him! He was in an all out full sprint running right towards me!!!! AHHHHHH BEAR, I screamed and turned and began to run, I could just envision at any moment his enormous, razor-sharp teeth sinking in my rear end, and my flesh being torn away, and me lying there conscious but not able to move or speak as he slowly devoured me. I mean the way I was dressed I probably looked like the blueberry girl on "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory", which was right up his alley! As I was running and screaming for my life, I managed to get out to the boys, "RUN! TAKE COVER! HE WILL MAUL YOU!" Of course forget the inherent instinct of protecting my children, it flew right out of my mind, they were on their own! We'll my legs are only 26 inches long from the top of my thigh to the bottom of my foot, and in shape, well let just say that I had not been to the gym since high school PE. SO I would say I was not in any sort of shape, except ROUND! But at that moment I ran like I was the bionic women! I ran and ran... then in the back of my head I could hear Jeremy, saying mom, mom, MOM! STOP! Do not RUN! So I thought". maybe the bear had lost interest or I was just too darn fast for him, or Jeremy was thinking I should curl up like a ball, even though I think I already looked like a ball. So I STOPPED! Then I quickly turned around just to see that DARN BEAR still coming, so I did what any non nature girl would do, I screamed, I mean I SCREAMED! It was so loud that the REDWOODS Shook! Heck it probably felt like a small earthquake. It must have scared the bear half to death, because he jumped up in the tree right beside me then looked down at me, like I was the terrifying one! Then Jeremy and Jared came to my rescue, and they were laughing as though the thought of their mother being ripped to shreds in front of their faces was funny! Jeremy was laughing like Thumper on Bambi and Jared was of course so embarrassed because I was so loud and hysterical. I could barely muster the energy to walk, my legs felt like J-E-L-L-O! However with the help of my non caring children we began the walk back to the car, it was apparent that I had greatly upset the balance of NATURE. I was glared at by all the nature lovers, which before this bear incident happen, I felt like I was one of them. Clearly there are different levels! They were very upset by the noise! One lovely lady went as far as to suggest that the bear was just playing with me! I thought "Yeah RIGHT you FRUIT CAKE!" Jeremy still laughing starts trying to explain that it was just a baby bear. Oh not one of the cute little discovery channel bears that the mom was playing with in the meadow, no this would be more like a TEENAGER BEAR! So what! I mean are you kidding me? He was still as big as or bigger than me, he still had teeth, he was still chasing me, and most important he was a BEAR!!!! Really, does it matter that he was a teenager bear? Do you know any nice teenagers? Even the human ones would like to eat their parents! Now do not down play this, it was awful! I "bearly" escaped with my life! It was quite a grand laugh for all of them! The next morning I began the journey into HAIR COLOR!