Wouldn’t You?

Sunday. Things began quietly around the pond this week. A serene blue and green world. A light breeze barely disturbed the pond most of the time and a scattering of clouds slowly ambled south with a sustained cool front. Solstice is behind us now. Summer has slipped quietly into its place on the calendar. The iris and lilacs have closed their blossoms for the year, leaving wild flowers and clover to fend for themselves. A pair of Carolina wrens is raising a small family in one of our hanging begonia baskets. One might believe that Mother Nature had taken the quiet as an opportunity to settle down for a nap.

Not so. Things have been rife with critter activity all week. A doe and her twin fawns joined us for breakfast Tuesday morning. They grazed quietly on a grassy area near the ledge, oblivious of our presence. Nothing like a large catch of green weeds and daisies to begin ones day.

On Wednesday another doe and her single offspring waded at the back of the pond in the early afternoon. The trees and their reflections fringe the pond in that area. Their red summer garb stood out against the verdant green background. During late afternoon a solitary four point buck grazed near “Howe’s Bayou”, a nook in the shore opposite the island. A buck always seems to have regal command over everything around him. Even fellow critters appear awed in his presence. Perhaps it’s my imagination. Or perhaps I’m one of them.

A sticky warm front brought dark low hanging clouds on Thursday morning. A windless deluge turned the pond from black to mottled silver.

The rain did little to deter the critters from their normal routine. At sunset a velveted buck grazed on the edge of the pond to within 50 ft of the porch. Much to our surprise, he then moved into the woods behind the house and lay down, apparently for the night. Even deer become sleepy. Wonder if they dream? About what?

As darkness fell, a bobcat leaped from the woods, ran along the ledge and disappeared into the brush beyond. Illusive and solitary, bobcats are a thrill to see. And fast to disappear.

One might expect that Mother Nature had just about exhausted her magic wand of surprises. But a doe with a fawn, another with twins and, finally, two four point bucks soon laid that thought to rest. The does and their fawns shared pond side vegetation during the morning and early afternoon. The two bucks favored the Hideaway critters with their antlered excellence in the late afternoon. They grazed until sunset, reflection of the waning sun fading on their red coats. Then disappeared into the darkness. Flaunting their royal buckness to the very end.

Wouldn’t you?

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•