Joe and I, live on Penns Creek (Jack's) Mountain, in central Pennsylvania. This mountain is a part of the Bald Eagle mountain range.
We don't have much choice about going out after sunset, especially when it starts getting dark early into winter.
But we are cautious when going outside with our dogs. The following story is still very vivid in my mind.

My little Hollyberry who was going on 16, couldn't control her functions anymore, and was always wetting herself. And because she was blind from age, I carried her outside often. One night, after the sun had long gone down, I picked her up to go out, walking along the grassy edge. I was just ready to set her down on the ground, when.....

Out the corner of my eye I saw movement. I took a better look, and wow - it was a black bear, not more then five, maybe six feet from me, on the mountain side of the house. Most anyone would have been able to hear my heart pounding. WELL HOLLYBERRY NEVER TOUCHED THE GROUND.
I just cautiously turned around and walked back into the house. I guess we didn't bother the bear a bit, for he stayed in the yard for quite awhile. Just lazily walking around looking for any bird seed or suet he could find.

He wasn't a very big bear, but a bear is a bear. We watched him enjoying himself, for about half hour or so, and then he finally decided to mosey on. Feeling a little more then insecure, Joe and I did take Holly
back out to finish what we almost started
in the first place.

Me, having lived here since 1979, and yes even Joe, though he only lived here since 2002, can sense their presence sometimes. Even before we see them. We feel it within.
We respect the bears, and give them space, and so far in these twenty seven years, they have not destroyed anything but some bird feeders, but that, my friends, is another story >>>> read my next story. "The Red Pepper Caper"