Young Buck

Tonight after dinner I was messing around on the computer when Tom called me to look out my window. He had spied a couple of deer down by the treeline on my side of the house. One turned out to be a young buck. The least bit of noise even in the house alerts them, and they didn't hang around for long.

I had mentioned to Tom recently that I see a lot of deer, but mostly I see does. I have seen some bucks with impressive racks tied to trucks during hunting season, but not so much among the dozens I see alongside the roads. Even this little fellow had two little stalks that made him look like an overgrown billy goat more than anything else. So maybe some of the ones I assume are does are just little bucks with stubs that are antlers-in-the-making.

As for other critters, this morning I pulled a substantial tick out of the little hair on top of my head. Gross!

The squirrels are scampering about under the bird feeder, but I haven't seen one on the feeder itself. Tom said he saw one, but they seem deterred -- in not stymied -- by the removal of the mid-pole staple for a foothold.

Some of the plants in the wildflower beds Tom worked on are starting to bloom. The problem is that he can't tell if they are wildflowers or just weeds. Because, let's be honest, wildflowers are basically weeds with colors. We'll just wait and see. Helen will be here this weekend, and she may have a better eye for it.