'Ello from Bend Oregon!



 

 

After all that dry heat in Arizona I thought it might be a great idea to head back North again.  This time I stopped off in Bend Oregon!

 

 

 

Turned out to be one of the most awesome ideas I've had in forever!   You wouldn't believe this place Ella, the card I sent has a picture a pool I found to relax in... a POOL!  I was living like a Roman Senator!  The place was called McMenamins Old St. Francis School.  Wish YOUR school was like this one Ella!  It unfortunately isn't a school anymore, its a Hotel, which is almost better because here you can fall asleep and not get in any trouble.

 

Turns out these pools are saltwater, warm, and very soooothing for bear bones that have been on the road for a few months. 

 



Once again your Minion... I mean Daddy was able to send me these pictures back of you getting the card.  Your still rocking those glasses!

 

I'm so happy to hear your still enjoying getting my letters.  Your Daddy tells me that you ask daily if the mail man has come by for you yet.  Don't you worry my little Princess... I've got lots of travelin left to do! 

 

Catch you at my next stop!

~White Bear

Howdie from Sierra Vista Arizona!

You've got to forgive me here Ella, but it was a looooooong trip down from Quebec to Arizona.  Big change in weather too!

 

They have these things here called Cactus, or is it Cactusii?  Big green towers of prickly goodness and every spring I heard they sprout flowers.  Don't think I'd try climbing up them to see what they smelled like though.

 

They also have these really wicked looking spider things with tails called scorpions... EEEEEK!  First time I saw one I thought I ate some bad fish and found myself in a bad Sci-Fi movie!  But they are for reals!  I knew you wouldn't believe me, but it just so happened that the nice Lady who I was shacking up with for a week named Jessica was heading to Detroit and offered to bring you a glow in the dark key chain with one inside it!

 

Looks like you made a new friend there Ella!  Hope he stays in his glass bubble!

 

You asked Daddy to ask me if I like Candy this week.  You Betcha I do!  Best time of the year for us Candy fiends.  I'm sure you have piles and piles of Candy after Halloween, but don't you worry about White Bear.  I've got Candy connections and my belly is full!

 

Love you little Lady!

~White Bear

Bonjour from Taddousac Quebec!

Bonjour Ella!  It's been such a long time since I've updated you sweety pie, but its not always easy for a 6 inch tall white bear to talk someone into using their computer!  I've made it all the way up to Canada again.

 

The good folks in Taddousac are much friendlier then those Mounties who made me turn in my Husky Puppy Sled.  This is such a cute little village in Quebec Canada.  Just the sort of place to sit back, relax and check out Whales!  White ones just like me!

I've been taking in all the changing colors and learning how to speak French. Don't think I'm doing too well with the French thing though since I've been getting really odd looks from the locals.  Couldn't be that I'm a talking stuffed bear could it?

 

On the way over and up to Canada from Lake Tahoe California I stopped over in Alabama.  They didn't have much in the way of Post Cards, but I found this really groovy Kitty Cat Card.  Check out those baby blues!  Almost like the Kitty over did the Spice!  Don't get that reference?  No worries, Daddy will explain.

Hah!  Your Daddy provided this Video to me.  Check you out running like a mad woman to the mailbox!  As for your question on if I'm staying at Hotels.  Heck yes!  This bear don't do the cave thing!  This bear needs a bathtub to splash around in and a nice cushy bed to snuggle into.  No leaves or drippy ceilings for me!

As the Fremen would say: Maassalama!

~White Bear

Hola from Lake Tahoe California!

 



Wow, and I thought all the other places where beautiful. This place is absolutely fab! The water is fresh and clear and doesn't leave any unwanted film on my toes when I take dips! And fish! I'm becoming a big fan of fish lately and this place has got em.

 

With fish names like Lahontan Cutthroat Trout and Volcano Creek Golden Trout you would think these things would be able to take my head off! Actually they could! But I've made a lot of new buddy's here that catch them for me and cook them up good and proper.

 

And any place that has Gold Mines rates up there with me.  Unfortunately I didn't strike it rich this time.


 

Also a few weeks back I stopped in on Ella's Aunt Donna over yonder in Connecticut. Had a ball playing with her bald cats! They are called sphinx cats, but they sure don't look like that thing in Egypt (I'll have to make my way over there someday). Nope, these kitties are all skin and whiskers but make much better friends then those fiendish Husky Pups that got me into so much trouble.

 

Ella's Daddy grabbed the video camera this time when she went to check the mail. Looks like they where on their way to Ballet Class. She did have a question that I'm more then happy to answer though:

Ella: "Do you like the Water and the Fish?"

WB: "You betcha! You should see me water ski! So much to do here AND yes those fish sure are tasty even with monster names like Lahontan Cutthroat Trout! Didn't see any of those fishes carrying any switchblades so perhaps they where having an off day."

Welp! I've gotta grin and Bear it and be off on my way again! Love yah Ella! Big Smooches!

~White Bear

Yar from Seattle Washington!

Ok, so trying to capture what turned out to be Husky Puppies wasn’t my brightest idea to date.  As it turns out grown up people already learned how to use grown up dogs to pull themselves around centuries ago (and here I thought I was pretty crafty thinking this up on my own).  It also turns out the Canadian Mounties look down on six inch stuffed bears coaxing puppy’s with beef jerky suspended from a poll across international borders.  Long story short I found myself back state side in Washington!

I got to spend all weekend in the fabulous city of Seattle!  I rode on a Ferry!  No not that sort of Fairy… a FERRY.  It’s like a big boat that has this big mouth that eats cars on one side of the big water and spits them out on the other side.  It was pretty cool and it didn’t drool so mess!

I got to eat lots of veggies from all the Public Markets (and some donuts), watched a baseball game AND hiked on Mt Rainier! 

 

 

 

As always Ella keeps getting all of the Post Cards that I send her and Ella’s Daddy makes sure she gets them.  Ella’s Daddy did say that she had one question.  Ella asked if I got any tummy aches.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well Ella, I do get tummy aches sometimes.  Really depends on what I scrounge up to eat.  First it was a lot of junk on the bus, but here in Seattle I’ve gotten my full of Veggies and in Alaska there was lots of fresh Fish.  That raw meat that those Park Rangers where trying to feed me though almost set me over the edge… ICK!

 

 

 

 

 

Welp, I could stay here for weeks, but this Bear has got to ramble on…

 

Catcha on the Flip Side!

~White Bear

Hello from Alaska!

Wowser what a trip!  First off my Pixie trap didn’t work well at all in Harpers Ferry.  I ended up making one of those Park Rangers really mad when he got a splinter trying to dismantle it.  He ended up putting me in a crate and shipping me up to Alaska thinking I was a Polar Bear trying to get home!

 

Fortunately once I got to Alaska the Park Rangers there realized the error and set me free after I refused to eat raw meat and insisted on M&M’s.  I mean really… look at me.  I’m maybe 6 inches tall with a red bowtie!

Overall it’s much MUCH cooler up here.  Very comfy but I imagine I’d want to winter somewhere farther south.  Somewhere with a pool and lots of milk to drink to wash down these M&M’s.  Walking thru town I came across some doggies that are just about my size and thought I was a chew toy.  I managed to barely escape but I did find a picture of these ferocious beasts to send to Ella.  Beware Ella!  These things could take off a button eye without even blinking if you gave them time! 

 

 

Word back from Ella’s daddy is that she has started to make a bee-line to the Mailbox every time they get home from school.  In this picture it looks like the gears are turning in her head on how she can get over to the front of the box to open it herself.

 

 

In this picture I was told she just about turned herself inside out trying to get the postcard out of her Daddy’s hand just to be sure it was from me!

 

 

 

Ahhhh, never gets old seeing her cuddle up to one of my cards! 

Welp!  I better wrap this up before those puppies find me again.  Hmm… on second thought I bet I could somehow capture them, then lash those doggies together and hook them onto a sled like Ella had!  Hah!  I’m so smart!  With their harnessed energy I bet I could make it all the way down to the warm weather again by next week!

Catcha on the flip side!

~White Bear

Hi Ya from Harpers Ferry West Virginia!

Hi Ya from Harpers Ferry West Virginia!

 

Getting that ride down from Elkhorn proved to be the best ride yet!  I got a lift from an Ice Cream truck and spent a comfy couple of days chilling out in the back with all the Push-Ups I could eat!  They are just lucky I’m a small Polar Bear…

Before I knew it I was in a place called Harpers Fairy!  So pretty!  But I didn’t see any Fairy’s, or Pixies, or even a glimpse of a Troll.  Shame on you West Virginia for false advertising!  But whoever this Harper fella is he sure keeps things up nice.  The forest is so peaceful and tranquil and the crystal clear water?  I’ve never knew water could be so yummy!

 

 

 

Over the weekend Ella’s Daddy told me that Ella had to get glasses.  She looks so much older with them on that I about did a double take when he sent me these pictures!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mission accomplished again!  Ella smiles abound!

 

 

 

 

 

Well, I gotta go folks!  I’m going to see if I can build a trap out of these sticky popsicle sticks I saved up from my trip to catch a Pixie (I KNOW there have to be a few around right?).  I bet if I strap a few Pixies to my back it would make for a great way to get around AND I wouldn’t have to rely on hitching any more rides (even though that last ride was quite tasty!)

Taa Taa!

~White Bear

Hey there from Elkhorn Wisconsin!

Boy, fall asleep for a few hours in the back of a Greyhound Bus and look where it gets you!  Hey there from Elkhorn Wisconsin!

 

Much more Polar Bear friendly weather here. At first I thought I was back in Michigan but the smell of Cheese in the air soon set me straight. YUM!  Did you know that Elkhorn got its name from some old fella named Colonel Phoenix who happened to see Elk Antlers hanging from a tree? Ella's Daddy must be related to him somehow judging for his knack of naming important things like City's and Stuffed Animals.
 

According to Ella’s Daddy, Ella just knew there was something waiting for her in the Mailbox.  She even brought “Biscuit” with her to check it out.

 




I got to know “Biscuit” pretty well over the year or so I spent on the stuffy chair.  Nice enough doggy but he got a pretty big ego after Ella picked him as her Go-To-Guy for bedtime snuggles.  He always got the choice spot right on the pillow.









Hah!  Who is she snuggling now “Biscuit”!  That’s right!  My postcard!  Booyah!

 
I had a great time here in Wisconsin.  The family I got to shack up with had 4… yes 4 boys to play around with!  Got to watch lots of Star Wars and talk about poop all day long! 

 
Anyhow, heading into town to see if I can hitch a lift. I think the Greyhound station was on to me when they caught me trying to crawl into some Lady’s purse on the last leg of my trip…

Keep it real!
~White Bear

Greetings from Savannah Georgia!

Boy that first bus ride was fun and I think I could get used to traveling this way. I met lots of friendly folks heading south from Michigan and there was plenty of room in those cushy chairs, not as comfy as Ella's Stuffy Chair mind you but defiantly better than that box I first came over from China in.

 

 

My first stop was in Savannah Georgia! I heard about the peaches and figured I'd see some if I went to a nice park! Didn't quite work out that way (no peach trees!), but they had lots of beautiful fountains to jump into so I could cool off at Forsyth Park! It was hot Hot HOT so the splashing around really helped! I met a really nice family that helped me write my first Post Card home to Ella. (Needed help reaching the Mail Drop too, need to invest in a foldable step stool).

 

 

I gave Ella's Daddy some warning so that Ella would know that something would be waiting for her. He's a pretty nice guy considering he put his trust in a Frog all those years ago.

 

Ella's Daddy sent these pictures my way so I could post them to my blog, here I think Ella is discovering exactly what a Post Card is.

 

 

Pictures like this make me miss her all the more. Ella gives the best hugs in the world in my experience and I swear I felt this hug the moment she gave it to this Post Card.

 

I'm about to hop onto another bus, hopefully someone will let me borrow their Ipod so I can listen to the Backyardagains on my way to my next destination. Their version of "I gotta Feeling" totally Rocks!

 

 

Laters!

~White Bear

A little background from White Bear.

 

Dave and "Frog" 1974

 

 

Many moons ago there was a little boy named Dave. Dave had a stuffed frog which he named "Frog". Not "Green Frog" or anything remotely creative. Nope, Dave was a steak and potatoes sort of kid, so the stuffed Frog was just named "Frog".

 

Frog went everywhere with Dave. He traveled from Philadelphia to Detroit and back again many times as he visited his Grandparents and other family. Frog and Dave where inseparable. Dave knew every stitch, every frayed plushy bit of Frog and they where Best of Friends. They shared dreams of someday becoming Astronauts, or Firemen, or becoming the next Evel Knievel.

 

Which is why Dave took Frog to Disney World in 1975.

 

After a late night of partying with Goofy, Donald and Peter Pan; Dave woke up in a Hotel Room and turned to give Frog a hug... except Frog wasn't there.

 

He looked under each bed, he looked in the bathroom, the hallway, under the desk. Dave (and his frantic Parents) looked everywhere they could think of, but Frog was gone. No trace, no explanation. Dave lost his Best Friend and was taken kicking and screaming back to Michigan without his Frog.

 

Dave's Parents tried as best as they could to soften the blow. They even tried to pass off a different stuffed frog as "Frog". But Dave was on to them. He knew an imposter when he saw one and he banished that lame faker frog up on the tallest shelf he could reach.

 

38 years later Dave has a daughter of his own, and as I, White Bear, snuck away and out of Ella’s backpack I already knew how Dave would take it.  This is why I called him that afternoon to assure him I wasn’t just taking off to woop it up with Tinkerbell for the rest of my days.  I had bigger plans then that letch “Frog”.

 

I promised I’d write back to my Best Friend Ella from every place I visited.  I knew I was born to be a Traveling Bear since that first day I peeked out of that box as I sailed across the sea from a wonderful place called China.  I wanted to see those places I spied from the bouncy delivery truck again, to smell those flowers and feel the blades of blue grass under my plushy toes!

 

My sweet Ella, I miss you so, and I know you understand.  You’ll always be the filling in my heart.

 

~White Bear