In the aftermath of entertaining the bear, all thoughts turned to preventing a rematch. Conventional wisdom included installing electric fences, using a shotgun, moving our hives, but it occurred to me that the best way to protect our bees from further attacks was to ask the Angels and Elementals to keep the bear away.

I remembered that years ago we had a wonderful but directionally dysfunctional cat named Bebeto who constantly got lost in the woods. When he didn’t turn up for his supper, we learned to ask the Elementals to send him home. My mental picture of this was little gnomes scooting him on his way, but no matter how accurate or inaccurate the visual, whenever we asked the Elementals to get him home, he would shortly appear on the doorstep safe and sound.

So this time, I asked my beloved partners to keep the bear preoccupied so it didn’t find its way back here. I asked for help from the Angel of Bears, the Elemental of this bear, and the Angels and Elementals of Green Hope Farm. I also offered to pray for the bear’s well-being in exchange for the honey he won’t get.

Six nights later, we are still bear free and the honeybees are busy repairing their hives. Jim is beginning to turn off his instant alarm bell when there is any noise outside and we are all feeling most grateful for the intercession of the Angels and Elementals.

Because now we can get back to the very SERIOUS jobs in the office.