The Bear Brothers
Perhaps you've heard of Smokey the Bear, but who's Sparky?17 total reviews
Comment from MissMerri
What a great story! I'm so glad this won a prize and congratulations on the milestone post too! I thought it was very creative the way you told about the Bear brothers and I liked that they cared about each other, even though it seems that didn't have much in common, besides Mom. This was an interesting change from your many true stories I've read. I enjoyed it very much, and as usual, found nothing to correct or change. MM
reply by the author on 21-Oct-2022
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What a great story! I'm so glad this won a prize and congratulations on the milestone post too! I thought it was very creative the way you told about the Bear brothers and I liked that they cared about each other, even though it seems that didn't have much in common, besides Mom. This was an interesting change from your many true stories I've read. I enjoyed it very much, and as usual, found nothing to correct or change. MM
Comment Written 21-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 21-Oct-2022
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Hello Adonna,
I'm so pleased that you enjoyed this. Thanks so much for the very generous review. Of course this was a contest that required using a sentence to start the story. I think the story came about as the result of a conversation that I had with a friend who has as bizarre of a sense of humor as myself.
Have a blessed evening gal.
Tom
Comment from Elizabeth Emerald
Fascinating! I had no clue that Smokey the symbol was named for a real bear. Stupendous story, vividly rendered fire scene. The suspense is excruciating!
reply by the author on 12-Oct-2022
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Fascinating! I had no clue that Smokey the symbol was named for a real bear. Stupendous story, vividly rendered fire scene. The suspense is excruciating!
Comment Written 12-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 12-Oct-2022
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Hello Liz,
thanks so much for the incredible comments. I looked up Smokey Bear online and saw the pictures of him when he was just a cub. He was so cute. Of course Sparky was just a figment of my imagination. Bears normally have several cubs and the female raises them for a few years and then chases them off. The boars will try to kill the cubs so that the female will come into heat again. I doubt that very many females mate with the same male more than once, but I don't know. In Hoonah we had a terrible number of bears, like two per square mile or some such thing. They have been a problem down there, walking around town, getting into garbage and whatnot. Twice a bear knocked over the shed that my daughter keeps her garbage in and reached in to pull it out. It can be pretty dangerous. Nice to hear from you gal.
Have a blessed day.
Tom
Comment from Brett Matthew West
Paragraph 4 so descriptive of a lot of brothers and their differences, step-brothers or not. The terrified Smokey and the fun loving Sparky.
So, Sparky's showing off antics started the fire.
Maybe Smokey needs to teach Sparky a lesson, one he will never forget about not playing with fire.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2022
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Paragraph 4 so descriptive of a lot of brothers and their differences, step-brothers or not. The terrified Smokey and the fun loving Sparky.
So, Sparky's showing off antics started the fire.
Maybe Smokey needs to teach Sparky a lesson, one he will never forget about not playing with fire.
Comment Written 11-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2022
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Hi Brett,
Well, fortunately this was just a story, but Smokey Bear was quite real. It's certainly possible that he had brothers and sisters in real life. I don't know about black bears, but brown bears (grizzlies) will kill the cubs so that their mother will come into estrus and they can mate with them. I watched an encounter between a sow with cubs and a boar, and it was amazing how she stood up to him and smacked him ten or twelve times so fast it would make your head spin. While he was still wondering what happened she took off with the cubs. I believe they got away. Thanks so much for the great review.
Have a blesse evening.
Tom
Comment from Ric Myworld
I don't know why we haven't crossed paths sooner, of course, with my memory, I could have forgotten. But anyway, I'm glad we did and I look forward to reading your posts. Outstanding writing! Thanks for sharing and I wish I had a six.
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2022
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I don't know why we haven't crossed paths sooner, of course, with my memory, I could have forgotten. But anyway, I'm glad we did and I look forward to reading your posts. Outstanding writing! Thanks for sharing and I wish I had a six.
Comment Written 10-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 11-Oct-2022
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Hello Ric,
Thanks for the great review and comments. It's nice to hear from you. I'm glad you like the posts. There are so many people on this site that it's hard to get to everyone. I'm pleased that you are taking the time to read and comment though.
Have a blessed evening.
Tom
Comment from royowen
Thanks for the historical background about Smoky the bear Tom. We have had many a disastrous fire down here, many koalas kangaroos, wallabies have been either killed or burnt to death by bushfires, along with humans, livestock and sundry fauna, beautifully written my friend, blessings Roy
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Thanks for the historical background about Smoky the bear Tom. We have had many a disastrous fire down here, many koalas kangaroos, wallabies have been either killed or burnt to death by bushfires, along with humans, livestock and sundry fauna, beautifully written my friend, blessings Roy
Comment Written 10-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Thanks so much Roy for the fine review and comments. I believe it was last year during one of those terrible fires you folks had that I saw a lady stop to help a koala. I think she took off her shirt and wrapped it up. Fires are so devastating to all forms of life, but in particular to animals that can't get out of it's way.
Have a blessed day.
Tom
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Amen
Comment from Dolly'sPoems
I am glad this endearing story is based on some truth here Tom and I loved the sentiments and when we are faced with a common enemy like fire, we stick together to save a life and put all our prejudices behind us, I loved your quaint story, love Dolly x
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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I am glad this endearing story is based on some truth here Tom and I loved the sentiments and when we are faced with a common enemy like fire, we stick together to save a life and put all our prejudices behind us, I loved your quaint story, love Dolly x
Comment Written 10-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Hello Dolly,
Thank you so much for the exceptional review. You're so very kind. Forest fires can wreak such havoc on people, property and animals. They are just terrible. The majority of them in this country are started by people who are being careless. Occasionally arsonists start them. Those people have to be deranged or some such thing. Something is obviously not right with them. Thanks again gal.
Have a blessed day.
Tom
Comment from lyenochka
Enjoyed your story, Tom! And how clever to use Smokey and Sparky as your bear character names. You give us some nature information about bears as well as the danger these and other forest animals face when there are fires. Best wishes in the contest!
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Enjoyed your story, Tom! And how clever to use Smokey and Sparky as your bear character names. You give us some nature information about bears as well as the danger these and other forest animals face when there are fires. Best wishes in the contest!
Comment Written 10-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Hello Helen,
Thanks so much for the great review gal. Of course Smokey was a real black bear who got caught in a fire. Sparky seemed like a good name for a bear who liked to play with fire. Speaking of clever names, I looked up Lyenochka. I assumed correctly that there was some meaning to it.
Have a blessed evening gal.
Tom
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It's a diminutive of Lena. Sort of "Little Lena" - what my Russian profs always called me.
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You took Russian? You are so far out of my league. I reluctantly took Spanish for a handful of years because it was forced on me in school, but to this day I couldn't begin to hold a conversation. I know a few of the basics, but foreign languages were never of too much interest to me. I do wish they had taught the basics of fishing in school. Maybe some advanced lessons on techniques of trolling or hook tying. That is something I could have used.
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I like languages but like fishing. Languages won't help you fish! But you might use some native Alaskan tribal languages! I know you know some of those! But if you knew some Russian, you could have used it with your Russian neighbor you gave you that unwanted massage. 😂
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I would probably have picked up just enough of the wrong words to get myself into trouble. When you're sitting around in your living room in your underwear, you're already feeling vulnerable. No sense in poking the bear.
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Lol! Yes, you know not to poke bears!
Comment from Carol Hillebrenner
Congratulations on your hundredth post. I really like this story and think it might be a good one for children's magazines. You pointed out that bears don't pay attention to their children like humans, but a lot of the rest of family stuff is real, sort of.
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Congratulations on your hundredth post. I really like this story and think it might be a good one for children's magazines. You pointed out that bears don't pay attention to their children like humans, but a lot of the rest of family stuff is real, sort of.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Oh my word, Carol,
Thanks so much for the exceptional review. I was driving out the logging road one day and spotted a sow brown bear with three cubs. She slipped into the woods with two of the cubs, but the third was curious and stood on his feet to get a better look at us. His mom stuck her head out of the bushes and huffed at him and he high tailed it to the brush. It was hilarious. I guess it doesn't matter what species you are, children will be children.
Have a blessed day gal.
Tom
Comment from Jannypan (Jan)
You did a great job with your contest entry, TB. I enjoyed
reading it. I liked the different approach with animal characters.
You picked a great one and added his step=brother. The fire
was well described. I could see everything as I read. Yes, Sparky
was being careless, and in the end, he would learn a lesson. Though
this dealt with animals, there was a message that could be applied
to humans--esp in our beautiful forests--not only there, but
in general.
Thanks for sharing and best wishes in the contest, Jan
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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You did a great job with your contest entry, TB. I enjoyed
reading it. I liked the different approach with animal characters.
You picked a great one and added his step=brother. The fire
was well described. I could see everything as I read. Yes, Sparky
was being careless, and in the end, he would learn a lesson. Though
this dealt with animals, there was a message that could be applied
to humans--esp in our beautiful forests--not only there, but
in general.
Thanks for sharing and best wishes in the contest, Jan
Comment Written 09-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 10-Oct-2022
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Thanks so much Jan for your excellent review and comments. Many people didn't realize that Smokey Bear was a real character. He was found clinging to a tree after a fire burned through the forest in New Mexico. I saw pictures of him when I was doing this article and he was the cutest thing you can imagine. You're right, our forests need to be protected and cared for. Unfortunately, people who mean well think that logging damages the forests and as a result the woods get overwhelmed with fuel when there is a fire and the whole thing goes up in smoke. Of course logging, like fishing or hunting or anything else needs to be done responsibly. We can't adapt a take it all mentality, nor can we save it all forever. Our resources were meant to be used responsibly. Thanks again gal.
Have a blessed day.
Tom
Comment from Tom Horonzy
What an imagination. I have seEn or heard or read some things of similar nature but not about bears. My mind heads in varied directions. And most interesting is knowing Smokey was areal
Bear but is or was there a Sparky.
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2022
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What an imagination. I have seEn or heard or read some things of similar nature but not about bears. My mind heads in varied directions. And most interesting is knowing Smokey was areal
Bear but is or was there a Sparky.
Comment Written 09-Oct-2022
reply by the author on 09-Oct-2022
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Hello Tom,
thanks for the great review and the comments. Yep, Smokey was a little black bear in the mountains of New Mexico. There were about thirty fire fighters that got overtaken by the wildfire, but they survived by getting behind a rock face I believe. After the fire passed through, they found this little black bear cub burned and clinging to a tree. They rescued him and got him bandaged up. The rest is history. No, I made up Sparky, just so I could come up with something for the This sentence starts the story contest.
Have a blessed day.
Tom
