Oh Deer...

Living in Tallyn's Reach definitely has it's perks! One of them is seeing all the wildlife. Our neighborhood sits within the northern most tip of the Black Forest, and as sad as it is that there are homes now where once there was only forest, it is truly a beautiful neighborhood. We are surrounded by 200 year old pine trees and the area is full of wildlife. We see coyotes, fox, owls, falcons, deer, and once even a mountain lion was spotted, a few years back.
So I was sitting at the kitchen table having lunch with Cole and my mom, middle of the week, middle of the day... we are in the middle of a conversation and my mom started me with "Oh my gosh, look..." Cole and I turned to look out across the kitchen, through the family room window to the backyard where we saw a small doe eating berries off the bush in our backyard. I got up and walked closer to the window and as I approached I saw that there was not only one... but 3 small deer in the neighboring yard as well. I grabbed my camera and quietly planted myself onto the back patio to snap some pictures. As I was doing this I heard a rustling coming from the side of the house. As I looked around I noticed a few more deer in the distance... but that sound was a lot closer. I went through the house and when I came out the front door there was a young buck standing in my driveway. I attempted to get his picture, but he took off trotting up the hill with a loud clopping of his hooves. I still wasn't convinced that he was making that sound I had heard, so I walked around slowly to the side of the house and sure enough, there stood a beautiful doe, munching on my plants. Now, I understand we took over their space here... but I didn't exactly want them eating my landscape. I snapped a few quick photos and then shoo-ed her away. With grace and ease, she lept over the fence into my back yard. From their the herd lept one a time over the fence into the neighbors yard and so on and so forth up the hill. Such a pretty site. I love living here!