The Brown Bear

 Dear Reader,

The brown bear is a large bear species found across Eurasia and North America.  In North America the populations of brown bears are called grizzly bears.   Grizzly and brown bears are the same species but grizzly bears are currently considered to be a separate sub-species.

It is not possible to say exactly when and where bears died out in the UK as there is little evidence from natural sites such as caves, fens and bogs.  But based on evidence from a cave in the Yorkshire Dales the brown bear went extinct in the early medieval period.

Brown bears may reach seven feet tall and weigh up to 700 pounds.  They eat mostly grass, roots and berries.  The may eat fish, insects and ground squirrels or lager mammals if they can catch them.  Bears are normally shy, retiring animals that have very little desire to interact with humans.  Unless they are forced to be around humans to be near a food source they usually choose to avoid us.  Bears like humans and other animals, have a 'critical space' an area round them that they may defend.

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This is what made me laugh this week in the news.  A 21 year old man escaped from Wandsworth Prison by getting under a food delivery van and hanging on whilst the van left the premises. He has, after four days on the run, been caught.  But here is the joke.  A member of the police force said they might be able to 'coax' him back to prison.  I mean what with?  Some digestive biscuits or a banana.  This young man is obviously clever, he did well in school and also trained in the army to avoid re-capture and escape.  So coaxing him back to the prison seems to me a ludicrous idea.  Still it made me laugh.

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From Francis Kilvert  1871 September 8th in Radnorshire

'Peacock butterflies flitting over the sea of blue scabious, swinging, opening and shutting their broad wings and spreading their peacock eyes on the slope to the morning sun.  Light fleecy clouds drifted along half way down the great slopes of the dim blue misty mountains.'

From John Clare  1842 September 10th in Northants

'The swallows are flocking together in the skies ready for departing and a crowd has dropt to rest on the walnut tree where they twitter as if they were telling their young stories on their long journey to cheer and check fears.'

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The Brown Bear

lies on the floor
the rocking chair still,
the house mute,
the children gone.

Three months of silence,
as boarding school houses my children,
the woman thinks.
How will I endure the emptiness,
the ache of missing them,
not being of comfort?

She sees the bear's blue jersey
is torn, has large holes in it,
like the large holes in her heart.
She picks up the bear,
holds him tight,
pours herself a drink.

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With very best wishes, Patricia