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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Deer!

We’ve lived here, in a fairly rural part of central Massachusetts, for thirteen years. Once, in the heart of summer, our land thick and lush with green, I was working outside and heard a rustling, snapping sound off in the distance, near our stone wall. It was late afternoon, the sun golden. In a slight opening in the foliage, in full sun, I saw the head, shoulders and antlers of a deer. He was magnificent. By the time I registered his presence and sucked in my breath, he leapt over the stone wall and disappeared into the woods. That was the only time I have actually seen a deer on our property.

Late this afternoon, Chuck glanced out our bedroom window and spoke in a stage whisper: “Lee! Deer!” (When I saw his face and caught his sight-line out the window, I knew he hadn’t said: “Lee, dear!”) Sure enough there was a female White Tail Deer in our driveway, in front of the lilac bushes. Chuck’s eyes resolved more slight movement before mine did, as he spotted four more does! He quickly got the camera and I snapped as many pictures as I could. Nature and natural selection have made these creatures nearly invisible in this landscape. These unretouched photos were taken through our old multi-paned windows (with white mullions and muntins), through the storm window, which was covered in raindrops!
That said, enjoy!





P.S. If you like, you can put your cursor over a photo here in Blogger, click and have it open in a larger format.

7 comments:

purpleronnie said...

Lee, deer......
These are such lovely pics. You seem to live in a magical place - so far removed from the USA we see on telly! These deer look quite similar to the kind we get in South Africa. I wonder what kind they are? How lucky you are to have nature right on your doorstep...
xxxx

Pink Granite said...

Hi Ronnie,
The U.S.A. is what we see out our window, or around our town common - as well as what you see on television. Our country is not perfect and we're struggling right now. Living here provides us with some respite and balance.

You inadvertently caught my error in the post. Thanks! I should have capitalized "White Tail Deer". I guess we are more descriptive than creative in the naming of animals around here!

Thanks for visiting and commenting!
- Lee

Roo said...

These look delicious .. sh*t, did I say that out loud!

These are lovely Lee (honest they are), if you ever get yourselves over to Sunny Buckinghamshire, you will have to visit Woburn with us and see the deer there.

It's a little place in the country - http://www.woburnabbey.co.uk/

Pink Granite said...

Oh Roo ---
Don't get me started on the topic of venison! It's not that I get squeamish thinking about eating Bambi (well, just a little). It's because in a previous lifetime, I was very financially challenged and had to find ways to cook up the free venison, an ex-brother-in-law hunter would donate to my ex-husband and me. Only the most pungent spices could begin to mask the gamey taste. So we ate way too much venison chili!!!

Changing the subject...
Woburn Abbey looks lovely! I've never known of a Deer Park before - and with ten different species to boot! We read that the wife of the 7th Duke invented afternoon tea. We look forward to joining you and Peter there someday!
;o)
- Lee

Roo said...

You and Chuk would always be welcome... we'll put you in the East wing ( second spare room to you ) ;o)

Roo said...

Chuck with a c

Pink Granite said...

Thanks Roo---
Chuck and I would be honored to stay in the East Wing.
So would Chuk!!!
;o)
- Lee