Our patio workers were out in full force on Saturday trying to wrap up the landscaping and other remaining bits and pieces of this project. They almost succeeded.
Almost does not count.
The sprinkler is not working correctly in one spot and there is an entire length of gutter currently laying across the patio that will need to be reattached to the house. Lovely. I don't think I want to talk about that either.
I'm going to the dentist this morning. 'Nuff said.
Daughter2 arrived safely back in South Carolina yesterday afternoon and I for sure don't want to talk about that. How about something deer?
Is this the most precious thing or what?
Daughter2 and I had a girlie day on Friday which consisted of shoe shopping followed by a nice lunch out and then a visit to the salon for mani/pedis. Bliss.
As we turned onto our street I noticed some ears peeking out from under the tall grass (see paragraph 1, ahem) at the entry to our neighborhood. At first I thought it was a rabbit but we decided to turn around for a better look since something about that thought didn't seem quite right.
A newborn fawn. Oh my word. I've never seen one this tiny. We looked around and didn't see the mother at first so we got a little closer. We wondered if she was injured. (Yes, of course she's a she....so sweet and delicate.) She didn't look injured but she did sit almost motionless watching us with her beautiful brown eyes.
Can I have a pet deer Mom?
Tempting, but no.
We finally spotted the mother on the other side of the pond and she was chowing down like there was no tomorrow. Remember giving birth and feeling ravenous afterwards? She was just like that. We were cautious as we didn't want to disrupt the relationship in any way. We were pretty sure this fawn was only a day or two old.
Daughter2 googled baby deer and we learned a few things-
It's common for the mother to leave the newborn for extended periods of time following birth. The baby is safer this way than trying to keep up with an adult who is looking for food. And the newborn will sit almost motionless which is what this one was doing. If they are injured they will bleat continually and ours didn't make a sound. It did say that if they're left for more than 24 hours in the same spot they might have been abandoned and would need rescue. And although small and delicate apparently the hooves of a baby deer can still slice you and cause serious injury so that's a word of warning. Also, if you pet or handle the baby in any way it will bond quickly and attempt to follow you as if you are its mother. Daughter2 was all ready for this little thing to think she was its mother but we resisted petting or handling her in any way.
When we went out later that evening she was still there so hubs got to see her too. We all worried about her, not so much being hit by a car because she really wasn't up and moving, but we know there are fox and bobcats and who knows what else in the area that might feel the need to snatch her for their dinner.
Hubs walked down to the spot on Saturday morning and she wasn't there but he could see where she'd been laying. We didn't see any sign of her (if you know what I mean) so we assume she is now up and about and safely with her mother.
So deer dear isn't she?
I'm sure her mother thinks so too.
