There is a rhythm to seasons as they flow from winter to spring, summer to fall, and within the seasons another rhythm flows as well.
One, knows, for instance, that it will rain when the peonies are about to bloom. The irises come first, however, and they show off for such a short time that one must enjoy them in earnest. The Salvia have a longer display, but, deadheading (what a violent word that is for an act that really bring forth new life) insures an encore performance later on. These rhythms all flow within each other.
Then, there are the weeds, which demand a paragraph in their own. Right now, we are trying to control the determined creeping Charlie, which I pull like a sailor hauling anchors in during a storm, coupled with the insidious garlic mustard. Whoever thought that was a good idea? It thrives here, with its flounce leaves and spikes of white flowers, ravishing our acreage inch by inch. It is the reason I almost look forward to the building of a house next door, for, that lot was a football field of mustard garlic all of whose seeds seemed to settle into our yard.
As I looked beyond our grassy knoll greening and growing and grateful for the sun and the rain, I wondered when we would first spot a fawn, for we usually do ’round about the time the peonies and irises put on a show. As much as I stomp my foot and huff and puff about the damage the deer do to our gardens, I do look forward to this season when the fawn are born.
I noticed something in the garlic, mustardy moat next door; a speck of a something that was probably a bunch of leaves blown about from a recent storm. Still . . . my eye on the speck, I wandered back, inching to the edge of our property. A slight movement in the breeze. Wide eyes watching me. The twitch of an ear. A fawn at rest. Right where his mother put him, for does are known to leave their babes in open fields for hours on end. Fawn have no scent, no predators, in fact, just a seasonally inspired granny who wanders about, dancing the dance of the seasons.
The photo above shows the fawn. Just click on a few times and you will find it center stage, as I did. Click on below, as well, and you should be able to make out the spots that fawn wear in their young life. You may need to click twice.
Peek-a-boo . . . all ears and eyes. 🙂 A very, very sweet discovery, Penny.
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. . . I see you. Like many babies, this fawn will have to grow into his eyes and ears, Karen. It was a sweet discovery, indeed.
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Seeing the fawn made my day. I love that cutoff of yours!
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Who would have thought that something cutoff could be so fill, Marilyn? This little fawn was a wonderment to discover.
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What a joy to see such gorgeous new life so close to home, Penny. Sorry the garlic mustard is so invasive with you. That’s what comes of bringing in a plant not native to the Americas. Sigh… Here we see it growing by hedges, but not taking over whole gardens as with you.
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It is taking over the forest floors and invading fields of crops. I wish the deer would eat the garlic mustard instead of my hostas. Sigh. We all have some such invasive species to deal with, I suppose; long left gifts of well meaning newcomers. I try to pull these before they go to seed, but, it is an uphill battle. At least they provide shelter for the little creatures like the fawn and give me such moments of blissful discovery. Thank you, Perpetua.
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I can’t believe you saw him there! I had to search that first picture before I could see it (do I vet extra grace since the photo on my phone is much smaller?) Wonderful! Love the fawns!
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My only wish was that the kids could be here to see it, Katy.
I was just lucky the other day. I often see something and sneak up to find a leave of paper bag. This day was my lucky one and we know that the fawn start to appear come June. I’m glad you could find it with your small window to my world. Dad saw it with his mommy the next day, but, he has been elusive with all the rain.
That’s one extra point for the phone and another one for trying 🙂
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You can just see his ears and eyes peeking over the weeds, almost looks like a statue! I have never cared for the term deadheading either, maybe we should think of a new term ~ like encoring! I enjoyed your lovely post.
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He was very still, Melissa, and I was careful not to get too close, but, his eyes were following me the whole time. He will need to grow into his ears, for sure. Now, there is a most excellent idea; encoring! Thank you.
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Oh, what a cute little friend and so hard to find. I think you should call him or her Waldo as in Where’s Waldo. We were concerned because we hadn’t seen any fawns. Then, last night between rain showers we saw a small one snuggled down in the neighbor’s bean field while Mom strolled around munching the beans.
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I might have known you would liken him to Waldo, Janet. Actually, I started with that as theme, but, well, sometimes I wander from one idea into another. I don’t know how I sensed it was a fawn, but, like you, I’m sure, am always on the lookout for them at this time of year. Isn’t it amazing how they wait so quietly for their mother’s to return, and how the doe know they can leave them?
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How fascinating to discover the little fawn, staying there so obediently, and only just peeping out. You show so beautifully the way each season brings its treats as well as trials.
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Oh, thank you for saying so, Juliet. I appreciate it very much, especially coming from someone such as you who is so attuned to the seasons. I just felt compelled to see what it was that had caught my attention – and I’m glad I did.
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You have an amazing eye to have seen him! I know you love your creatures, Penny, and although the deer do take a toll, I so appreciate that you share your home. 🙂 I really thought this was a beautiful post that highlights how the garden has rhythms that speak to us, and I hope your little guy stuck around for a long time!
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Debra, I went out to check several hours later and he was still there. It is so interesting how the fawn know they can leave their babies like this and that they will be safe. I really don’t know how it came to be that my eye caught the soft, brown speck in the weeds, but, be it fate or intuition or sheer luck, I sensed something and there it was. Ah, this is a love/hate relationship I have with the deer (heavy on the love part). I was pretty angry at them the other day when I found all of the tips of the the begonias munched off in one of my posts.
Aren’t we the lucky ones to have some many of God’s creatures stop by to visit us? I only wish the grandkids were around to share this, but, smiling over your moments with Karina. 🙂
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It must be so lovely to see such wonders in your garden…. well spotted this time ! I love your comments about dead heading…my salvias are looking fabulous, but I know I must assist them to continue to delight me later in the year !
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Aha! That’s it. We “assist” our plants at times so they will set more blossoms. Much, much better than deadheading, Janice. ::)
The salvia are ravishing everywhere this year, it seems. I think that winter, as hard as it was, was a good thing for many of plants, and the deer obviously fared well, too.
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I felt annoyed today when the ducks discovered the snap peas, but as I draped netting over them I noticed a deer not far off watching me–and maybe the snap peas 🙂 What a great post.
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Thank you.
I hope that netting kept not only the ducks away from your snap peas, but, the deer as well. It is bad enough to have them nibbling on perennials, but, the produce, well, that it too much to bear at times.
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What a lovely post , here in California spring comes when the almond trees bloom in the Central Valley. I wonder if the fawn is scared waiting for his mother to come back?
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The image of those almond trees and the sense of their scent is alluring – and a sure sign that spring has arrived in the Central Valley. The fawn did not seem afraid when we saw it, but, sadly, met an unpleasant end which I just posted. Thank you, Gerlinde.
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Dear Penny, thanks for clueing us in to click on that first photo. I was delighted with my eyes when I found the fawn! Just last week, one of my nieces e-mailed a photo of a fawn that the mother had settled in her flower garden. I never knew that young deer have no scent. I need to tell that to my niece. She said that the next morning the fawn was gone. Peace.
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You are welcome, Dee. Isn’t it fun to find what is hidden right before our eyes?
Sadly, though the deer have no scent, this young one met up with a predator we hadn’t imagined, which I just posted about. I get lulled into the tranquility of nature, forgetting its other side. I hope that your niece sees the fawn again as it matures – and then leaves the garden alone.
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