Bear circles Yule fire
drumming sunrise to sunset
gift of tobacco
cool blue snow cave hides
monks of the animal world
heartbeat disappears
long sleep of Winter
cubs born in hibernation
lean fat of the land
Winter Solstice past
contemplative Void lingers
the promise of Spring
Cool Drums, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Winter Solstice, December 21st 2008, all photos © 2008 by QuoinMonkey. All rights reserved.
Promise Of Spring
New Year’s Eve approaches. Black-eyed peas are soaking in a pot on the stove, awaiting the bone of ham. Taking a much needed rest, I’m reminded of the hibernation of Bear. We learned on a wind chilled, -18 degree Winter Solstice that bear cubs are born during hibernation in the black cold of January.
After the Winter cave of silent dreams, we move into 2009 with the promise of rebirth — Spring.
The Bear Facts
To learn more about the winter habits of Bears and other hibernating animals such as squirrels, groundhogs, chipmunks, bats, rattlesnakes, and hedgehogs, visit these links:
- Secrets of Hibernation by Peter Tyson on PBS Nova Online — with University of Minnesota graduate student and bear expert, Lynn Rogers
- Ask A Wildlife Biologist: Do Bears Really Sleep All Winter? By Sean Farley — Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation
- Ursus Americanus — American Black Bear — University of Michigan Museum of Zoology – Animal Diversity Web
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game – Brown Bear (Ursus Arctos)
-posted on red Ravine, Tuesday, December 30th, 2008, with gratitude to my friends Carol, Susan, and Gail
-related to post: haiku (one-a-day)
QM, wondrous haiku…so evocative of a deep, snowy winter…great photos, as well, even though I’m not a winter-time enthusiast. I did research on Grizzly bears as I wrote my poem-story, “Where Water Meets Sky and Fish Can Fly.” That is when I learned that the cubs are born during the mother’s hibernation. (I envy her!)
An amazing occurance in our nearby mountains this fall. A man and his grown son were hunting elk with bows and arrows. They had been out several days without any luck.
The father prayed that God guide his arrow the next day.
On the following day, the son rounded a bend on the trail and encountered a Grizzly, which attacked, knocking him down and then grabbing the man’s arm in his teeth, began dragging him away. The father, following, was about 50 feet away, and as quickly as he could, placed an arrow in his bow and shot. The son could hear and even feel the arrow whiz by his head. The bear was killed instantly.
The son did suffer some claw scratches and his arm was pierced by the bear’s teeth, but no major damage done.
The father later related that, although his intended prayer was not to save his son’s life, he knew the prayer was answered as it was meant to be!
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oliverowl, thank you, and that’s an amazing story, I can hardly believe that happened. Talk about an exercise in faith. Wow. I’m always in awe of those who survive grizzly attacks. I know when I lived in Montana, grizzly bears were a big deal. We were taught what to do when hiking and women in particular had to take special precautions. Thanks for sharing that story. Can I ask what mountain range that happened in (if you remember). Just curious. Liz told me about some of the mountains surrounding that area when she visited there last.
Have you ever tasted bear meat, oliverowl? I was pleasantly surprised. It’s not at all as gamey as deer or elk. I can’t describe the taste, something I’ve never tasted before. It would be a good Writing Practice to try it again and try to describe the taste and smell. It was quite good.
I loved knowing that bears give birth while still in the cave. Cool that you researched that for your piece (BTW, I really like the title). I was surprised to learn that brown bears and grizzlies are the same species. I like this from the Brown Bear link about the cubs:
In the winter when food is unavailable or scarce, most Alaska brown bears enter dens and hibernate through the winter. While in this state, their body temperatures, heart rate, and other metabolic rates are reduced. Their need for food and water is eliminated. In northern areas with long hard winters, bears may spend from 5 to 7 ½ months in dens. Pregnant females are usually the first to enter dens in the fall. These females, with their newborn cubs, are the last to exit dens. The hairless young, weighing less than a pound, are born the following January or February in a winter den. Litter size ranges from one to four cubs, but two is most common. Offspring typically separate from their mothers as 2-year olds in May or June. Adult males, on the other hand, appear to enter dens later and emerge earlier than most other bears.
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QM, I am hibernating over here in cold (but not that cold) New Mexico. I can’t recall ever giving in to the desire to just sleep and rest and do nothing like I am these days. Naps each afternoon, and letting myself off the hook from the many things I typically try to get done during days off. I can’t say it’s been great—there’s something actually kind of melancholy about it. But it’s been necessary.
Hope you are doing well. How is Chaco coming along?
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ybonesy, I’ve been doing the same, my own brand of hibernating. There is something kind of melancholy about it. But I think it’s good to let the body and mind rest for a bit from the usual routines. Taking a nap every afternoon actually sounds pretty good. Can’t remember the last time I let myself do that. I’m just catching up from sleep deprivation after waking up a lot to care for Chaco. Hey, thanks for asking about him.
Amazingly, we took him back to the vet yesterday and she couldn’t believe the change in him. She drew more blood and we won’t get to talk to her about the new bloodwork until Friday. She said she couldn’t believe it was the same cat. He’s not out of the woods yet, but so much better. He’d gained back about 8/10’s of a pound (after losing over 2 lbs, a lot for a cat), his eyes were dilating normally, he has more energy and is walking around pretty well now.
We kept a journal all through this and wrote down every improvement. The first day he purred again was a major WOO-HOO! We’re still giving him Sub-Q fluids until we know more from the blood work. Not yet sure about his kidneys. But whatever infection he had, he’s really fighting it.
It’s kind of a miracle. The vet said yesterday that right before Christmas, the staff was begging her to put him down, he was so bad off. But after she looked at his first blood work, she saw two signs of hope — his urine density (not at the levels of kidney failure) and that his anemia was regenerative (his body was still working to replace the red blood cells). Based on those two things, she elected to have us bulk him up with antibiotics, give fluids, feed him prescription food, and so far it’s working. I’ll keep you posted about the long-term prognosis. Chaco may have just used up another of his 9 lives and started a new one. 8)
Hey, BTW, how’s Sony doing? Haven’t heard you mention little Sony Pepperoni in a while. A woman at work just got a pug and she loves her to death. Said she’s the cutest thing. And any plans for New Year’s ybonesy?
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BTW, ybonesy, I forgot to mention that we woke up to an air temperature of -9 this morning, with wind chills taking it down to -22 out in my neck of the woods. I can’t believe our cars always start, even without ever having a garage. It’s blue, crisp and clear. Tomorrow is supposed to get up into the 20’s. Last week, I think we actually had one 40 degree day. The temps are all over the place this winter. And TONS of snow!
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Oh, that’s so great to hear, QM. That Chaco! What an amazing recovery! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that it continues, but I think you’re right…another life. Good thing he has nine.
Sony is doing well. So far we have been able to grab out of her mouth the many things she continues to find that might obstruct her stomach again—rubber bands, plastic bobbleheads, giant clumps of hair. It is a constant vigilance, but we’re all in it together. Plus, it’s almost a game with her, so she almost always lets us in on the fact that she’s got something that’s bad for her. Then we proceed to chase her around screaming, “Drop it! DROP IT!!” At which point she drops it. 8)
Let’s see—plans for New Year’s. We’ll take the tree down tomorrow and invite some old friends we saw on Christmas Day over for a gathering. How about you?
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QM, the mountains are a part of the Rockies, of course, but more specifically, tne North Absaroka Wilderness/aka Shoshone National Forest. Grizzlys are a protected species, and one poor guy accidentally shot one, (thinking at first that it was a brown bear.) He reported it himself, and was promptly fined $14,000! When this appeared in the local newspaper, another man wrote an incensed letter to the editor, as he did not think it fair to impose such a stiff fine, when it was an accident and the man turned himself in! He went on to write that there have been far more accidental shootings of hunters by other hunters and there is never a fine…he wondered if human life is not as valuable as an animal’s! Hmmm.
I’ve never tasted bear meat. Liz’s Grandpa shot a Kodiak Brown bear in Alaska, but only brought the skin back, which was turned into a rug. Haven’t heard of anyone in WY that has eaten it, will have to inquire & let you know.
Like you, I’m serving ham, black-eyed peas, collard greens & corn bread for tomorrow’s noon meal…”sho-nuff!” T,T& J will be my guests. Just pulled the “Blond Brownies” out of the oven, which we’ll have for dessert.
Our temps are also in a yo-yo mode; 40 today, snow predicted for tomorrow with a plunge in the temps again. I don’t care, this woman goin’ nowhere!
So happy to hear of Chaco’s improvement…miracles are not supernatural, but Supremely natural!
Best wishes for a great New Year to you, yb, and all the other wordsmiths that contribute to redravine. I feel close to all. I think the best idea you had in 2008 was the daily haiku post…the good I have gained from it is immeasurable! THANK YOU!
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Really lovely haiku verse poem. I like how it begins with the yule fore and ends with the promise of spring.
I have a sister-in-law from Atlanta, who taught us Notherners about eating black-eyed peas for the new year. I remember that the tradition includes something about eating them for luck in the new year.
QM, do you know the story of eating Black-eyed peas for new year’s and can you share it? Inquiring rR minds want to know!
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Spring seems so far away. Winter has just begun. I’m hoping to enjoy some of it before spring comes. Winter used to be my favorite season, now it’s whatever season I’m in.
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In the Animal Medicine cards, Bear teaches us lessons in Introspection….seems like the end of the year is a wonderful time to go deep into our caves (if we listen to our natural cycles! LOL) to digest and think about all that the prior year brought to us…
I like the idea of the Bear (a feminine energy) seeking this cave of introspection when she’s pregnant with the promise of new life. How many times do our own Brainchild or Soulchild (creative ideas?) come to life initially unseen except by our own eyes? 🙂
Happy New Year!
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What wonderful comments on this post. I’m just getting home and settled in after a day at work. So heartwarming to read everyone’s New Year’s wishes. I’m grateful to you all.
ybonesy, we were first thinking we would go to a movie tonight but have changed our minds. We’re now going to watch a movie at home and relax with the cats. I guess I’m getting old, too old to head out partying anyway. 8) So glad Sony is doing well. Happy New Year’s Eve to you and your family.
oliverowl, some great stories there about Liz’s grandfather and the man who accidentally shot the grizzly. I love what you say — miracles are not supernatural, but Supremely natural! It’s true, isn’t it? We start to believe just the opposite after living in this world for a while. But it’s really the Good Stuff that is the most natural.
And thanks for your kudos on the haiku post. I’m really excited to get a new post up for 2009. But, you know me, it might take me a bit to get it up. I’ll move it high to the list. I’m looking forward to all our haiku friends for another year, and any new who want to join as well.
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breathepeace, black-eyed peas are a must for those of us of Southern heritage. Got to bring that Good Luck into the New Year. It’s said that the Northerners in the War Between the States weren’t fond of black-eyed peas and left them in the fields for the Southerners to eat, hence they became a food of humilty, a kind of poor man’s food but rich in spirit.
I wrote a piece about black-eyed peas almost exactly a year ago today entitled:
Cook Up A Little New Year’s Luck — Traditional Black-Eyed Peas (LINK)
Ya’ll can find a lot more info about the little legume there and also a traditional recipe (from my Mom) for how to cook them. oliverowl’s got the right idea, too, including the collard greens and corn bread.
The idea is that if you start out the New Year dining in humility, you will only become more prosperous as the year moves on. Some cook the black-eyed peas up along with greens and cornbread because, according to the myth of fortune, the peas represent coins, the greens symbolize paper money, and cornbread stands for gold.
Check out the link for more info. We just dropped the hambone into ours and are going to let them simmer into the night. 8) YUM.
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Corina, you’re so right, Spring is quite a ways away. And I’m a Winter lover, too. For some reason, this time of year, I tend to think of how amazing it is that out of all this sub-zero weather, every green thing blooms and rises to the top of the Earth again. It’s a miracle every season.
Grace, Happy New Year to you, too. I tend to get very introspective in the dark of Winter. And if you think about how people lived before electricity, by daylight, moonlight, and firelight, it makes total sense that we are wired to go inside when the light goes away.
I’ll be back a little later to check in. Heading off pretty soon to watch a movie. It’s up to 5 degrees but feels colder. I can’t seem to get my feet warm. 8)
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Seeing snow, even in these wonderful images, is something I can’t relate to. There are palm trees outside my window. The idea of cold white stuff is daunting.
A friend was telling me to the traditional Chinese holiday that celebrates the solstice. I’ll have to look deeper into that and share my discoveries.
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Thanks for the info QM. We dined on delicious slow-cooked black-eyed peas for the New Year. I wish that I could feed some to the economy … in order that it might be more prosperous in the new year!
Here is a Chinese saying for the day from the 2009 Zen Calendar:
Renew thyself completely each day;
do it again and again,
and forever again.
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breathepeace, yeah, me, too. If only we could feed those black-eyed peas into the flailing economy. One good thing, it can only get better from here. Glad you had black-eyed peas for the New Year. I think we have a little left in the fridge that I’m about to heat up for lunch. I like the saying from the Zen calendar. Such simple words…but what a challenge.
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Oh, Stevo, I just saw your comment. Somehow I had missed it. I can’t imagine not having snow and Winter, ever. But then the heat and humidity is nothing to sneeze about either. Is it humid there?
I remember when we first moved from Georgia to Pennsylvania, that first winter, it snowed and snowed and snowed. I fell in love with Winter. It felt like where I belonged.
And I discovered after moving to the Midwest where Winter is REALLY sub-zero winter, that the ancient peoples who settled this northern land really had to learn to survive in conditions that must have been harrowing at the time. They learned to live with extreme cold.
I have come to appreciate my roots in the South, too, and the extreme heat and humidity that drive me bonkers. Some people don’t mind the humidity at all, but it drives me crazy. I am constantly sweating. I wonder what it is that makes some of us love winter, and some summer. Thanks for stopping by!
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