Ever since we moved into our home 13 years ago, we have had a herd of deer that come through every morning and every evening. They travel along the same path on the woods edge. They rarely come up to the house (although a couple of years ago a big buck was standing just outside my office window nibbling on a hemlock branch...I pounded on the window and scared him away!). It doesn't matter if we see the deer every morning, the next morning they are just as wonderful.
That first June in our home I saw for the very first time in my life, a mama and her newborn fawn. They were standing together in the front yard. It was as if she was presenting her baby to the world--it was an incredibly poignant moment. Then several years ago there was the time a huge thunderstorm cropped up in the afternoon scaring a newborn fawn out into the open of the backyard. It's mother was no where to be found and I, umbrella in hand, went out to save the poor thing. Yes, this was before I knew mothers often leave their babies hidden in the underbrush while they go off to feed for several hours at a time. I never caught that baby (thank goodness), but the Lord was kind enough to reassure us he was OK. I was convinced at the time the mother had been hit by a car leaving the poor baby all to himself. A couple of days later, his mother presented her baby to us by walking him right through the front yard.
And so yesterday morning Rachel spotted movement in the back woods. I had seen a doe lingering there a couple of times over the past week or so. This is unusual especially during the day, so I couldn't help but wonder if she had given birth somewhere close by. Sure enough, it was a mama and her youngling! Rachel and I watched as the fawn nursed and its mother cleaned her baby from head to toe. We were glued to the window! I grabbed my camera and was able to take a couple pictures along with a couple of videos.
This little guy came out of the woods in the backyard and slowly made his way to the front. His mama stayed about 15 feet behind him, letting him have a little space. We watched until they both disappeared into the kids' hideout...a perfect place for deer to hide. Just ask Rachel. She went in there to play a couple of years ago and got the shock of her life to find a deer standing there staring at her!
I don't know about you, but I'd be happy to spend a little time like this every morning. I felt like I had received a wonderful present! It is such a great reminder to me that just as this mama deer cares for her young one, God cares for His children so much more.
P.S. I have tried everything to directly upload a video to my blog. It hasn't worked yet, but I'm bound and determined to figure it out!
Aww, how sweet!! We every once in a while have a deer run through our yard...or, I should say, it's rare that we see them - we see their hoofprints.
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