AFTERNOON CALLERS

Mike made a day trip into Pittsburgh Landing on the Snake River today, but that’s his story. I stayed behind with Bess and Nellie. I did laundry, and I put out my Halloween display. No, it is not too early. Halloween is the basis of my fall decorating, and after Halloween it easily segues into Thanksgiving.

About 3:30, Nellie expressed interest in going out, so as I prepared for the afternoon walk, I happened to glance out the dining room window to the north field. There, very close to the yard, were two doe. I picked up the camera and carefully went out on the porch. If they saw me, they didn’t let on. I continued to watch and take pictures for a while.

Bess watched, too, from her perch on the kitchen porch.

When the deer didn’t move, I walked toward the field just to see what would happen. I was beyond the driveway when one of the deer signaled (a kind of trumpeting sound), and that’s when I discovered there were really four deer, one of which was a buck. (What’s he doing with all those girls anyway?) They all ran into the middle of the field and stopped in a group to look back at me. We stared at each other for a long moment. Then one of the deer, probably the buck, warned again, and shortly thereafter they turned tail and ran.

Bess lethargically refused to acknowledge that anything had happened. She’s bummed because with Mike gone, she knows she won’t be hunting this afternoon. Don't think she didn't complain about it, too. Whine, whine, whine.

(And by the way, as I stood on the porch a hummingbird approached, looking for nectar. I just can’t win!) KW