Teddy Talk: Creating, Collecting, Connecting

YAY, Sophie.....TOLD you you'd get the job!!!!!!!!!! So pleased for you - and I'm sure you'll make a success of it, and greater things to come!
big huggies
Maria

http://www.twincities.com/ci_16137598?s … ost_viewed
Did you all read this? NOT very encouraging...........

WOW!!!!!!!!!!! Fantastic piccies Jane, of fabulous bears...........now I know what i missed! - Oh well - NEXT year!
Thanks LOTs, as always Jane - you've given us a real treat
big huggies
Maria :hug:  :hug:  :hug:

yes, Sue Ann.......unbearably sad.........poor Cal. I'll never come to terms with killing these beautiful creatures for "sport"........and to read that two of the four DNR collared bears killed, were actually killed by 12 year old CHILDREN............utterly horrible.

The VERY BEST of luck to you, Sophie.........the job sounds perfect - and you WILL get it!
I'm keeping everything crossed for you
big huggies
Maria

WOW - that was QUICK......I wasn't going to check till at least tomorrow or even Sunday!!!!!!!
Very happy that both my entries got nominated..................and so pleased to see so many friends in there - way to go everyone! :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:
huggies
Maria

WTG, Karen.........huge congrats on your TWO TOBYs :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:  :dance:
and congrats to the other winners too :clap:  :clap:
huggies
Maria

I LOVE your teddy tales, Peter........the bears are very lucky to have you as their "dad"
huggies
Maria

Peter.."cool and collected"???????? I seem to remember at one point last year coming across you, looking - well - "shell shocked" comes closest!    Faced with all those glorious bears, I'm sure all resolve will disappear.............just ENJOY it! Wish I could be there too.........but we're in a post-holiday "austerity phase"!
big hugs
Maria

Someone posted this on FB - http://wimp.com/orangutandog/    it's an absolute delight!

thanks for sharing this with us Jane.  Poor baby - another example of misguided "kindness". At least she is in a good place now - and will be properly fed and eventually share her life with others of her kind.
huggies
Maria

Just wanted to wish all of you who are going to Hugglets, whether as exhibitor or  visitor, a great  time! And most of all, lots of FUN!
huggies
Maria

Hi Susan
I think Dr. Lynn is against legislation to protect the collared bears as he feels it would/might antagonise the hunters..........in general they seem to be right with him - last year NONE of the research bears were hurt.  This really does seem to be a spiteful act by some misguided person......the sort that likes to spoil things for everyone else. And lets face it - Lily, Hope and their ever-growing army of fans have been much in the news.
BTW - meant to say earlier - I can't imagine you get ANY scraps left at the Lemon Wolf Cafe - that was a truly memorable lunch you treated us to!
big hugs
Maria

I logged in here hours ago.............but couldn't find the right words.............shocked, saddened, disgusted......devastated - you name it.
This really does appear to be an act of vindictive malice......and it does NO good to anyone. Even the "responsible" hunters are going to get caught in the back-lash.
While I absolutely abhor even the idea of "sport" hunting, I can't see a way out - banning hunting isn't going to stop those who think it's their right.......
Poor wee Sarah - she was one of the bears we "met".........a sweet little girl, who never deserved this. My heart goes out to Lynn & Sue.
And all of a sudden the sheer joy I felt at being privileged to see some of these wonderful creatures has all GONE.........
it's a very sad day

Hi peeps - glad you like the piccies!
Peter - the one playing in water is Lucky, at the Bear Center, and Beth......the big guy on the perfect teddy pose is One-eyed Jack..........after all the bears "settled down " in my mind, he's the one who came to the fore   . He's the epitome of the "gentle giant" - despite carrying scars from hunter's bullets (including his destroyed eye) he is so placid and calm - he reminded us of the wolfhounds we once had......big, gentle  and just THERE, with nothing to prove. Plus, of course, the way he sat just cracked me up - you wouldn't think that his back legs could spread out to that angle.
Day 5 of the hunting season over.........and the news that some are using bows and arrows. It's all so barbaric.........    
huggies
Maria

Good for you Tami........and lucky little Cooper.........a brand new HAPPY life awaits him
big hugs
Maria

hi all - glad you like the photos! And yes, Sue Ann - the Loons are something else.......never seen on before, as they are rare over this side of the pond!. And the noise they make is really unforgettable.
I'm getting scared to read the daily updates on the Lily page.........the news that someone has put a trail cam on the WRI boundary line is just horrific............

lol, Peter..........you know what "they" say - Sanity is vastly over-rated! Crazy is the best place to be.......
big hugs
Maria

Me again....jeremy has loaded some pics on my website....go to www.puca-bears.de/ely_pictures.html. There are 3 pages...first, Ted . Lucky and Honey at the NABC, second, various bears around the field station........check out my favourite - BIG One-eyed Jack! (piccie no.14) and the third - in the woods - no surprise - Hope and Lily - and one (the second) of June who wandered in and got promptly chased off by Lily! There are lots more, but it's going to be a mammoth task to sort them out - sigh - just need TIME

Lovely story! And one I can relate to - we've changed countries quite a few times, and I have memories of the "travelling circus"...... like the trip from Belgium to France with two Irish Wolfhounds and a cat in the car, and a few years later, a 10-hour trip from France to Holland with SIX cats, an Irish wolfhound and a Leonberger in the car.............and all the times we've had to search for a rental house where we could have the beasties with us. Life would be awfully empty without our furbabies, wouldn't it?

Dear Peter...I have to say it........You'll be daft when you grow up (lol)...............but then you won't ever grow up will you? Don't think any of us will............
Wish I was going to be at Hugglets too, but we (sensibly) decided it would be TOO much , so soon after our bear trip.........I'm going to have to be GOOD for a while, and NOT SPEND!
big huggies
Maria

Hi Pat
yes - I was LUCKY! We booked last October, immediately after seeing "The Bearwalker" on TV..........and I really LOVED every minute!
We ere there from Sunday afternoon, till we parted company, lunchtime(ish) on the Wednesday, back at the NABC
I have to say that Hope is a beautiful little bear........and she struck me as a very determined little girl! But then , what else could you expect after all she's been thru? that first sight of the cheeky little face was pure magic!
Being with Lynn &/or Sue meant that we could get up close to the bears.....I'm sure that alone, we wouldn't have seen a single one!
Made a list last night of all the ones I could remember having "met" - got to 25, plus a few extras - quite overwhelming really. And with so many it was difficult to remember who was who - OK, some are easy - one-eyed Jack, Shylow with the big nick out of one ear, Bow, RC and Braveheart with their distinctive white markings on their chests , and young Sarah, with light patches on the backs of her ears.
I really felt we learned such a lot, just watching them interact - you'd get the occasional threatening grumble from the big bears when they felt a bit too close to each other - and then maybe a short "charge" to clear a bit of space(!)........and you could see sometimes that the yearlings were a bit jumpy - after all , not long ago they'd be straight up a tree at the sight of another adult, and now they are finding their feet as bears, having been booted out by their mum's during the mating season. But most of all, i learned that they won't bother you if you don't bother them.........on the last morning, I walked round the back of the lodge to tell others that breakfast was ready, and then walked back, parallel to a bear........she glanced at me, I , at her, and then we just carried on walking.......no problems, and no nervousness (but my mind was shouting "I'M WALKING WITH A  BEAR!)
It really was the most incredible experience, EVER.
and hopefully we'll have some photos sorted this w/end for you all to see
huggies
Maria

Sorry, guys.....the photos aren't ready yet......Jeremy back at work, so it's FINDING time - hopefully we'll get some up over the weekend.
huggies
Maria

Very sobering - I DO hope the poor guy recovers

Hiya
yes.....I was SO lucky to be able to experience it all........and to see bears with Lynn and Sue is a huge privilege - they are both such lovely people.
But now comes the really tough time - hunting season starts in a couple of days. I can't bear the thought of any of those beautiful  creatures getting shot at.
And Katy - I managed to cadge a bit of Honey bear's fur........I'm going to try a cinnamon bear and use her fur to needle-felt the muzzle - even if it might just be a top layer (haven't got very much!). Incidentally, I let our dog sniff it....NOPE - totally unimpressed!