Tuesday, December 17, 2019

T Stands for Forest Puppies


After the train ride, and wandering through the Americana exhibits it was time for


No, not some of Annie's Homemade Apple Crisp, but to see the Forest Puppies! (Bears). This was the attraction I really wanted to see, and why I suggested a trip to Clark's Trading Post.

I just love black bears and relate to them as my animal totem.


This is Echo. She got the mail.



Sat in a swing


Sat on the scale to be weighed




She posed just for me.


As her reward after each trick, she enjoyed a spoonful of vanilla ice cream.



This is a younger female named Thula


Thula raised a flag


And because she's still young in her training, she decided she didn't want to play any more. The trainer was able to redirect her and tempt her with ice cream.


Thula had a beautiful butterfly blaze on her chest


While I enjoyed watching the bears I was bothered by the fact the bears are being exploited. And me watching the bears also exploiting them. I know the hours it must take to train the bears to raise a flag or getting the mail. It's obvious the Clark's are very fond of their bears. The bears are usually brought to them as orphan cubs. These cubs wouldn't be able to survive in the wild without their mother. Bears in the wild don't live long lives while Clark's bears have lived well into their 30s. Obviously, the bears are well cared for. I think I would rather have seen the bears doing bear things in a natural habitat rather than riding a scooter in a circus ring.


After the day at Clark's we stopped for dinner on the way back at an Applebees in Littleton, NH. Littleton is famous as the hometown of author, Eleanor H. Porter (1868 - 1920) and best remembered for her novel, Pollyanna (1913). The restaurant had a lovely, postcard mural painted in the lobby.  I found out later, there's a bronze statue of Pollyanna in the center of the town. Maybe on the next trip up, we can stop in the center of town to see the statue.

I forgot to take pictures of dinner. I had an unsweetened, ice tea with lemon. It would have looked something like this.

ICAD 2015, Nbr. 56
Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

40 comments:

  1. They are so incredibly cute and beautiful!

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  2. It's a problem knowing where to draw the line with training wild animals. But these bears do look happy and very well cared for. Glad you enjoyed your trip. Happy T Day, Valerie

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    1. Yes, the bears are well cared for.It was obvious the family (trainers) loved the bears.

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  3. Bears and elephants are often exploited. It's too bad bears can't just be bears and not have to perform tricks to get people to enjoy them. But at least these are taken care of and look quite fat and healthy. I wonder if they are allowed to hibernate.

    Thanks for taking us to Clark's and sharing an iced tea with us for T this Tuesday, dear C.J.

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    1. Yes, these bears do go into hibernation.

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    2. Forgot to mention that the iced tea looks like there is more ice than tea!!!

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    3. Yeah, I got carried away drawing ice cubes 😺

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  4. I agree with you about the bears CJ. Did you pass on your thoughts to the owners of Annies? Its nice of them to take in orphaned cubs etc.. but perhaps if enough people who think like you and i voiced their thoughts they would stop training them and just give them an area to just be bears and we would still love seeing them. What a cute way to show your drink..lol Hugs! deb

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    1. Sorry for not making it clear. Annie just made the apple crisp. The Clark family owns and trains the bears. No, I didn't say anything. I did see online that a petition had been signed awhile back protesting the use of the bears for entertainment. I don't think it had much effect.

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  5. Agreed on your thoughts about the bears- they'd be much better controlled in a natural habitat rather than trained to do tricks! I remember the book- and the movie Pollyanna and have always loved it. Happy T day!

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    1. The movie with Hayley Mills is another favorite of mine.

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  6. I am glad you mentioned about these bears being exploited as I am really sensitive about this now. In West Yellowstone there is a place-- https://www.grizzlydiscoveryctr.org/
    that rescues the bears and other animals that have lost their mothers or an adult that would need to be put down. they live in habitats so they can live like bears and wolves-I didn't get to see it when I visited two years ago but they test camping coolers and such for companies to see if they are bear proof or not. they also will put out a camp site on how Not to set up your area and let the bears in-to destroy it lol a learning tool.

    I loved your drawing of your drink-Happy T wishes Kathy

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    1. That's a good idea about showing people how not to attract bears to a campsite.

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  7. I don't like watching animals do 'tricks' for our amusement. :( (sorry...)

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  8. Ah, the bear is so cute. It is often difficult to discern between what is exploitation and what isn't. Because, like you said they take care of them. We used to stop at a café on our interstate that had a bear in a cage. Just a draw to get people to stop. Definitely, exploitation and I think an animal group made them get rid of the bear.
    Thanks for sharing your outing and the drawing of your drink. I always forget to take a photo! LOL

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  9. A sun bear! I love them. Our zoo used to have them, and they and the spectacled bears were my favorites. I'd rather see them in more natural environments, though, like you. It's hard to see them reduced to doing tricks for ice cream. Happy T Tuesday!

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    1. No, not a sun bear. The bears at Clark’s are American Black Bears

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  10. Oh, its so cute and it posed for you too!

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    1. I just happened to click a picture at the right time

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  11. Those bears looked so adorable, yes they had been trained to do things for rewards, but you mentioned that most were orphans. That made me wonder what would have happened to them in their own habitat. At least they were given a chance to grow and they certainly looked well cared for.
    It was good that you enjoyed your visit.
    Happy T day wishes.
    Yvonne xx

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    1. As orphaned cubs, they wouldn't have been able to survive on their own.

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  12. I'm so glad you enjoyed your outing. I'm with you on the bears. It's wonderful the orphans are rescued and live long and prosper:) But it would be nice to see them in their natural habitat.

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  13. I know what you mean about exploiting the bears, but I did remember about them being orphaned cubs. Bears are pretty cool, except when they bend my bird feeder pole. Smile. And who knew PollyAnna was written by an NH native. I'm enjoying this visit. HOpe it was a happy T day and you didn't get too much snow. Hugs-Erika

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    1. I was surprised to learn Pollyanna was written by a New Hampshire author.

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  14. Would it have made you feel better if the bear mauled an observer?

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  15. I had mixed feelings when the photos seemed to be of a circus ring type setting for the bears, and then you said it was. It's great that they take in orphaned cubs, but I'd be happier if they just let them be bears on display, doing natural bear things. I still remember the tiger attack in the Siegfried and Roy show. No matter how well trained anyone thinks a wild animal is, they are still wild animals, and should be given the leeway and respect that deserves. Black Bears typically don't attack humans, but they are still wild animals.

    On a weather note, I got ice where I am in CT, but power stayed on. Yay!

    Happy Belated T-Day!

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  16. So sorry I must have missed this post - Happy T Day wishes! Hugs, Jo x

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  17. Echo is a very pretty bear. I'd do tricks for a spoonful of ice cream too. What a pretty marking on Thula.

    The question of how to raise orphan bears in a safe environment seems like 6 of one, a half dozen of another to me. They appear to be happy and well taken care and they were rescued from almost certain death in the wild.

    Cute drink drawing. Why didn't I think of that!?

    Happy T-day! Eileen xx

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  18. Well from your photographs the bears look happy and well cared for …
    I'm pleased you enjoyed your visit.

    All the best Jan

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  19. I am with you on the bears, but I am happy they are being taken care of! They are so adorable!! Love your drawing! LOL!

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