We Are Family

I'm getting attached to this threesome, and that is bad.  First, a daily war will surely begin between them and me in the next month when gardening time starts or maybe even sooner if they snip off any of the 100 new daffodils I planted around the place last fall.

I don't care how cute Bambi's happen to be----disdain for deer in general becomes a common emotion on warm summer days when, during my morning watering trips around the place, I discover veggies missing most of their parts or once beautiful decapitated pansies ripped from their soil and flung on the ground.

Did I say watering?

I can't even imagine needing a hose for at least the next year with all the rain we've received, yet again in the past 24 hours. 

Yesterday was definitely a "rain-pants" day.  Throughout the day, the living room around the warm wood stove was strewn with wet jackets, gloves, boots and those mud-splattered rain pants. 

Bill and I finally had enough of Lovestead rain activity and decided it might be more fun seeing the rain come down somewhere else. 

So, we loaded up all three dogs in the pickup and, as Lefty and Lily stood huddled in one spot underneath their barnyard shelter (yes, Lily and little one are smart enough to hold off until a better day), we headed toward Bonners Ferry. 

We passed the mud slide where barricades have been set up to keep more mud from sliding on the highway and highway department flaggers have been directing small segments of traffic through the area for the past couple of weeks. 

Besides an abundance of oozing mud on hillsides all along the way, we saw dozens of temporary waterfalls and rushing but still babbling brooks along roadsides as we drove through the farm country of beautiful Paradise Valley. 

We also drove five miles up Katka Road to more big barricades, closing off flooding problems on up the road.

"We may not make it to Boulder City this year," Bill said as we turned around. 

After returning home to find Lily and Lefty still standing in their shelter, we both enjoyed grilled cheese sandwichs with homemade bread (and ham for Bill).  

After all, it was National Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day.

Later, Bill went to his Trout Unlimited meeting, and I made a few trips to the barn to check on Lily.  During a rain break I spotted the deer family happily bedded down in Pasture No. 2.

So, I walked slowly down the lane, and gradually each rose from its resting place, and the trio eventually walked back to the woods, sticking together in their family unit. 

I think they're a lovely family and don't really want to get too attached because of the reality that our neighborhood deer will eventually meet their demise in one way or another.

For now, though, and since they have not yet nibbled off any of my precious plants, I think they're pretty cute and will continue to enjoy taking their portraits during their daily visits. 

That's all for now.  Stay dry.  Happy Thursday.   

Yup, still barefoot and pregnant.