Meet Björn. Isn't he an absolute sweetie? He was evidently quite busy foraging for food. One gets just a tad hungry and perhaps a little cranky after an entire winter of fasting and doing nothing much other than on and off napping in one's den. And the spring has been so slow in coming this year, but things are looking up and the sun is shining and it makes one feel like having a little snack. And I suppose some of you are wondering about the name. Björn is a good Scandinavian name of old Norse origin meaning none other than "bear." Most appropriate, don't you think? I did, for a moment consider naming him Benno after a much loved uncle (Benno also contains the element bear), but this time my Norwegian side won out.
And now for my experiment... Do you recognize the following? I spent three days in the woods last week and the forest was absolutely rife with these plants ... wild strawberries!!! Well, I have so many wild plants growing in my yard anyway, that I thought why not strawberries. So I just dug up a number of these plants and transplanted them into my own little garden. I don't know if they'll bear fruit this year, but I'll let you know how they fare as time goes on.
And now for my experiment... Do you recognize the following? I spent three days in the woods last week and the forest was absolutely rife with these plants ... wild strawberries!!! Well, I have so many wild plants growing in my yard anyway, that I thought why not strawberries. So I just dug up a number of these plants and transplanted them into my own little garden. I don't know if they'll bear fruit this year, but I'll let you know how they fare as time goes on.
25 comments:
Oh how I enjoyed this post, not only for Björn, but also the strawberries. They've been going crazy in the backyard, mountainside, everywhere the dogs and I go there are literally thousands of them, but no one seems to be interested enough to pick the fruit!?
If the sun keeps the rain at bay, I'll be plucking berries today. :-)
Oh, I'd be out there on the mountainside picking that fruit. I love wild strawberries. They are so much sweeter and tastier than the store varieties. I'll probably go back out there in a few weeks to see what's transpired. And of course I'll be bringing my pails with me.
He's a beauty. Reminds me of home (PA) we spotted black bears almost as often as deer. I think I remember wild strawberries.............there were quite a few wild things my grandpop taught us were edible but I'm a bit foggy about it now.
How fantastic! Have you tasted wild strawberries before? Are they as delicious as I am imagining them to be?
It must be a good year for wild strawberries. The flowers are everywhere around our place-the salmonberries too. I haven't seen any bear yet, but I hope to be up to the Oso Negro soon. I want to go to you're wonderful hemp clothing store for some work clothes.
Maggie, It sounds like you have a lot of black bears in PA. We have quite a few here, but we don't see them wandering that often, except when a lot of fruit is in bloom. They're lovely animals though.
Guilty, I used to often eat wild strawberries as a child. There were numerous times that we went picking wild berries. We usually ate more than we collected. Smaller than domestic varieties, but far tastier. I don't think you've really ever tasted a strawberry until you've tasted a wild one.
Burdock Boy, I sure do love that Oso Negro coffee. I've been meaning to do a post on that place for quite some time now. I guess it's coming. And yes, we have two great hemp stores.
I enjoyed to read your post.Björn looks dangerous !I love strawberries too!Yummy!
Bjorn looks wonderful! Glad that spring is popping where you are.
Steffi, Of course we never go too close to the wild animals especially if there are babies around. But for the most part if you keep your distance, they'll keep theirs.
Mark, Yes, I'm thrilled that spring is finally here. All the wild blossoms everywhere are fabulous to behold.
I was going to say Poison Oak...I mean there are three leaves! Actually, it's been so cold, wet and miserable here I don't know if we'll even have a local strawberry season. Our strawberries are coveted the world around. Haagendaz uses them exclusively in their ice creams. Wish they'd save a few for us locals...
I picked many a wild strawberry in my day. They were so very tiny and sweet.
I never faced down a bear for any, tho. A friend of mine did over a blackberry bush once, tho.
(I can get cranky like ol Bjorn, tho)
Cute Bjorn is a sly one. He's going to fatten you on wild strawberries then eat you. "Petite mademoiselle avec gellee." MMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!
(Sorry, I couldn't resist)
Randy
VE, sounds like you have very coveted strawberries. But I must say that the ones around here are very delicious as well...much better than any I've ever tasted from California.
Pamela, I can't say that I have ever faced down a bear while picking strawberries either. And I certainly hope I don't ever have to.
Randy, I am sure that those strawberries are much sweeter than I am. Apparently humans don't taste all that great.
Wild strawberries wet with dew, almost as good as stumbling upon a secret patch of wild huckleberries and almost as coveted as a handful of blood red thimbleberries!
Bekaroo, Ooh, sounds heavenly delicious. I hope we all find that.
He's gorgeous! An absolute beauty. Did you ... run into him? :) I think we are going to have a record year for both roses and strawberries; I wonder if the record snows are responsible?
JBelle, No I didn't literally run into him. But they're common to see by the side of the road at this time of year. I too have been wondering about that snow. My garden is looking lovely.
Those pictures... as always. :) That looks like a beautiful place to hang out. I'll be curious to know how the wild strawberries develope as you've transplanted them. Sounds wonderful!
Chani, I'll be sure to let you know how the strawberries progress. So far they're looking good.
Glad you spotted him and not me! I've been walking around Whistler/Blackcomb for 2 days - black bear territory and wasn't actually kean to run into Bjorn on my trail :) I'm a scaredy cat.
Gorgeous photo!
xx
pinks
I recognized it right away. I noticed a few in the grass up by one of my gardens. I think we finally got enough rain this year to sustain them.
Pinks, Usually bears are scaredy cats as well and pretty much leave you alone.
Dawn, If anyone would recognize them, I knew it would be you. And yes, the rain is doing wonders for mine as well.
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