Spring becomes Summer
Its 1am now, yes, keeping the cubs up all day, until 10 pm didn’t work either. They are rambunctious and wanting to play. We were able to get them back to sleep at 3am and slept until 6am. We did get slightly more sleep last night, but far from what we used to getting. A bear likes to sleep.
We had breakfast and I decided to do some remodeling around the house, for the cubs to their own room work? Or is sleep just not going to happen, in this den? Bud was very interested in what I was doing, and tried to help a little. Susie and Dottie were helping Sophia to clean the house, and then they slipped outside and went to the stream to fish. Sophia took 2 baskets to fill full of trout. She was hoping, she remembers how to fish the old-fashioned bear way. With Lucy and Ben fishing for her, other than with a pole in hand, she hadn’t done any fishing to fill the freezer. Both Susie and Dottie were having fun. They tried to catch a few fish but wasn’t quite able to catch any. Sophia at first was very rusty, but it did get better. She caught both baskets full from 7 inches to 19 inches but she was very proud of her biggest native trout at 21 inches.
Back at the den I was having a blast with Bud, he was keeping me on my toes. He wasn’t a good helper yet but he did try. My biggest issue was he be with me one second, then he be gone the next second. I believe Bud was looking for Susie and Dottie, they had never been separated before. But the new room will be complete for the cubs tonight, with a lockable door. I think myself and Sophia will get some much-needed sleep tonight.
Sophia is back and said, WOW, the new room is looking good. She hopes for a good night’s sleep tonight. She said for me to stay with all the cubs and make sure they all stay active. Sophia is going to fry up some of the fresh native trout and some greens with bacon. It wasn’t long until she said supper is on. After supper we all stayed up until midnight talking, we felt sad due to talking about Oliver. The cubs were rough housing in the floor. Sophia went into their new bedroom, and gave them one last drink of her milk. I stayed in the living room and had me a cigarette. Hoping it would help me rest, and get a goodnight sleep. When Sophia showed up, she said roll her one also. So, I rolled 2 and after we finished, we went to bed.
The next morning at 8 am I wake up to screaming, Sophia said they are gone. I go into where Sophia is screaming, they had somehow gotten the door unlocked and was gone. I tell Sophia he was sure they probably down at the stream. He would go down and get them, and you stay here and fix a picnic breakfast to bring down to the stream. She agreed but was hesitant, as she felt she needs to be out looking for them also, in case they are not at the stream. As I get to the stream, everyone was in the deep pool, Susie, Dottie and then pops up was Bud with a 14-inch native trout in his mouth. Look everyone my very 1st trout I caught all by myself. I must say he made his older brother proud. All the cubs then were trying to catch another trout, no more trout was caught this morning.
Sophia shows up and 1st thing out of her mouth. Listen here all of you, don’t y’all ever scare me like that again. If y’all ever leave the den without letting me know I’ll beat y’all’s ass so hard you can’t sit down for a month. All the cubs said yes Ma’am. Sophia then says anyone hungry; I have a picnic basket. After a healthy and filling breakfast I tell everyone let’s go on an overnight adventure. Everyone was excited. I wanted to go and visit Tom and Sue and see their cubs.
As we are going to Toms, the woods were loaded with fresh fruits. We had our fill of strawberries in the meadow and then the black berries and raspberries were so delicious. Buds favorite though, was when we were higher on the mountains, and found the blueberries, he was gorging himself on them. We also found huckleberries and that was Susie and Dottie’s favorite. One thing for sure we all not skinny anymore from hibernation.
We get to Tom’s den and no one is in there, so we go in and we were tired from the long trip, and we all take a nap. We all was awaking when Tom, Sue and Joelene comes in. Tom said this is Jolene, we had 2 cubs but one was dead when we woke up from hibernation. I tell Tom how sorry we were for their loss. He said its ok, we have this precious Jolene I couldn’t be happier. He then said that it was normal for some of the cubs not to make it. Then he asked who we had. I said this is my older brother Bud, I tell him I had named him, honoring Oliver, and how I came about the name. Both Tom and Sue laugh being named for a marijuana bud. Then I said this is Susie, I named her after you Sue, and finally we have Dottie, Sue said I guess due to that white dot on her chest.
Sue says I wished I knew y’all was coming, I would have had a plenty of strawberry rhubarb pies made. She then said if Ben and Tom would make the main course, you can help me Sophia to make the pies. Let’s see that would be 4 big pies and 4 little ones. Sophia said she would love to help.
Tom said I’ve been saving this for a special occasion I have 2 racks of ribs in the freezer. How would you like Barbecue ribs, Ben. I Said sounds delicious I have heard of them, but I have never eaten any. But I do have ribs in my freezer, so helping you prepare will be great. He said go outside and place some wood in the smoker and light it. Wow I don’t have a smoker, I guess I’ll have to get one or build one. After I had lit the smoker I came inside, Tom had cut the ribs in half, and was putting a lot of seasonings on it. We then take them outside, and place on the racks of the smoker. He said he normally likes to slow smoke them, over about a 12-hour period. We need them to be done before we go to bed so we will have more heat and cook a little quicker. They won’t be as good, as if cooked slowly but still will be good.
It’s now 9pm, a little later than we normally eat, but everything is ready to eat. Tom tells me to take the 1st bite, OMG I thought I had died and went to heaven, it was so delicious. All the cubs had barbecue sauce all over them, but they looked like they were enjoying the ribs. Sophia and Sue also were enjoying, and Sue went in to get the pies, she brought out the four small one’s 1st. The cubs were so happy everyone finished theirs at the same time so no fighting tonight. Then we ate ours and thanked Sue for them.
We stayed up and talked a little while, the cubs played and rough housed. We tell them that we were living in Toms old den, due to was too many cubs at Lucy’s. I tell them Lucy had 2 Cubs Patches the boar bear and Lucille named after lucy. Sue said yes, there were a few sleepless nights here also, then she remembered the nursery rhyme book, from when she was just a little cub. I have read 1 or 2 rhymes every night, and they sleep all night long. I’m thinking I’m glad it works for Jolene, but you don’t know our cubs yet.
Its bed time now and we have 2 area’s, that we will sleep in, one for the cubs, then one for us older bears. Sue goes in and tells all the cubs to gather around; I hear Once upon a time there was there was a little girl whose hair was so bright and yellow etc. etc. by the end of the rhyme all 4 of the cubs was sound asleep. I heard snoring Tom was also. We all went to bed and left Tom, where he was a snoring.
We woke up the next morning at 8 am and the cubs were still snoozing including Tom. I tell Sophia we have to go to the Bears Goodwill store and get one; she said that’s a must. We have breakfast before heading back to our den.
On way back to den 2 yearling does is standing close to us, so I know this may be some easy food for us. I tell Sophia watch after the cubs, he was going try to get us some fresh deer. She said OK. I take out after the deer, when I hear Sophia yell out Bud STOP; I continued the hunt and chased the deer into the steep rocks and kill the 1st one. By then there is Bud right beside me, he said he get the other one. I knew he was too small, but I let him have a little fun, before I went in and finished killing the deer. Bud said that was so much fun. I want to be your hunting, Bud.
We get the 2 deer back down to where Sophia and the 2 little sows were, and Sophia dragged one back to the den, and I dragged the other one back to the den. Sophia, Susie, and Dottie go in to the kitchen to prepare supper, while Bud and myself stay outside, to dress and bag the deer for freezing. Sophia has prepared some ham and green beans, seasoned with bacon and some sourdough bread. We had a delicious supper, and go in the living room and stayed up until midnight. I don’t have a rhyme book yet, so I tried the story that Lucy had told last night. At some spots I made up my own version. Before I got to the end, they all was snoozing.
I tell Sophia tomorrow we will go and visit Luna and Maverick and see their new family, also go to see Samuel and Angel and their new family. We will take enough fishing poles, and stop at the pond, hopefully farmer Brown has stocked the pond by now. We can also go visit Ceasar, he may have a rhyme book. Sophia is concerned of fishing in the pond with the cubs!
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Dale Thacker Aurthor 
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