Bear’s Autumn Tale
Chasing Scents Through a Golden World
“Fall's rolled in like an old friend wrapped in a spicy breeze, and the forest’s dressed in its finest. My coat’s thick now—rich, brown, and warm, catching bursts of leaf-fire as I lumber along. Bits of maple and oak leaves cling to my fur, like nature's confetti saying, You made it through the summer, big fella.
The air snaps crisp against my snout. Scents are everywhere—apple, damp bark, mushrooms huddled in clusters, and something deep and woodsy that calls me higher into the hills. I walk slow at first, through blankets of rust-colored leaves, kicking up a crunch with every step. It’s music to my paws.
Goldenrod’s fading now, but asters still bloom, like stars sprinkled across the meadow. I find a patch of late-season berries, deep purple and sweet like honey. I eat with gusto—every bite a memory of warmer days, every mouthful a fuel for the colder ones ahead. A squirrel scolds me from a high branch, tail flicking, eyes bold. I grunt and move on, not in the mood for gossip.
I climb a ridge covered in tall grass, tipped with seed heads that sway like white doves in the wind. From the top, I see a mosaic of color—amber hills, red valleys, and the silver thread of a creek winding through it all like a soft lullaby.
I pause. My breath is visible, my muscles strong beneath this fur of seasons. The world is winding down, but it feels more alive than ever. A fox streaks past. Leaves tumble. The sun begins to rest.
And me? I chase one more scent before twilight settles. It leads to a clearing where the ground is warm, the wind is kind, and the stars are just beginning to wake.”
A bear heaven that's for sure if I do say so myself.
Psalm 104:24 (KJV) “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all: the earth is full of thy riches.”
This verse echoes the bear’s awe as he roams through the golden hills, savoring berries and scents, and witnessing the abundance of the forest.
