Many of us cannot remember a fall as spectacular as this one. As I am out scouting for locations, I see other locals out just because it is so beautiful.
But the sight of a little bear scarfing down as many chokecherries as his or her little hands and snout can navigate brings joy to your heart in a way that nothing at that fabulous moment can compete with.
We are all clear that any habituating of little bears to humans could have disastrous impacts. So I was actually gratified that I could never really see this bear completely, only brief glimpses of an ear or a nose. One time a branch was between two paws held overhead while the snout pulled down and the berries came cleanly off. Most of the time the bear and I were so engulfed in our separate pursuits that we took little notice of one another.
The joy of living in an area where this can happen peaceably, successfully has my heart overflowing.