Danger in suburbia

The town of Holden is getting pretty good about keeping folks updated on events around town. You can subscribe to news which gets you an email with items of note around town. Through this email, we've learned about road closings, recycling services, library book sales, and the latest incursions of nature into suburbia:

Black bear alert
The Holden Police Department has received several bear sighting reports in local neighborhoods, as well as outlying rural areas. For detailed information, visit the town's website. If you feel a bear is creating a public safety hazard, please call the Holden Police Department at (508) 829-4444.

For more information and suggestions about living with our bear population, visit the Mass Wildlife website.

Sandra and I recently completed the fourth segment of our walk to the center of town, this time walking the 4.7 miles from the Princeton line. We were blithely unaware that we were on a path of peril.

Sightings have been reported near the northern sections of Wachusett Street including Mason Road and Wood Street, and also in the area of Quinapoxet Street, Slipper Hill Lane, Tannery Drive, Cimarron Lane, Fort Sumter Drive, Forest Drive, and the Highland Street end of Nola Drive.
via Black Bear Alert

Yikes. We walked along Wachusett and Highland, squeezing onto the shoulder to avoid cars zipping along on a Sunday. We were so concerned about speeding Christians that we paid no attention to the dangers lurking in woods and yards.

Black bears are generally non-aggressive, but it can be disconcerting to have one near your home. Please follow some common sense guidelines to prevent them from wandering close to houses, such as keeping pets indoors and/or under your control, not feeding pets outside, temporarily bringing in bird feeders, and keeping trash cans indoors. They are also attracted to fresh garbage on compost piles, so you may need to suspend composting for the time being.

I wasn't carrying any fresh garbage on this walk and Marley sat this one out, so we were probably in little danger. Nonetheless, it's a reminder that we're never far from trouble.
Be safe and be alert.