Our hosts Kathy and Stewart were waiting for us as we pulled up to the house and made quick work of getting us settled into our rooms – Heaven's View and Cloud's End. Need I say more? Well - except that the upper deck - accessible from all the guest bedrooms - and the raised main floor deck both overlook the valley and South Mill Creek Lake, providing the perfect vantage points for bear-watching!

Feeling in need of some R&R, I elected to stay behind and catch up on some reading while the others played the Highlands. They reported the golf course was equally as peaceful and tranquil as the resort, but nevertheless, I was happy with my choice.

Since bears are generally most active at dawn and dusk, I wasn't expecting to see any before the others returned. Imagine my surprise when I lifted my head from my book around 2 in the afternoon to see a bear, who I would later learn was the bold and brash 2 year old Taz, standing about 50 yards away, on his hind legs, checking me out! My first inclination was to make myself very small and invisible but my ‘fear' quickly transformed to awe and wonder.

I soon discovered that Taz was more interested in the playground that had been built for the bears' entertainment than hanging out with a human. As I watched, three of his friends scampered up the cliff, took a moment to swing on the tire, then hopped into the sand box and it was game on! Apparently, the bears felt that there was only room for three in there so for the next hour I was mesmerized by their playful antics as each tried to claim - and keep - his place.

Meanwhile, unbeknownst to me, Bruno - the first bear to drop by the inn back in 2002 - had meandered up on the rocks on the other side of deck to bask in the late afternoon sun. To say he is a magnificent creature is an understatement despite the fact that he had been shot earlier in the year while roaming far from home and had lost more than 150 pounds. Wildernest is Bruno's safe haven where he had returned to regain his strength and weight before it was time to den. We know he will continue to beat the odds and be back next spring to take his place as ‘King of the Mountain'!

Most bears are extremely shy and retiring, and usually avoid direct contact with humans. They are generally solitary animals but at times they tend to congregate and Wilderness Inn is where it happens. Bruno was soon joined by Knockers and her 3 cute, cuddly cubs Moo, Chew and Luxie. What can I say … I was surrounded by bears of every age, size and description and loving every minute!