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Thursday, May 3, 2012

Signs of life.



Dark pellets in a clump. A family of deer has come and gone.

Deer seem to know just when to come out to play, and when to hide in safety during a storm. My front yard is full of these tell=tale signs, at times right at my front step.  We are used to them; walk around and bypass these pellets most of the time.

We wear sturdy shoes here. Not tennis shoes. Not shoes with heels either. We wear clogs, weather resistant and skid proof that allow us to walk in and out easily. We are always prepared for a downpour too, with rubber jackets by the door, and an extra set in the car.

We could clear this mess and compost it. But, we would be doing this a dozen times a day, a full time job! Instead, we ignore it, and somehow, it no longer bothers us.  When raccoon or other critters show up, we may notice these new signs then.

We protect young trees for years, until they reach a height when deer can't eat them up.  Mostly, we let things be, grow where they may. This is forest land, and forest critters need to survive very harsh winters.


Rhododendrons, camellias, magnolia and azaleas seem to thrive here. And bulbs too, especially iris.
Everything is now  in bloom or about to bloom. We're so busy enjoying the blooms that we walk right over the leavings regularly.

Thank goodness our clogs can be left right at the front door.

24 comments:

Cloudia said...

nature!


Warm Aloha from Honolulu
Comfort Spiral

> < } } (°>

Vera said...

It is lovely to be surrounded by nature, and it is always a compromise when so much wild life is keeping company with you as well. We are not as 'wild' as you are but we still have a good amount of wildlife here, and I feel blessed that we do.

Rob-bear said...

Must be fascinating to have so much livestock at your place. Fascinating, and a bit of a nuisance. OK, potentially a lot of nuisance. The up side is that the livestock is not all that afraid of you. That's a good sign.

Lisa said...

Living among the wild and free, it is a blessing. I enjoyed this post, love knowing how you prepare for weather and how you care for the neighbours.

Maggie May said...

Not unlike rabbit droppings except for the colour!
Maggie X

Nuts in May

Ruth said...

Sounds like live and let live is a good policy for you. I wish rhododendron would thrive here. I love them but have never had any luck.

the walking man said...

At least you do not consider them a nuisance like a farmer of beans or corn would. Integrated living is a good thing.

Diane said...

The only pellets we see are rabbits come to try and get through my fence into the veg garden!! Take care, have a good weekend. Diane

Joani said...

Mother nature at her best and so good of you to enjoy. Have a great weekend.

potsoc said...

Aside from the occasional raccoon or skunk and the many roving cats, not much wild life around here. Lots of birds however, they love our sunflower seed filled manger.

Brian Miller said...

nice...we have lots of those pellets out back the house...we have a fam of deer that live there year round....

Tom said...

I'm in favor of Mother Nature as well, but I have to say it takes every ounce of good will to tolerate those deer. Not only do they eat everything in sight (we can't grow tulips around here -- the deer gobble them up -- and they also chew back the rhododendren, azalea, even the pachysandra), but they are a carrier of the dreaded deer tick which causes Lyme disease, which I've had three times.

The problem around here is, too many deer. Which speaks to nature's balance, which we've distorted to the extreme here in suburbia. When I see those droppings, it's just a reminder to tuck in my pants, and make sure to shower when I get inside. But I have to admit, when I see a family of deer running through the back yard ... I'm still amazed!

L. D. said...

Your must have a lot of deer. In urban areas near Des Moines they have herds of deer living among the houses.

The Broad said...

It's such a shame that these beautiful creatures have become such a blight and so dangerous. Lyme disease has badly affected members of my family -- it's a terrible thing...

yaya said...

Eddy our boxer loves to snack on deer poop in the Creepy Woods..no accounting for taste! You live in such a beautiful place and I think it's great you let nature take its course! I understand that moose have similar droppings. You'd think something that big..deer too..would have poop more like our dog!

dianefaith said...

I'm with Maggie May -- looks like rabbit droppings, except larger. Be careful of the deer, though. Pretty as they are, a large buck attacked a relative and sent him to the hospital a couple of years ago. I'd never heard of such a thing.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Rosaria .. wonderful part of the world - and you're doing the right thing blending into their life .. those little pellets will nurture the grass too .. and any seeds will be spread around ..

Love your thoughts here - cheers Hilary

rjerdee said...

The green goodies in your yard must attract those pellet producers :)

quilterliz said...

G'day Rosaria. Lovely post. I miss the wildlife we used to get when we had the farm. We would see Kangaroos, Koalas and Wombats and it was always a joy. Take care. Liz...

Lydia said...

I could not live in the Willamette Valley without my Dansko clogs! We have deer in our yard but they are on the move and so I do not find droppings (which, btw, I thought were blueberries in your photo!!!). Raccoons leave plenty for us, anyway. I just pick them up along with the doggie poo.

RNSANE said...

I would so love the deer. We used to have a lot around this area of Pacifica and Daly Cityb but, the more civilization and housing encroaches, the less are present. Sometimes, when I drive into SF and cut through the Lincoln Park golf course, they are grazing there and are such a pretty sight.

I keep thinking, still, one of these days, I'll head up your way, if I stay home long enough and have a few extra dollars. I'm saving now, though, for another plane ticket to India.

ds said...

Let it be...and in time those pellets will fertilize your lawn.

Soumyendu said...

That really seems like a heavenly place!

Helga said...

And I thought those are blueberries!