Snow in May, Wild Bears, and Missing Money

Part 1 :: Snow

It is May 22nd. And it is snowing. And i live in California. Is it just me, or is there something wrong with this picture?? I gotta tell you, this wasn't really what i had in mind when i (we) moved here... Yes, I knew that we were going to live in the mountains - and yes, i knew that it would snow in the winter, but no one ever told me about 30-degree weather and snow in MAY!! Don't you think they should be required to add that to the "Welcome to California" sign that i pass on my way home from Reno? Maybe just change it to "Welcome to California - where it snows in May... (and possibly June, July, and August)." Ok, ok, i realize it's not really that big of deal (except for the poor flowers outside that finally showed their petals last week - and are now begging for their lives. For the amount we pay in taxes each year, you'd think California could figure out some way to save those flowers' lives!!)

Part 2 :: Bears

Ok - see that cute little head peering out the window in the photo above? That's Wiley. While i was at the store yesterday (finally putting up pics of the sale regia sock yarn) , Doug took him and Buddy for a walk behind our house. Our house backs up to acres and acres of National Forest. While it's not uncommon for us to see bears back there it is uncommon for the dogs to interact with those bears... Anyway, i'm sitting at the store when ashley hands me the phone. "It's Doug," she says. No quicker do i say "hello" than i hear "Wiley Treed a Bear!!!" yelled from the other end.

Oh boy. Apparently, while on their way back to the house, Wiley took off in a dead sprint, stopped at the base of a big tree, and started barking like crazy. According to doug, "there was a tremendous ruckus!" Now that's not entirely unusual in and of itself - typically, the dogs will chase a chipmunk into a tree - and then sit there and beg the chipmunk to come back down and play (weird that the munks never do!). This time, however, when doug walked over to the tree, he saw that the trunk was swaying a bit more than normal. One look up and he saw a teenage bear clinging to the branches. HOLY CR&*(&*(!!!

The bear was looking right at doug - from 30 ft up - just begging doug to come up there after him. Ha ha. Worried that the mom might still be around (the guy wasn't quite an adult yet), doug high-tailed it out of there - and was able to coax the dogs to go with him. Surprisingly, they followed him with little hesitation - they actually wrestled the entire way home ... they were pumped up! (they probably both dreamt of taming bears later that night - crazy dogs!!)

Part 3 :: Missing Money
Ugh... my hands are tired from typing - i'll have to tell you this one tomorrow. It's a doozy (ashley, don't laugh...:) ).

p.s. i added one more panel to the scarves to throws - buddy seems to like it ok.