By Doris Schroeder
Hubby and I were driving back to our home one snowy, wintry day this last month when suddenly we saw something grazing in the snow right beside the road. We stopped a minute and this animal lifted her head and looked us in the eye. She did not even blink an eyelash.
I realized I was looking right smack dab into the eyes of a beautiful golden brown deer. What surprised me even more was that she was not one bit frightened of me. She just stood there by the tree and continued eating some sort of food, not even making an effort to run.
Hubby and I could hardly believe what we had just seen. This was indeed the first time we had ever seen a deer that did not fear us. Why not? Didn’t God put in her the ability to smell danger so she would be protected? Perhaps she had been be-friended at the neighbors and had learned to trust people.
We turned into our driveway and into our garage, went into the house and for got about our episode.
The next morning I picked up the paper from the porch but didn’t really look around the front yard. Later, when hubby looked outside, he called me to come look at the snow on the front lawn, I must admit that we are the last ones in our whole block in this neighborhood, to have the snow disappear from our lawn.
The strange thing, however, was not the snow but all the deer prints all over the front and side of our yard. In fact, John is almost sure that it was made by our “deer” friend and perhaps some of her “lady” friends.
It got me to thinking. When God created the deer, for what purpose was it done? They are a graceful animal, many respond well to overtures of friendship. I’ve seen them by the side of the road sometimes, checking to see if the road is clear to cross for their little ones. I have always enjoyed watching them in their graceful meandering.
These deer around here, however, are supposedly wild. At least they are not shot at in the city limits so that is probably why she is trusting. I do remember a time several years ago when hubby decided to plant some watermelon with his grandson Ryan. A friend of his offered to let him grow them on his land because he wasn’t growing anything that summer. He even plowed it for him.
Everything went along fine until the watermelon started producing and the deer and other wild animals started tasting the delicious red melons. Hubby tried different things but nothing worked completely.
Then another friend told him about having a battery radio on at night so the animals would be afraid and he thought it was worth a try. He would leave it on as soon as it got dark.
The first two days it seemed to be working as no melons were devoured. But then it seemed they “got smart!” There were hoof prints all over the field just like on our lawn. We have never seen a deer dance but by the looks of it, that is what happened and of course, they ate a lot of melons for energy.
Scratch that for an answer! Ryan and Grandpa, however, did manage to raise some melons and took them to the Farmer’s Market to sell. They always got rid of all of them in a short time.
I do remember when the garden season arrives, John usually puts out a very rugged scarecrow. A long stick with a cape that blows in the wind. It belies the fact that it is not “superman” of Hutchinson fame. The movement of the cape, however, does slow down the deer from pigging out in the garden.
We do have another grandson that greatly enjoys hunting these animals and likes this sport. Personally, that is not my cup of tea, probably because my sister was killed by a gun and so I do not like them, but then, that’s just my thinking.
I know God must have a great reason for creating each of the animals, including the deer, so I will just leave the subject alone. And, if by chance we have another big snow in Kansas, and the deer want to come around and dance and track up our yard, I’ll be a dear and just close my eyes to the deer tracks.
(Doris welcomes your comments and can be reached at [email protected])
