This is why the Bear Sleeps all Winter

Why does the bear sleep all Winter? I know scientist say they hibernate and during this time of sleep, they bear goes into a trans. A mama can have her babies while she sleeps ( that would be nice), the body lives off the fat stored ( another plus). But basically, Hibernation is a state of reduced metabolic activity that some animals enter to survive winter, characterized by lower body temperature, slower heart rate, and decreased energy use. It helps them conserve energy when food is scarce and cold temperatures prevail. All sounds great? The real reason a bear sleeps through the winter: it is cold, wet, dark and miserable. Seriously, the days are very short and nights long. It is cold out, wet and nasty....who wants to go outside? They could find some food, unless in areas of frozen rivers, deep snow to cover any vegetation and even when the squirrels sleep there is not much to eat. I still think.....its dark and wet? After all, I can be out an about with rain gear on, come home to a warm dry place for everything to dry out. The bear goes back to a dark and damp cave with no heat. I guess if I did not have a warm heated house, I would not go out to get wet and snuggle up in a blanket to stay warm. So what do retired people do in the winter? Its rainy and cold....we watch the creek rise. Yep, this is winter entertainment. Drive around in morning to see what damage the heavy rain and winds did over night and after it rains all day.....drive back around to measure how high the creek has risen.

There are measurable markers for water line, rocks, trees across the creek, how much closer to the road. Now if a tree falls across the road, it does delay the progress of evaluation for creek rising. Of course, if a tree falls to knock out power that can distract the joy in watching the creek rise and staying inside like the bear.

We are not bears, we are not meant to lazily ignore the dark wet winter. So get out, take a camera, take a drive, take your dog for a ride and see the forces of nature in action. Don't hibernate, last time I slept I don't think I burned any fat. We need to move and burn energy to burn the fat. People are the opposite of the bear, lay around and get fat. You are not a bear, get out and don't miss winter.