Morning Fog

Morning fog alters the atmosphere, washing out the background, and painting the foreground in simple shapes.

Not even a falling leaf makes a sound on the dampened earth.

A young doe stands at attention and listens...

...while a buck sniffs the air, depending on non-visual cues.

The ancient oak seems to listen, too, leaning into the fog.
What does he hear?

Linking with Saturday's Critters

Watching

At my desk this morning, a movement to the right attracted my attention.  On the window ledge, a chipmunk peered at me from the other side of the window, and seemed startled to see me.  They have been underground most of the winter, but they couldn't resist coming out on such a fine day as this.

Later, from the entrance to the chipmunk's den, a toad peeked out from under sleepy eyelids. Life is full of surprises.

About ten deer frequent our place (with additional visitors on occasion).  We watch them from our windows, and we almost feel like they're part of our extended family.

This buck has recently shed his antlers, and in so doing, left a little of his majesty laying on the forest floor.

This morning he scratches, beset by an unseen foe.

One of the yearling bucks, seen here with his mother, showed up with a damaged leg early last week.  He wouldn't put any weight on it at all, and we hoped it wasn't broken.  He stayed close to his mother, who fought off the other deer that tried to crowd in while he was eating.  As of yesterday, it looks like he's improving.

It's always hard to see an animal suffer, and as beautiful as it is here, there are frequent such reminders that this isn't paradise yet.  We watch for the day when the Lord Jesus will make everything new, where

There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain,

for the old order of things has passed away.

Revelation 21:4

His invitation is extended to everyone:

To him who is thirsty,

I will give to drink from the spring of the water of life.

Revelation 21:6

In the meantime, we watch, and we're not the only ones.  Eagles leave here this time of year, and the other day, as we were eating lunch, a mature bald eagle soared in our direction on strong, swift wings, and sailed directly over the house, as if to say, "I've been watching you. I'll be back."

Linking with Rurality Blog Hop

and  Camera Critters

Wary Visitors

When winter parcels out its light, deer appear at the fringes of the day. 

The sun's first rays warm their thick coats and turn their whiskers into strands of light.  

They browse nervously, snapping to attention at every hint of danger. 

One false sound, and, tails up, they flee to the cover of the woods. 

They come again at evening; 

their shadows lengthen and spread into the darkness that gives them shelter.




In His hand is the life of every creature
and the breath of all mankind.
Job 12:10

Linking with
Rurality Blog Hop

First Rain

Wind kicked up Saturday just after deer had come out into the field,

and then the rain started, softly at first, then gaining momentum.

The deer stood in the open, absorbing every drop, 

until the sky exploded with light and sound, and water came down in hard stripes, 

sending them into the cover of the woods. 

When the storm abated, a fawn ventured out with its mother,

wonder-struck at the fireworks and the water still falling from the sky,

the cool fresh air and the smell of wet earth.

And then it ran; 

it ran for the joy of being alive and being young and fast

and feeling soft wet ground underfoot for the first time in its short life.

It ran like lightning,

flashing by the field in broad circles.

The others watched and remembered,

and then a doe and a young buck joined the romp,

all three chasing the wind, fueled by the rain.

It was over in a few minutes.

Sunday morning was quiet;
moisture hung low over the hills, swelled the pond, straightened bent flowers

and ended the drought.




God's voice thunders in marvelous ways;

He does great things beyond our understanding.

He says to... the rain shower, "Be a mighty downpour".

So that everyone He has made may know His work,

He stops all people from their labor.

  The animals take cover...


Job 37:5-8





Linking with Weekly Top Shot
and Camera Critters

Tranquility?

We love watching the deer around our house, and every season has it's own fascination.

Several of the does are pregnant now

and it won't be long before spotted fawns are skipping through the grass.

The bucks are just ready to sprout new antlers.

 It's always a peaceful scene...

Well, not always.

These 2 got into a into a fight over breakfast the other morning,

but nobody got hurt.

When it was all over, somebody wanted to fix the blame.

"He started it."



Linking with Camera Critters

Forbidden Flowers

Don called me to the window before full light the other morning to point out the large doe that was helping herself to our daylilies.  Apparently she didn't mind the Deer Off that I had sprayed them with recently.  She had eaten about half of the tender new shoots, and didn't move when I first stepped out the door, but when I said "Hey!" in my sternest voice, she hurried off.  I've dubbed her Lily and it's impossible to get too mad at her, because if I had to choose between daylilies and deer, I would most certainly take the deer.

Then, late that evening, for the first time this year, a doe brought her twin fawns into the field near the house where we feed them.  They were tiny and stayed, for the most part, close to their mother, but one of them was quite intrigued with a gobbler that dwarfed them.  

Last night, while fireflies danced in the meadow, Don and I waited for the full moon to rise over the eastern hills.  When it first appeared, it was huge, and we both drew in our breath involuntarily.  Not far from us, in the dim light, stood 5 deer, and they were watching with us.  For such company, a few daylilies seem a very reasonable price.

  

Deep Freeze

Monday afternoon, there were lines at the gas pumps and at the grocery store, as if we lived in the city.  Most everybody in town has been taking the weather predictions seriously ever since our big ice storm 2 years ago.  This time we skated.  A small layer of ice now covers the landscape with a light snow on top.  Most noticeable, however, is the cold.  Even Barley, the snow dog, is happy to get back inside after our brief excursions out of doors.  

Wild creatures have been stocking up, too.  Our regulars, 7 deer and 4 Tom turkeys, are coming around more often, looking for corn, and scores of birds hop and peck around the feeders. Yesterday afternoon 3 pair of mallards dropped into our pond for a little swim. They must have found something good to eat, because their heads kept bobbing under the water while their ruffly backsides tipped straight up in the air.  They were gone before dark, undoubtably on to larger waters that wouldn't freeze overnight.

At the pond this morning, mourning doves flew away as we approached, crying the high pitched trill that signals distress.  I felt like an apology was due for displacing them from their shelter in the willows, but by the time we had rounded the pond, they were already flying back.

The open spaces are mostly vacated on this cold night, and the roost trees, bedding areas, and dens have already filled up.  At dawn, it will start all over again.

Breakfast Buffet

This morning as I picked raspberries, a butterfly parked on a berry and sipped raspberry juice through its long slender proboscis.  I picked about a cup and a half, which is respectable for my little patch, but I often think that the plants would rather be elsewhere.  Many of them have shriveled up in this hot, dry summer.   A good friend of mine in Oregon has a prolific patch of raspberries in her back yard, and when I visited her a few years ago, I almost foundered at breakfast on the plump juicy berries.  

The raccoons haven't discovered the raspberries yet this year, thankfully, nor have the deer, whose attention is currently diverted by ripening dogwood berries.  Don brush hogged this past weekend, and in the process, tore a small dogwood limb off a tree down the hill from our house.   By Monday, the deer had discovered that the limb had a lot of ripe berries within easy reach, and they must love them, because a line quickly formed at the breakfast buffet.  Occasionally one of the deer would stand up on its hind legs to sample some berries off the tree, then bat the tree with its forelegs, loosening more berries and showering them to the ground.

I like to think of God stretching out His hand to feed the butterflies and deer and raccoons, and with that same strong, gentle hand, reaching down to care for you and me.

These all look to You to give them their food at the proper time. 

When You give it to them, they gather it up;

When You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good things.

                                       Psalm 104:27,28

Yum!

Who Me?

Daylily Deer

Earlier this month, we enjoyed a pretty good patch of daylilies.  Then, one morning recently, they were gone, which wasn't a big surprise.  The deer love them.  Since then, a few more have bloomed, and so far there's only one old doe in the group here who's bold enough to take them in the daylight.  The other morning when she was getting too close to the patch, I decided to walk out the door to scare her off.  My presence didn't faze her, so I said, "No, those are not for you!  Go away, get out of here!  Shoo!"  She just stood there.  Then I clapped, and she ran.  Who would have thought that a bold deer such as she would be embarrassed by applause and leave the stage?  
Later, I made a deal with myself.  We've enjoyed those flowers long enough.  I'd be willing to exchange a few daylilies for a few photos.  So here they are.  They'll be back next year.