Ursine Feast

What until the night before had been an old stump at the edge of the yard, now a gaping pit (“tip” spelled backwards) left by a hungry bear. No more carpenter ants here.

Full disclosure: we employ an exterminator company called Meerkat. They come by four times a year to “treat” the house for carpenter ants. These guys (the ants) ordinarily inhabit old stumps such as the one at yard’s edge, but the pesky pismires also enjoy dropping in at a human dwelling to help themselves to a tasty snack. They love to nosh on the Douglas-fir beams that hold up the roof.

Admittedly, the Meerkat does okay work in keeping the unwanted guests at bay, but Neighbor Bruin is way cheaper, greener, and considerably more effective—leaving no trace but the emptiness that makes possible both a hole and a life.
©John P. O’Grady