Sundays at Cliff House Ranch are pretty quiet. We get out of bed later, walk to get the newspaper  slower, and get through our routine chores with a little less energy. Sundays are a day of rest. Sounds pretty boring, right?

Yesterday was different! Gordon had a close encounter with our neighborhood brown bear, who was obviously on his way south. Our ranch has a draw, which serves as a game trail for deer, elk, coyotes, bobcats and bears. This wildlife crossing is a source of constant joy for us; mother nature is generous. So… the draw is near the manure pile, and Gordon was spreading manure yesterday. Need I say more?

While I was searching for the threat Marcello was shrieking about; Gordon was frozen in his tracks.  After I got the alpacas securely in the paddock, I looked east and saw a good sized brown bear coming out of the north side of the draw. Bears are beautiful creatures,  their powerful bodies are absolutely awe inspiring. Although his hands were shaking, Gordon got some good photos with his cell phone .We are truly grateful for our guest’s brief visit, but he apparently did not have the time to stay.