High HOPES ~

STOP!

So you HUMANS wanna HUNT?

Go HUNT

TERRORISTS

NOT BEARS

got it?

Just sayin...

Great Monday Morning ~ Coffee on, darkness all around, babies (4-leggeds still snoozing)...
In the still of the early morning, it is beautiful out here I tell ya ~ The jasmine is filling the air...
waiting for dawn to rise gently... I woke up smiling this morning, smiling I tell ya, and a bit sore from all the laughing I did yesterday... Yep I laughed into the evening until my sides ached... There are initials on the internet: ROTFLMAO which mean:
Rolling On the Floor Laughing My A** Off... and I was! Over and Over again... Literally... All on the Lily the Black Bear Discussion Page Started by my pal Jill Wheaton Lindsey... Just keep with me here... you'll see why!

My good friend Randy in New Mexico has done it again with a video... for our North American Bears... Here ya go. I'll wait for ya! Good and beautfiul morning to you Randy my friend ~

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qioK8L-v-9E&feature=player_embedded

HOw ya feelin now? Aren't they something to behold?
HOPE is growing into quite a bear isn't she? And she is finally growing into her ears too ~

111,000 plus fans of Lily and HOPE are sitting with worry, fear...
the hunters have arrived there... It's bear hunt season.
There are folks walking with the collared bears now; they are walkin with those bears that are not collared too; the research bears... those that are familiar to human ways ~ walking to protect them if at all possible...
the bears are wearing neon ribbons so they stand out... with prayers across the globe for their safety...
Dr Rogers has talked and talked, has educated, has pleaded to all for HOPE in understanding ...
round table/long table discussions in hopes that hunters will not shoot the research or collared bears;
will be respectful of the years of work,
the tears and time and
respect for the
North American Bears....
 and we wait...
and we HOPE...
and we pray...
That no one is hurt, no one is killed or maimed.

Emotions run high on the Facebook page now... they have administrators monitoring folks and their comments there...
They remove comments in a swift New York minute if they are inflammatory, or if they may offend or if they are too emotional...
 Dr Rogers and Sue do not want anyone to upset, irritate or offend the hunters...
they have worked long and hard to build a
"working relationship with all groups" and to build trust/ethical understanding between the groups, with individuals... the hunters/hunted/non-hunters alike.

There was a time when hunting bears/buffalo was for the greater survival of tribes/community... It was a true hunt... on foot... through the plains....
Permission from the animal was sought prior to the kill, all that was taken by the death was used...
death was fast, it was a hunt, it was necessary, hides were used for clothing, shelter...
The brain was used to tan the hide! Yep it only takes one brain to tan a hide!
Communities gave thanks for the bounty to the spirit of the animal...
Are ya feelin me here???

This is 2010...
We have stores... we have retail shopping stores, grocery stores... hell you can even order meat from online stores, already fileted for ya, wrapped and everything, ready for the grill!
 We have hunting games online for the thrill of the hunt...
 Those lands out there in Ely are owned lands by someone I think, free and open lands for the wildlife to roam free ~

I'm wondering here, and I will admit maybe it is me... but
what exactly is the "hunt" in pulling yourself up a tree after setting a bait for an unsuspecting animal?  Then sitting in the tree, eating a granola bar or a beef jerky (*that you bought in a store) spraying yourself with animal urine (*that you bought in a store) Can you say: YUKKY
Then when the bear comes to the baited area and you could just spit and hit it... instead you shoot it dead... climb down the tree and whoop and holler yippee look what I just went and conquered... I do not understand the victory of that... I have even heard there is a Web Cam located out there where they can watch for when a bear appears... track the time of day... then the hunter will know how many, if any bears come and at what time so they can then go and be there for them and then shoot to kill! Guess that is so they can stay in the warm bed, until the appointed hour for the hunt... I do not understand this.
Just sayin...
I hunt for my keys... I hunt for the puppies from time to time when they hide from me, I hunt for bargains, I hunt for seashells... and I used to hunt for Easter eggs back in the day ~

But then again, I don't understand looking Bambi in the eyes through a scope and pullin the trigger either, although I can understand those hunts for overpopulation in some areas around the country...
In Virginia I remember deer season with bow and arrow and only so many permits issued for that ... no stands, for them to sit in, and only so many kills allowed, and it was because of over population. Now that seems to make sense to me; bow and arrow require a high level of skill, and only allowing so many on land makes sense as well, so many kills again makes sense... I couldn't do it, but it does make sense. These hunters use all, and many I have spoken to then prepare the venison and donate to shelters, some even offer to work there and prepare the food for folks...Just not for me... 
 The face of the hunters?  Regular folks, men, women... doctors, lawyers, some you may even sit beside at the football games of your kids... Good people I'm sure for the most part.
Most grew up in families where hunting was a way of life probably, from hunting rabbits, to squirrels to turkeys for Thanksgiving dinner!
But maybe I am naive . . .
Sure hope they don't shoot any bears.... we need our bears ~
I can remember being in Berkeley Springs W.VA one year at a local eatery/bar... it was hunting season... A bunch of city folks came into the establish and were just about as happy as happy could be boasting to all that they had just had a very successful day! It was then that someone at the bar asked if they had any luck with the wild turkeys... One of the men exclaimed, "Did we have luck? Man you oughta see what's in the pick-up, c'mon I'll show ya if you buy us a round!"  With that he drew himself up and took the local outside to a red pick up truck, drew back the tarp that was covering their kill...
They returned with the local shaking his head... and whispering to the bartender who got the attention of all there. He asked the men to introduce themselves and they proudly did so... And then he said this:
"These men... have just reduced the population by 23 of some of our most beautiful Woodpeckers of West Virginia... now let's all give them a hand"....
YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A PIN DROP IN THAT PLACE...
Yep, these hunters had in their zest of hunting had in fact shot and killed big ole' woodpeckers and prided themselves on killing wild turkeys' in the state of WVA...
Just sayin... ego can be a large motivator sometimes.... and then reality can be .... well, a humbling experience!

As for me... I play Mafia Wars for my stress, for fun, for enjoyment and friends from everywhere... online.
Don't have to get bug bit, don't have to put urine on me, can go to the Winn Dixie for groceries, can go to 7/11 for a coke... no one gets hurt, works out well for all concerned...
Did I mention Starbucks now has Punkin Spice Latte for just and only my enjoyment???

Lily gave us HOPE

It is in the knowing of both that they are now famous across the world... and Ely MN is now famous too.

So let's just hope some hunters have not added that to their challenge of the "hunt", wanting to add that to the "notch" on their bedpost/belt/story at the bar.

Folks are and can be odd that way.

We HOPE that this hunting season will pass quickly, that the North American Bears will walk safely in THEIR

woods, their trees.

They have powerful spirits with them, they also

have "Bear Walkers" beside many of them; those that are dedicated and will walk alongside the collared and the research bears throughout the hunt season.

Hopefully respect and understanding with hunters will trump, the adrenalin rush and the thrill of the hunt,

the sport of the season for some.

While many of us do not understand this,

we only pray our bears safety.

After all,

the game is not fair; just sayin.

I hope you will visit

http://www.bear.org/

Learn more about the North American Bears

see the videos of HOPE, her birth, her wanderings

the play of the others at the pond!

Quite amazing charachters they are... each with a story, each bound to capture your heart.

If you join the Facebook fan page, tell em hello

but

remember they are a passionate and lively group!

There are some absolutely wonderful, hysterically funny folks on that page too! They have now developed a

"comfort page" in discussions... along with a page for "prayers for the bears"

along

with a "clucker page" for the worriers!

and boy do they do some funny fun raisers for the bear center NABC

and yesterday

... they had me laughing as I watched a couple of the auctions... they are raising money, and folks are winning some great things too!

I gotta tell ya... they out-did themselves.

I laughed so hard, I cried, I mean I cried and laughed til' my sides ached, my face ached, I howled like a wolf!

Scared my little four leggeds silly I did!

OK

those crazy bear lovers auctioned...

ARE YOU READY?

they were ACTUALLY AUCTIONING

HOPE's SCAT!!!

as in

her poop!

In a decorative jar!

and

Folks were actually BIDDING ON IT AND HAVING A BLAST!

Seems our beloved cub HOPE

is not only cute as cute could ever be,

but her scat is too!

Those nuts and berries come out as

NUTS and BERRIES

and

as the page just went wild with the funniest of comments

they were bidding like mad!

Started about 20.00 for that SCAT, Jill was pretty funny about it all!

Seems Sue collected it.

One woman said her husband would think she had really gone over the edge, while another said she was afraid that friends would think it a snack and "dig in"

and yet another said,

"if I win I want it sent next day air, so as to be sure it arrives "fresh"

I was just about to fall out of my chair

AND

no I did not place a bid!

But I do remember when this video came out and we all were so excited:

http://www.bear.org/website/lily-a-hope/den-cam-video-clips/417-april-16-2010--hope-defecates-on-her-own.html

Such a little cub, and a need for privacy... notice the "back up switch on her"... the poms of mine have a back up switch too ~ they want to be loved... when you extend your hand, they go backwards! Go figure...

BUT

I sure did enjoy reading the posts of my friends that did!

The other auction item was for a 10 minute skype call with Dr Lyn Rogers... wow, imagine that experience!

I would just want to hear him say,

"Bear ... it's me" over and over for 10 minutes! heehe

At one point HOPE's scat was going crazy with posts... the bidding was above the bids for a call with Doc! Bet he was laughing like me over that one...

Then a huge supporter of Lily and HOPE posted:

"I don't know the going price of bear scat these days, but how about $1,000.00"

and the page went still...

OMG

MOE just bid $1,000 for a jar of precious HOPE's scat!

NOW I HAVE SEEN IT ALL!

Where's my nitro and someone to give it to me, I can't see for the tears coming from my laughing so hard!

Way to go MOE, once again the world is in love with you and your generous spirit...

Guess you'll be eatin beans again for awhile as you admire HOPE's SCAT!

HOPE you've enough left over to order a copy of:

Healing Heartaches ~ heehe

And then we all went crazy with comments, with posts, with me having conversations like I was talking to Jay Leno about MOE opening a

"Brew Thru" coffee shop in Duluth using

HOPE SCAT

calling it:

MOES Brew Thru and Pastry

Get YOURS and SCAT

My conversation with Jay Leno sounded like this:

"Hello Mr Leno, I'm calling to tell you about Lily the North American Black Bear who gave us HOPe, ... uh no not that kind of HOPE, Hope the cub.. yes yes Dr Rogers is the brilliant researcher, you may of seen him on television,yes and anyway, we have just auctioned HOPE's SCAt, you know POOP, well Moe a man in Duluth just bid $1,000.00 for a jar of her SCAT and we thought you might like to interview him!

You do know Mr. Leno, Scat is sometimes used for gourmet coffees in the world and sells for more than $600.00 per pound and well, we think that you might just be wanting to get in on this remarkable opportunity!"

Needless to say, we were all rolling in the floor across the wireless connection!!!

Jill Wheaton Lindsey, Redkat Blue, Lily The Black Bear, Moe, Julia, Mary V, Jean, Betty, Jean, Susie, Glenda, Rita, Carolynm, Dotti, INgrid, Rhonda, Nancy Liu, Pam, Michele, Dennis, Laine, Madeline, Diane, Theresa, Jolene,Joyce, Jan, Trish, Barb, Shelley,Sharon, Dorothy, Joanna, Cindy, Guin, Beth,Arlena, Eve, Susan, Sue, Linnal, Julie, Karen, Martha, Karen, Martha, Mary P, Cindy H. Pat L. B. , Rebecca, Rita,

and did I mention the 302 posts on that one auction that were made of folks just absolutely laughing and having a great time with wild abandon and pure fun...

aLL because Lily gave us HOPE

HOPE gave us SCAT

Sue gathered the SCAT

Jill thought to auction it off

Lily and HOPE lovers

had the thoughts of bidding on it

and

MOE bellied up to the puter

and

bid

1,000.00

on it!

AND

the bid is not yet closed

hahahaha

and

I think Duluth is a great place

to have

MOES BREW THRU AND PASTRY TOO

Get YOURS and SCAT

Still ROTFLMAO

Thanks for a great celebration of the power of intention, the ability to laugh, to have fun

to remember

that the strongest faith is that which is within

the ability to gather

to laugh

and

to celebrate

always

In January many of us will celebrate one year of virtually and intimately knowing each other... through intense and loving and frightening times of wonder, of beauty and of the wild and untamed world of Bears...

We've perhaps seen for the first time that often human emotions do not fit in the wild of bear life... having to adjust our thinking of our heads and learn to trust our gut; this is new for many to get out of their heads...

We've also seen where personal agendas, ugliness and jealousy will find its way onto pages and in the lives of the pure and unsuspecting during times of great gladness and times of hardship and Cancer and stress.

Life can be harsh, as can be people sometimes.

We have also seen bands/tribes/cultures/faiths

come together as one in Unity

and for that I give thanks

and so it is!

STOMP

Wishing you a wonderful week friends.

Now tell me: who would want to kill these magnificent bears?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcuoukDu4mE&feature=channel

The fire is burning brightly the smell of sage is filling the air, with thoughts being sent on the wind ~ ~ ~

We are together in thoughts and prayers ... Sending hope in healing and light ~ ~ ~ warm and wonderful light!



Matt in Radford VA is a member of the
National Guard there...
He has a wife named Christina and three children ~
Matt is leaving in two weeks for IRAQ for a year... Please hold this young man in prayers and thoughts, his wife and family as well. Thank you Matt for serving our great Nation, be safe soldier, and come home to your family and your country safely! We will be praying for you and we thank you ~
God bless you and God Bless our Troops.


To those who are serving this great Nation, I thank you and your families, I want you home safely.
We are together in prayer, in thoughts of all that is needed to remind you out there, we are WARRIORS...


We are always alongside the journey with you, along with some powerful angels... May you find comfort in knowing we are with you always:


for that I give thanks, and so it is!


FOR:Tampa, our Mayor Iorio, Chief Jane Castor, Tampa PD, all who serve:


HOLDING UP IN THE LIGHT; IN PRAYER;


Christina, Matt and children, Freda, Linda Katie, Pat D, 2Wolves, Tink..and Mitch, Jerry, Trish, Barb, Anastasia, Mary, Rylee, Lindsay, Ann, Sarah, Ruth,


The Kocab Family, baby Lilly Nicole Kocab, The Curtis Family, Tarpon PD, those serving here and there in Uniform...


Mylee, Mikey and family in DC, Jack M & Janis in OC, Stephen, Stuart Wittel in Pakistan and his parents,


Lavie Coltrane and her loving family, Pat in Southwest VA, Andrea Gasse and family here and in New England,


Ali and family, Randy and Winnie in New Mexico,
Irene M, Bernice, Eileen and family, Dorothy, Angela, Elijah, Ode, Linda M, "Southwest VA",
Vicki, Matthew and family, Chris, Lovie, Our new adopted family in BRAZIL,


Our Black American Bears Lily and HOPE, their spunky spirit, Jill, the folks at the NABC, Joseph, Cathy Madden and her family., Cindy in NC Cindy, Liz, Lee, Molly, Joanie, Jude, COFA,Judi, Matthew, Natalia, Matt, Mark's family and many friends , Pat, Irene, Kevin, Dr D, Deb, Randy, Dr B , Charlie and family, Jean, Julie, Rhonda, Victoria, Mildred, Andi and family, Faith, Denise, Jim, Tom, Joey, Shelby friends and family, Judi, Phylis, Joyce, Gina, Tonya, Beverly and Family, Janeth, Melissa, Pam, Virginia, Stacey, Elizabeth, Nita, Gary Siegal, Adrienna,Brian Mawbey, the Boyan Family, Jean R and friend Christy Rider, Victoria and hubbie, Stephen, Gayle, Steph, Chris, Erica, Eileen, John, Mindy, Jack, Susan Werth Becken, her brother Mike and family, Craig James Lightfoot and his family, Kenny, Audrey,
Ed Saner, Patty Crowley, and ...


(please feel free to let me know if you would like to add your/or a friends name to our list)


Please lift these friends family and loved ones of these people in your hearts and prayers ~


Just because you have the power and choose to to join with us there are some powerful warriors on this page and in the next place along with some awesome angels ~ together we have banded together with the energy, love and support to facilitate healing and hope for so many along their journey... and for that you should feel pride and great love in connection ~


That is the HOPE in Healing Heartaches ~


Walk In Beauty,
DRSES
Healing Heartaches, Stories of Loss and Life
www.drsherryeshowalter.com