The Bear and the Raven

I think that when the winter comes, the bears must feel a bit like the rest of us.  How did the summer go by so fast?  Where have all the long days of sun and wind blowing in our fur, er, hair gone to?  This little bear seemed like he was feeling a little blue about the first snow of the year too.  He was holding onto some moose (or caribou bones) and regretting that he might not get to eat another one for several months I think.

In most native mythologies, the bear plays a central role.  Often the bear is a bad guy, so it seems humans for millenia have feared the power and cunning of these wonderful animals.  It's hard to spend any time watching these amazing creatures and feel anything other than respect or awe.  I believe they are very thoughtful animals.  I hate that fear, while understandable, leads to killing.  That mentality is a big chunk of what's wrong with our world today isn't it?

Anyway, on this day, our little bear was joined in his thoughts first by a magpie.  But he seemed to look upwards, and wait for another visitor, who soon arrived.

The raven.  Legends of the bear and the raven exist in several different groups of native american mythology.  In many, the raven is seen as the creator.  The trickster who beats the bear.  But my favorite is the myth cited as "Eskimo, Northern Bering Strait" where raven the creator finds the first human on a pod on the beach from a vine he created.  The raven watches the humans hunt, and begins to fear he will kill every creature on earth, including himself, so he creates the bear to keep the human in line.

Old friends Bear and Raven

The raven did not stay long, so it was just bear left to sit and contemplate the day away.  Bear did his best yogi meditation pose and thought it all at.

After a while, our little human like bear friend decided to roll over on the belly and be a bit more like a bear again.

One of the other bears when by for a stroll, crunching along of the snow and ice in a way most delicate for a bear that probably weight 600 pounds or so.

This little fawn did not make the Christmas card.  Unfortunately, the only time the little fawn stopped to be still, it was to make yellow snow.  So while undignified, this is the picture I got.

A few moments later I thought I was going to get treated to Bambi on ice.  But she decided she was not stepped on that surface with her gangly legs if she didn't have to.

Ah, OK, so I guess I did get a more dignified picture eventually.

The elk did not seem to mind the first snowfall at all.  They are well prepared and full on fuzzy, ready for days like these.  Look at how fluffy those ears are!

I think this next picture did make the Christmas card.  This little elk was so attentive and interested in watching me watch her, it made for some nice pictures.

And that wraps up the story of the first snowfall of 2015 in Alaska...and answers the question of friends back home of how I got the cool Christmas card photos (and did I really take the one of the bear).  Yup.  Life is good in Alaska.