Intended on getting a good night's sleep tonight. Unfortunately, one of the creatures of the forest didn't get the memo.
About 45 minutes ago, I was awakened by a loud THUD on my back porch. Getting up, I stumbled into the living room and went towards the back door. I was a little puzzled because my whole back porch was dark which is unusual because there's a security light up on a pole about 20 yards from my back steps that generally lights up the whole area.
As I got closer, I realized the light wasn't out...it was being blocked.
There was on my back porch a bear. A full-grown bear. I have a wood storage box on one side of the porch and the THUD apparently was the sound of the bear jumping down from there onto the floor of the porch.
I stood transfixed and more than a little frightened. My back door is about 2/3 glass. (A situation that is going to be remedied within the next 24 hours...) I was afraid to do anything that might give the bear the idea of standing up and pushing on the glass part of the door.
I stood in the dark, shaking like a leaf, until the bear finally went back down the stairs and around the side of my house. He took his time but eventually went away from my house and back towards the ravine in back of me.
I am now wide awake. I've lived here nearly 12 years and have NEVER been that scared. I've seen bears a couple of times but one has never actually ventured onto my porch before. I'll be making a phone call to the rangers as soon as it gets light to see what - if anything - I can do to make my house and porch LESS attractive to bears.
