A Surprise

The best surprise tonight......as we drove into the drive a little after eight, Ingrid's lights flashed on what we thought were the neighbor's dogs by our fence, wrong......there were two adult deer and a tiny fawn.

The fawn was probably only a day or two old, not much bigger than a large cat, with soft creamy spots. 

I had been looking for the mom the past few days, worried that the heat had gotten to her, but she and baby

looked just fine tonight.  They were sipping water from our birdbath, and eating birdseed from the feeder.

It was a gift.....on the way into work today, a few miles from here....there was a baby fawn lying on the side of the road, about the same size as this one......she didn't make it, probably hit by a car.  I had thought about the little fawn all the way to work, and hoped that she hadn't suffered.  I know that many consider deer a nuisance,and then there are the hunters......but I find them magical and beautiful.  And yes, several have hit or jumped my car during the past several years, but I live here, I know most of their trails and watch for them constantly as I drive.

It is a constant pleasure to see them in our field, eating under the apple tree or in the front yard, sipping from the birdbath.  The most incredible gift is to watch them play, running and jumping, chasing each other until they lie down in the field to rest.  They are noble, graceful creatures....and I am grateful that they feel safe on our property, that they grace us with their presence.

It's interesting, you'd think our dogs would chase them away, but the dogs seem to enjoy their presence too.

After all, these dogs lie in the grass while rabbits run across the yard and squirrels scurry by them to the bird feeders.  If it's not kibble or human food, our dogs are just not interested, and the chase.....well they ran out of chase a long time ago.

Maybe tomorrow, I can get pictures of the fawn.

Good night, Sweet dreams.