Man the Bearicade, Part Deux

I am awake early for some reason this morning...well, 8am is early for me. Richard has gone to check on Ron and feed the cows. He left me a note: "The bear got into the garbage shed last night. I'll clean up the mess when I get home." Triple scrunchy face time with a side to side of slitty eyes. Harrummmph! Back to my bed for my cappuccino.

Nothing good on the news; nothing good on the cooking channel. I'd be grumpy but what good would it do. Besides, I'm still sleepy. The dogs are in the small pen in the cold air. Wetter network is calling for sunny today. HAH! It's cold and foggy. Richard returns and the dogs come back inside where it is warmer.

"Did you see my note?" he asks.

"Yup" is all I reply. I am still waffling between giving him an "I told you so" and sympathizing with him. "I told you so" wins out.

"I did mention last week after the bear was in the garden yard that this was going to happen," I say. "I did say that now that all the fruit was gone from the trees, he would be after the garbage shed".

"I thought the garbage shed was secure enough," he replies "but it must have settled a bit and the door popped open. Either that or he just turned the door knob and walked right in." I give him THE LOOK. Richard makes a slitty-eyed scrunchy face at me and walks out to pick up the garbage, muttering to himself. I might also add that the bear dragged it aaaaaaaalllllllll over the place. Looks like he was playing soccer with some of the bags.

Richard returns after picking it all up, re-bagging and re-securing it. "I knocked all the apples off that other apple tree out behind the house," he says "and I shut the door tight again on the garbage shed and put a barricade up." I cringe, but keep my mouth shut. I know what his barricades are like. "Let's take the dogs out to the garden yard before you leave for work," is all I say.

Mason and Pippi race out as usual to be first to see whatever is there...which is not much unfortunately for them. Fortunately for me. They wander about, doing what dogs do, and I wander over to see the bear barricade. I stand there staring at it, shaking my head and doing my best not to say anything.

"I'm going to take all the garbage to the dump tomorrow," he says. I am glad to hear that, but just have to say "you know the bear WILL be back tonight, don't you?"

Scrunchy face. "Yeah" he sighs, "I know."

"And you know that your bearicade is NOT going to keep him out, don't you?" I reply.

"Yeah...but I'm hoping it will," he responds, rather wistfully.

Don't you just love optimists? I shake my head again and shut my mouth. Time to go back in and think of other things...

...like baking bread. That's my plan for when he is off to work. I have mixed up the dough for the testing recipe a few days ago, and today is the day to mix and make the second part. This is a new method for me and I am quite unsure of myself. The first part I baked yesterday was ok. I mean, I baked one loaf and I wasn't happy with it, so I immediately set to work and did another loaf with a tweak here or there. It turned out better, but because I don't have a clue how it should look or taste, I can't say that I am completely happy with it. I THINK it turned out as it should have, but it is different from any bread I have mixed and baked, or purchased and eaten, before. Hmmmmmm.

Now the dough is mixed, and looks...well...odd. S'ok, just gonna follow instructions and hope I did it right. Dump it in an oiled bowl, cover, let it rise 90 minutes. Lots of time to take the dogs out. The sun has finally made an appearance and it is lovely and warm by the garden boat. I take some photo's and just get lost in the view. The kids are enjoying themselves, sniffing the light breeze, watching for deer monsters, following their noses, leaving pee-mail. Take that, Mr. Bear! I take my eyes off them for a few seconds while I gaze at the scenery and just like that 3 of them have planted doggy mines, and I don't know where the are. Siiiggh. The grass is long and doggy mines like to mascarade as dried up fallen leaves. I am wearing out my quota of scrunchy faces today.

Back indoors, I bake the bread and it looks not too bad. Maybe a bit dark, but great oven spring. Hope it tastes as good as it looks. Will make sure it is totally cooled before cutting into it. I shaped mine into Boules - circular and rounded on top - then slashed a crude square on the top just before baking.

That's enough excitement for one day I think. Expect the Cute Little Island Mule Deer will find the apples out back before the Bear Monster does. Least I hope so. And I hope that once Richard takes the garbage out tomorrow, the Bear Monster will mosey on and find some other source of food.

For now, Mason is on guard facing down the driveway, chin resting on the back of the sofa, nose pressed against the already nose-printed patio door.

Rosie is facing the other way.

They've got it covered.

Bring it on, Bear Monster, bring it on!