Way up in Ely where the snow bears do snow

Back to it! Continuing with fun things we did this summer, but first, here's some flowers.

These lilies were from early summer, in Dad's garden.

Also, a grouse.

And a late summer flower Dad planted while he was here, but it didn't bloom till after he left.

Dunno what it is.

Anyway! While Mom and Dad were here, we went ALLLLLL the way up to Ely to go to the bear shelter there!! :D

I just know you're as excited as I was. I'd been begging for this trip for years!

They had a lil museum type building, and then some fenced in woodland on which lived their four bears.
Inside said museum were taxidermied bears.

And all sorts of bear things!

There was also a room for other Minnesota wildlife that had a whole big diorama with all sorts of amnimals, but I didn't get pictures of that, because not bears so who honestly gives a- ....anyway, the main attraction!

The bears themselves!

This one they said was one of the biggest black bears in captivity! Ain't he just the snuggliest lookin' thing ya ever seen??

Dawww

Here's a gratuitous amount more pictures!

I wan' 'em ALL!!

I also spent a fair amount of time sketching. (The taxidermied ones. The live ones kept movin' around and stuff!)

I wasn't at quite the same angle drawing as the photo.

Or like, at all the same angle.

This one's probably the closest.

Drawing in public is a bit awkward. People come and LOOK at you... I'm so embarrassed!!

And I know you're dying to know. DID I GET A BEAR AT THE GIFT SHOP???

Why yes. Yes I did.
(They wouldn't sell me the live ones.)

This here is the one I WANTED.

Hee hee There's my reflection!

It wasn't for sale either. :(

:(

:(

(Why display the world's greatest teddy bear in the CHILDREN'S ROOM of the museum, and then NOT HAVE IT FOR SALE???? Don't these people know a brilliant sales technique when it's already set up for them???)

But I got these instead!

Bears in a stump! Their names are Nip, Yip, and Roland. Not entirely sure which is which, but that seems immaterial.

And they're actually finger puppets!

 Tee hee hee!

And in closing, here's some things I made for my nephew! (He'll be born next month! I can't wait!)

A bunny, a blanket, and a bear.

You mean MY vegetable car?

Watermelon post time! But first, here's a picture I did of Catwoman for my brother.

What kinda crazy design is this??? Why it's the original Catwoman design. As seen here!

Not sure whether it's a mask or mascot head or... actual live cat head. I went with the weirdest looking interpretation possible.

Now watermelon time! I don't really like to eat watermelon, but I love their summer aesthetic.

We carved one like a jack-o-lantern for midsummer's eve (also called Summerween.)

Easier than carving a pumpkin in that the rind is a lot less hard, but you do have to hollow out the inside first.

Here it is lit up.

Next, we set about recreating John Crops' vegetable car from Tome of the Unknown

Screenshot copyright Patrick McHale

 (Just to remind you that Over the Garden Wall is basically the best thing ever.)

I think that turned out lookin' pretty good.

Good day!