Sunday, January 15, 2012

Update: IN WHICH BEAR FINALLY GETS TO HIBERNATE

Ah, well, finally. The snow came last night. It is still being blown about by swirling winds. The temperature feels like -27°C, which is about -17°F.

Update: The temperature today is -38°C (or -36F). The wind chill takes it down to -48C (that's a balmy -54F). With all the ice crystals in the sky, there are huge sundogs, and I can hear them barking. Great background noise to which a Bear can fall asleep.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you in the spring (whenever it arrives, hopefully later than sooner). If I wake up before spring, I'll try to come by for a visit. After which I'll doze off again.

Blessings and Bear hugs to all. And (Janie, especially), ciao for niao.

50 comments:

Rubye Jack said...

Wow. I really cannot relate to that sort of cold and know I wouldn't be able to handle it--at all.
Be safe Bear.

Lins' lleisio said...

Hibernate well Bear, don't let those bed bugs bite. Looking forward to seeing you come springtime.

Rosaria Williams said...

Bear, get thee to warmer climate! I'm surprised you are still willing to hibernate/suffer during your cold season. Even though we have temperate weather most of the time, we take ourselves for a long vacation in sunny California.
Anyway, have a great rest.

Stella Jones said...

Have a good sleep, sleepy bear. Sweet dreams. The squirrels in my wood are hibernating too, all except for one little one who comes to feed on my patio every morning.

Jackie said...

As you snuggle in for a winter's sleep, know that we will miss you while you are gone. Take care of you.
Warm hugs,
Jackie

Rob-bear said...

® Rubye Jack: One learns to accommodate oneself to where one lives, I suppose. I cannot Bear the heat, and I'm not particularly fond of large Rattlesnakes.

Sadly, Indian Territory is not at the top of my list for places to visit. Were it not for you, it wouldn't be on the list at all.

Actually, the cold not that bad. If there is no wind, I can go outside briefly in my shirtsleeves and leather vest. Besides, the hard cold tends to break the disease cycle in many critters.

® Lins'lleisio: Bed bugs? Way too cold for them outside. Same as breaking the disease cycle. I can do without Bed Bugs and Rattlesnakes. But as the climate warms, the Bed Bugs are moving into new territory. Mostly north.

Question: does the double L in the middle of your name reflect a Northern Welsh spelling?

Chatty Crone said...

Sleep well and stay warm. sandie

Rob-bear said...

® rosaria: Warmer climate? Good grief! There are reasons why Bears do not live in California, Oregon and Washington. TOO HOT! Montana and Idaho aren't too bad. Rocky Mountains are excellent. Open rangeland is great; that's why it's on my blog. But none of those work if it is too hot.

If I were to take a vacation, I would go to Alaska, and see some of my distant relatives. But not Sarah Palin, with her guns, and all.

Rob-bear said...

® Star: Thanks for the visit.

Squirrels sometimes pack it in before the Bears. I'm guessing the one who frequents your diner is a younger one, who hasn't quite caught on to the idea of hibernation. Enjoy him while you can. Were I at your place I would enjoy him too, as a bedtime snack.

Rob-bear said...

® Jackie: Ah, thank you for the best wishes. I'm getting snuggled in, and am looking for a long winter's nap. See you in the spring!

® Chatty Crone: Thanks you, also. As we Bears say up here, "Be cool, but stay warm."

potsoc said...

Hibernate well although it means missing winter fun (????), Our squirrels don't seem to hibernate around here. We have a pair frolicking all day in our backyard, climbing fences and scaling trees as it was summer. They look a bit amorous too.

Rob-bear said...

Ah! J'ai oublié Le Carnival d'Hiver! Et M. Bonhomie! Quelle domage!

That was not good planing. I guess I can miss Winter Carnival for one year. Please say hello to M. Bonhomie for me.

potsoc said...

I'm afraid that I will not see le Bonhomme, after all he roams 277km away, close in summer but risky in winter for a day trip.

Rob-bear said...

® potsoc: Quelle domage, encore.

But maybe I could hop on a train, instead of letting a train run into me.

(Please excuse my misspelling of M. Bonhomme's name.)

Nancy said...

We had a very cold front whip by during the night, leaving a couple of badly-needed inches of snow. Sleep well, Bear.

Rob-bear said...

® Nancy: Glad you've got some snow. It can be pretty dry without it. So dry, in fact, that you might have the experience of a guy up here. He swears it was to dry last summer that he saw two trees fighting over a dog.

But perhaps not.

cheshire wife said...

I think that you might like our climate here in the UK. Never too hot and never really cold. But if you must stay in Canada sleep well!

Diana said...

Nighty Night Bear! I think I'm going to be doing a bit of hibernating myself for a few days after tomorrow! Bear Hugz to you my friend! Love Di ♥

Rob-bear said...

® cheshire wife: Oh, that's excellent!
Actually, the thought of moving across the pond had been running in the back of my mind.
Do you know if there are any good Bear caves on Anglesey Island or around St. David's?

® Diana: I can understand that you might want to hibernate for a few days after tomorrow. That's what I would want to do if people put pokey things in me. I hope everything goes well in that regard.
The sun is shining today and it feels like about -37°C (-35F). Bracing, invigorating. Perfect weather on the day before hibernation.
See you later!

About Last Weekend said...

Have a great rest, we will miss you though! Like Rosaria I can't believe you can handle that climate! No snow here and all the ski field people are weeping

Rob-bear said...

® about last weekend: Jody, the climate is just fine. It's the sort of thing to which one becomes accustomed. One simply needs to be flexible in thinking, and clothing. You get yourself ready, and out you go. Sort of like the rain in London, or wherever.
And if gets really cold, say around -40, one stays home. Quite simple, actually.
Thanks for the good wishes about hibernating. See you in due course.

Golden Eagle said...

Sleep well!

Rob-bear said...

® the golden eagle: Thanks. And may you soar high all winter!

A Lady's Life said...

That's pretty cold. Perfect weather for warm blankees :)

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Well have a good sleep bear!

Rob-bear said...

® A Lady's Life: Thanks, but who needs blankies when one is wearing a Bearskin coat?

® Lisa @ Two Bears Farm: Thanks for visiting. I hope you Bears and your cubs have a great hiber-sleep, too.

Inger said...

Are you really going to be asleep now that I found your fun blogs? Well, if you are, have a good one and see you in the spring. It was 9F here in the canyon this morning and I thought that was cold. No snow yet, just this eternal sunshine. Can it drive you mad, I wonder.

Rob-bear said...

® Inger: Just because I'm hibernating, that doesn't mean I'm "down for the count."
We Bears are not true hibernators; if the weather gets nice, we come out, have a good sniff around, a quick snack, and go back to bed (and to sleep).

Amanda Summer said...

i'm the odd man out here, i actually like winter having grown up in minnesota - although maybe not to the extent of subzero conditions for months on end - but they are good for mother earth and for bears.

enjoy your hibernation - it's important for all creatures to rest and recharge.

xo

Rob-bear said...

® amanda: First, I'm smart enough (Bearly) to know that you're not a man.
Second, I grew up in Toronto, where temperatures as low as 0°F are rare (or at least they were). But I've lived more than half of my life in the west, so this weather is just fine, for man and Bear.
Third, I intend to thoroughly enjoy my hibernation. I hope you enjoy your winter, too.

Gutsy Living said...

Hope you wake up before spring to visit us.

Rob-bear said...

® Gutsy Living: Well, Sonia, if I do wake early, I'll drop by. I don't want to miss the amazing, gutsy stories at your place.

That Janie Girl said...

That is soooooo cold! I can't even imagine!!

Ciao, my friend.

Not fair that you get to hibernate! ;)

You snooze bucket.

Rob-bear said...

® Janie: I think of those temperatures as fresh, invigorating, bracing — things like that.
Jealousy will get you nowhere, except bad sleep. I, on he other hand, will not only sleep, I'll HIBERNATE. I could say something here, about eating and your heart, but that would be a bit rude, and rude is not my nature. Usually.

That Janie Girl said...

Bear is ornery and must need a nappy-poo. Just saying'. xoxo

Rob-bear said...

® That Janie Girl: Yawn. Snuffle. Ahhhhh.

Not going to think about poopy nappies (let the Brits do that). Thinking about rabbits playing in the spr. . . . Snore.

Hilary said...

Oh you must be fast asleep by now. I'll try to resist poking you. Keep warm. :)

Rob-bear said...

® HIllary: Your coming to the door of my den was enough to wake me.

I'll roll over and go back to sleep promptly. But I'll probably have dog dreams from now until March.

Mummy Cow said...

I've always envied bears. Hibernation is my idea of a pre-heaven visit. Sleep well and be warm. Lovely to meet you Bear.
MC

Rob-bear said...

® Mommy Cow: Hi, and welcome. Thank you so much for visiting.

I was having a great rest; them my computer went "ping" and woke me up. Glad I didn't miss your visit.

See you in the spring.

Snore.

THINGS YOU'D NEVER GUESS ABOUT ME said...

As long as you are WELL, hibernate. If you aren't well, and didn't say anything about it, BAD BEAR.

Rob-bear said...

® Beau's Mom: Good Grief! A Bear cannot do a normal Bear thing without the suspicion of misadventure. You sound like Homeland Security or something.

And I woke up to answer that. Silly Bear.

Dana, relax already. I'm doing just fi. . . .

Snore!

kj said...

what? what? no bear reports until spring?

it's snowed here too, bear. i don't mind, but i don't like the white blanket of my back yard. i miss my gardens and the soft soil.

it's unseasonably warm, for which i'm grateful, except that i know the planet can't be happy with it.

cuddle up, my friend.


kj

Rob-bear said...

® kj: Patience is a virtue. You may be surprised.

ReformingGeek said...

Anything below 60F is hibernation time for me!

Stay warm and cozy. Pleasant dreams.

Rob-bear said...

To warm to sleep at 60F.

It's about -7C (about 20 F) and it's getting warm. Which is why I'm briefly awake.

Thanks for coming by.

susan said...

I hope you're tucked in someplace cozy on this long winter night. Do modern bears have books to read and music to listen to during the long dark? The best thing about winter I've found is that time seems to slow down just a little.

Best wishes and thanks for your visit. I've added you to my blog roll.

Rob-bear said...

® Susan: Thank you so much for dropping by and visiting. Even when I'm supposed to be hibernating. (Really, it's too warm for hibernating, so I'm out and about.)

I understand some modern Bears have things like books, and Apples — that you don't eat. (Now THAT is strange.) But I'm a pretty traditional Bear. Well, except for this Apple, to which I apply my paws when I'm awake. But other than that, I'm pretty traditional.

Thanks again for visiting; I'll be back to Halifax when I'm awake. Which may be sooner than I want. Not the visit, the being awake. (I sometimes find Human language complicated.)

Arlee Bird said...

We're talking way too cold for me here.

Welcome to the A to Z Challenge--now that's hot!


Lee
Tossing It Out

Rob-bear said...

® Arlee Bird: Don't worry about the cold; we're almost up to the freezing point today.

See you from A-Z, eh.