Oh Deer

 This post is mostly for Bennett, but the rest of you can peek in.  I think most of you know that the last few years we have had some deer trouble.  Upon returning from Utah a weekend in spring three years ago our neighbor proudly announced that triplet deer had been born in our backyard while we were gone.   Last year twins were born in or around our yard.  Bennett loves the story of Grandpa giving those two little furry Bambi's a gentle sweep out of the yard with the broom.  These about-to-give birth mothers the past two years had eaten everything in sight, so much so that last year dad designed, devised and built a deer fence.  Many of you have seen the deer fence in person, for those of you who haven't, here are some closeups.  Grandpa is really a genius.  We hadn't seen any deer this year and wondered if the effort of opening and closing the gate was really needed, that perhaps we had broken the cycle.  One night a few weeks ago we accidentally left the gate open all night.  When we came out in the morning every rose bush had been decimated and we saw hoof prints next to our nectarine tree.  Thank heavens for seminary, I think we scared her off early. 

Ranch hitch that dad devised.

Last Wednesday I came home from the office, got out of the car to open the deer fence and saw this little spotted beauty right by the fence.  I took the picture to send to dad to tell him that indeed instinct had reigned again as this mother deer, who was probably born in our backyard, came back to 336 to give birth. 

 In order to not get this little baby in too bad of sleeping habits, Granpa put some leftover wood along the side of the house where I had found the baby sleeping earlier in the day.  Who would want to sleep on wood slates.  When I came home Thursday, that little baby was there again.  I took this picture and sent it to Grandpa.  He was really surprised because he said there were little nails sticking out of the wood. 

 Nails???  I can sleep on nails.  Here was the picture on Friday when I came home (below).  Saturday was a big project at the Cornwalls.  Dad has been working to fortify and fix the ivy wall between our property and the Corsis' (332).  Since Steve was going to be out of town it was nice to feel comfortable going back and forth to work on the fix.  There was someone though that wasn't very comfortable.  As we went to 332 we were met by the mother deer.  She was pacing around.  As I went to get Steve's garbage can I found out why she was so nervous.

 There, tucked right by his house was our little deer baby.  Things were a little tense until the mom maneuvered herself and the baby off of 332's property.  I saw a car stop mid-street and people jump out.  I figured they had seen this beautiful scene.  I went out to talk to them and found that the mom and baby had settled into the secret passageway on the north side of 336. 

 I took the next two shots out of the kitchen window.  A chance to get very close, but with a wall and window in between.  As "NOT" happy as we are about nursing mothers needing lots of food to eat, the scene is pretty precious.  I am amazing at how she gave birth to something that big - no midwife, no help, that she wanted to come back here to have her baby.  I am in awe of the divine instinct of mothers and the sacrifice I see in this mama deer.  Deer born at 336, this might be a long legacy.