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7:55 PM - Morning Deer, Afternoon Elk, a Frog |
| We woke to a nice covering of loose snow over the hogback and spotted a small party of mule deer studying the property.And I do mean studying.They checked out every craggy rock and nook, the wild plums and other scrubs, tested the air for scents and took a good portion of the morning doing so.Then they moved on down the hill to the river.? This winter we saw little of 'our' mule deer herd, the Bootcampers, a sorry fact that gave cause to wonder if the new neighbor's dog had convinced them to graze less threatening hillsides.But as we watched the scouting party's careful assessment of the lair, we filled with hope that the herd will again birth and raise their fawns in our back yard.After all, we have been thus blessed three out of three summers.? So we began the day running wild with hope.? Then I bumped into Froggy, the western toad.? Readers of this blog may recall that last fall I kidnapped the toad and released him into the greenhouse to eat bugs.And boy did he take to his new job, if not to me! Western toads have an almost inaudible croak and sometimes hibernate in the winter.We didn't know if the greenhouse would get cold enough for him to hibernate, but he did disappear.We hoped he didn't die.? Recently we've heard Froggy's sweet, low croak, and are thrilled he is well and back on the job.But we hadn't seen him until today when I was misting veggie starts and something moved.I assumed it was a bug and dug the soil with a trowel.Out popped Froggy, a surly glare on his face.I don't think he ever forgave me for christening him Froggy.Nor, apparently, has he forgotten the time last fall when I sprayed him with water.I assured him then it had been a mistake; that I was aiming for the pepperoncini plant, but well....This time I just apologized and backed away from the toad.I plan to win him over slowly.Or set him free.One of those.? So anyway, in the afternoon, a seventy-member herd of Roosevelt elk arrive in the valley and claim a fallow field as grazing spot du jour.I'm thrilling at the sight of seventy milling, resting, grazing, sleepy, wary, gorgeous elk, noting that the snow has stopped and that the hillside and valley are green rather than white (snow comes and goes so quickly around here!)when those morning mule deer scouts wander into view and join Wonderhubby and me in our reverence for the elk.? Just another ho-hum day in paradise.? P.S. Wonderhubby wonders if there is a 12-step program for elkoholics.He thinks we might have a problem. |
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