I go for coffee with B in March, in the early morning. It is clear and the rising sun turns everything gold. We are out on one of the docks with our coffee. Two deer come to the water and walk along it, under the dock and back. They are not here to quench their thirst, because this is the Salish Sea, not fresh water. So what are they doing?
“It’s clear, let’s go down to the water. It is so pretty out. Now, before most of the people are up.”
This two weeks has been stressful, with confusing changes. Mother comes home daily with smells of another cat. About a month ago she began rushing around and moving many things. Sol Duc and I were locked out of a room on the main floor and then out of a room on the lower floor. Then Mother continued to hurry and she even washed some of the rocks. Why would she wash rocks? We were concerned.
Then people came. Three people. One was large and he chased me! His name is Trey, he is loud, he knows my name! I ran!. Mother would pick me up and she even handed me to him. Then he was very nice and less loud and patted my belly appropriately, but after he put me down, I still did not like when he would chase me with loud noises!
There is a small female person and a less small female person, Joanne and Camille. They both held me but they are quieter and did not chase me. Trey and Joanne stayed in one of the shut rooms and Camille in the other! We asked to investigate, but were refused. This is confusing. They left after two nights, gone! Mother seemed to enjoy them very much. Trey called me “cat brother” but I am not so sure.
Mother still smells of the other cat. Daily! She left for three nights and Dennis came in. He does not stay for the night, but he is good. We miss Mother.
Mother came back, but today was more frightening. She put on our harnesses for outdoors and we went in the carriers. But instead of letting us out when we got outside, we went in the car! Then we slid forward once. Mother said, “I was trying not to hit a deer, sorry.” We cried, Sol Duc and me. Mother brought the carriers into a place with many frightened animal smells. Another woman took the top off my carrier. She and Mother talked, a lot. She gave me two shots. I let her. She let me get off the metal table. I got in the carrier with my sister. It is very small but if we squeeze together, we both fit. The other woman laughed and said, “I can’t believe they both fit in there.”
Mother put us both in the bigger carrier and brought us home. We are very very happy to be home.
I have two trees: a Wolf River and a Gravenstein. I picked the Gravensteins over a month ago, but the Wolfe Rivers like to stay on the tree longer. I will pick a bunch today. They are lovely and wonderful pie apples. Picking is not quite overdue!
Meanwhile, my magnolia has damage this morning.
Human? No, I don’t think so.
That spike or the 3 prong in the neighborhood, sharpening their antlers. I have watched them other places in town. It feels safer from a car. I think I need some protection for the magnolia.
Here is our young spike with Sol Duc. She is very interested in the deer.
He was interested too, but was also thinking about chasing her. Sol Duc prudently declined to go any closer. He turned away and followed the does, while I retrieved Sol Duc and took her inside. Whew!
My non-native maple, tipped by the sun, but also just starting to change colors. This is my second lot, the wild lot, where the deer often bed down at night. We have two families coming through. A doe with a younger doe and a pair of twins who have lost their spots, and another doe with some younger twins. We have a three point buck with one deformed and broken horn, and I had a young spike in my yard the other day. Looking polished and sharp, too. I kept my distance.
The cats are a bit cautious with the deer. Here is Elwha. He is checking that I am still there and that it’s still safe. This was taken in August.
Here is Sol Duc, checking out a buck, also in August.
Mom walked Elwha first today. There is fine mist from the sky. Mother slipped outside with Elwha early. I did not hear the click of the harness until after the door had closed. I had to wait.
Mother came back in and makes coffee before taking me out! Sometimes she and Elwha and I go out together. She is taking us out early today. Yesterday she slept in until 7:00, which is annoying. I prefer that my breakfast is ready at 4:00.
I lead Mother to the wild part of the back yard today, when she won’t let me dig in the neighbor’s garden. I am heading through the yard and realize: one of the four foots is there! A big one!
Black cat and buck meeting.
I go closer and he is quite big. I think it is best if I lead Mother away. I can handle him, of course, but Mother is more vulnerable and after all, she brings me food.
Black cat and buck 2.
Mother backs out of the yard and around the garage. I go further into the yard and there is a lady four foot. She and I exchange greetings. Mother comes around between our garage and the neighbors. She waits until the lady four foot and I are done and the lady four foot goes to the apple tree. Then Mother and I go inside.
I would like more food now, but Mother can be stubborn.
I took pictures of this cutie out my back window. I got my Canon and cracked the back door. Sol Duc ran right out! But, mother deer is paying close attention.
Mother is nearly on my back porch and Sol Duc reverses direction very quickly and climbs.
An interaction between four sentient beings, though I stay in the house. I am photographing through a grubby window so as not to spook anyone else. Sol Duc immediately pretends nonchalance.
I took the photograph Tuesday night, from the garden behind the Bishop Hotel. “So what?” you say, “She’s just lying there.”
Let’s pan out.
She is on the hill up to the right. She is listening to the jazz, Johnathan Doyle and friends, first time this year playing outside on Tuesday night. She has at least one fawn, too. I spotted it in the garden on the other side of the band. Mom deer came behind the band, stopped and considered whether the jazz was up to her standards or not, and then she went to the hill. The fawn stayed hidden, back to the left of the dancers.
Mom deer stayed close to keep an eye on everyone and she listened to the jazz.
Discover and re-discover Mexicoβs cuisine, culture and history through the recipes, backyard stories and other interesting findings of an expatriate in Canada
Engaging in some lyrical athletics whilst painting pictures with words and pounding the pavement. I run; blog; write poetry; chase after my kids & drink coffee.
Refugees welcome - FlΓΌchtlinge willkommen I am teaching German to refugees. Ich unterrichte geflΓΌchtete Menschen in der deutschen Sprache. I am writing this blog in English and German because my friends speak English and German. Ich schreibe auf Deutsch und Englisch, weil meine Freunde Deutsch und Englisch sprechen.
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