May 12, 2008 – I should have been reading last year’s entry in this section of my website.  An artist friend just asked me Friday if I had seen any bears yet this year.  My wife asked me yesterday (Saturday) if the bears would be coming around soon and I told her no, not until about the first of June.  This morning I got up and the trash was strewn across the yard.  Maybe they jinxed me with all those questions about the bears?  I reviewed last year’s entry and see that the bears paid a visit on May 14^th, so they seem to be right on time.  The mess wasn’t as bad as it has been in the past.  I looked around for tracks and only found a few.  My fist with the thumb placed on the outside fit nicely inside the track, so I guess it wasn’t a small bear.  It had walked around the feeder, but fortunately the raccoons had emptied it just a few days ago.  I had taken the leaf blower and blown it out just a day earlier, so it had nothing in it.  I’m  glad the bear didn’t do the usual and tear it down to ground check it!