Surprise!

Photo by Jerry Charlton on Unsplash

A head comes by so closely! I see the bobbing antlers, the beauty of the buck as he checks me out through the kitchen window. Who am I sitting there? Is it safe? He nods and joins the does who are already investigating the yard. Any new foliage? Any good plants? They nibble at the perennials just starting to grow, then move on for more.

 

My neighbor had a feeding trough, regularly putting out corn and other delights, even keeping water available. The mild frost does little to dissuade their loving devotion to the herd.

 

My in-laws property has always been a sanctuary. Does have used its fences interior as a safe haven to give birth and hide their fawns. The coyotes can easily jump the 3’ fence but for some reason, they don’t bother, instead moving on to more easily accessible game. The beauty of the dark browns and budding greens come earlier to this part of the world. The trees are starting to leaf. Majestic branches reaching towards the sky hold colors beyond greys. Patches of silver greens show themselves amid the ball moss, the weight of which brings every limb down.

 

O, the glory of being free from parasites! After 20 years, branches have been trimmed and cleared, deadwood taken off and the trees breath, they stretch and reach further towards the sky. Not as far as their northern cousins. Their growth is dwarfed compared to the oaks and pines of northern regions, but their limbs grow high nonetheless, reaching upwards towards the light, providing shade for all. For me and those deer who tread silently in the backyard