It is Friday Sept. 4th as I sit down to write this week's column, and it is raining. Actually, it rained off and on for the last two days and most of last night. Nevertheless, we are still under Stage 2 fire restrictions, commonly referred to as "Hoot Owl." No chain saws or other engines in the woods between 1p.m. and midnight. I did some checking yesterday to see if these restrictions were close to being lifted.

I was told that rain across the region has been spotty and that the fire danger was still near too extreme in some areas and there were still many uncontrolled fires burning. That was yesterday. Today, it is pouring rain and I have multiple puddles in my driveway. Even better, just heard that fire crews are de-mobing at the Essex fire and the weather forecast predicts 90 percent chance of rain for today and tomorrow (Friday and Saturday), cool weather Sunday and Monday with snow down to 6,500 feet on Monday night and then warming into the 70s midweek. By the time this appears in the paper - next Wednesday - fire restrictions will probably be lifted.

In the meantime, many summer residents are getting wet as they prepare to leave for the winter. Even the long-awaited installation of McDonoughs' water tank for their new gravity flow shower system is on hold depending on the weather. Other projects are not so complicated, like storing hoses and putting lawn furniture away for the winter. It is fun to see folks starting wood fires in the house to take off the chill and carrying wood in from the woodshed.

Even better, Dave Silverstein is able to use his new heavy-duty box scraper to smooth my driveway. Up until now the lane has been too dry.

Although we are tickled to see rain instead of smoke, we are all wondering what it will be like on Labor Day when several outdoor parties are scheduled. I bet we will be able to adapt.

I should know better than to brag. Last year, for the first time ever, I saw more bears than Gary McDonough and I shouted that news far and wide last fall. Did more shouting this spring when I saw three griz before McDonoughs even arrived.

Within three days, they spotted six bears-all grizzlies, and have been off and running ever since. I just saw my sixth bear this week and Gary is over 20 and still counting, even though I have been waving a white flag of surrender for over a month.

To top it off, our grizzlies with cubs have been much less visible this summer. Huckleberries must have been much better up high, keeping bruins out of the river bottom. Hope they stay up there until it is time for them to den up for the winter. We will see.