When ever Tony and I leave the Roan for any length of time I know I can always depend on my dear friend Berta who lives in the holler below us to take care of my horse, Trig, and my cat, Ms. Kitty Pride. Berta is also my morning walking buddy and just an all round sound gal. An added bonus is Berta is lots of fun and has a wonderful sense of humor. One of the first visitors to scurry up and welcome us home after we pull in front of Bear Cabin is this dear friend, anxious to catch up on all that's been going on and giving me a report on how my 'kids' have done since I've been away.
On a recent trip away and upon our return, Berta came charging up the lane to the cabin unusually stoked. She seemed to be busting at the seems so I fixed us a glass of iced tea and we settled down on the porch swing to gossip.
She said she had sorely missed me this go around for some reason and things got really boring up here after a couple of days. Sitting on my front porch swing and 'chewin' the fat' was not an option so she tried to busy herself with preparation to 'lay down' her vegetable garden for summer. Berta then stunned me with a story about the Spring she watched a huge bear wrap his arms around one of her bee hives, one of several she has positioned right beside her garden space, and carry it off!
Now this tidbit made me more than a little nervous. Her garden is on their land that is also across from her house which abuts our acreage. Our Jake's Cabin is nestled among the trees down in that area. There is a fence separating those bee hives and 250 yards of grass to Jake's Cabin.
I have often fretted about those bees swarming with the grandkids playing in that area. So now I have to worry about a huge bear with his arms around the hive filled with swarming bees stumbling toward them. Oh good grief.
Berta carried on.
She told me out of boredom she then cleaned out the pond behind her house and remembered back when the Conservation people tried to make her remove the pieces of styrofoam she floated on top for her fish to hide under. "Huh", she said with a snort. "They lost that battle." I had no doubt 'they' did. Berta is by nature...around most people...a quiet and reserved woman but I have no doubt if you try to mess with her or hers she will fight a circle tailed saw.
Taking another big swig of tea, Berta then said with a flourish she was finally out of ideas to keep her mind occupied until she took out the trash that first week. Then an idea stuck up in her head higher than a light pole!
For the next week she began gathering every plastic bag, old rag and any other stuffin' she could find. "I was as busy as a one-legged cat in a sandbox for the next few days, Linda. Even had to go borrow some old rags from family."
"I planned to be ready for the trash man the next time he came 'round. I know how to liven' things up here in this holler!" And she sure did. The photo she handed me to look at is below.
I sure am delighted to be back on my mountain with my buddy Berta.
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