Melting

 

What a difference a week makes. If you’d told me during last week’s snowstorm that winter was about to fold up and go away, I wouldn’t have believed it. But that zero weather and fluffy mid-winter powder that gave no hint spring was about to take over, is going, going, gone. I can see down to the last layer of ice in my driveway.

The chickens gave me two eggs yesterday, a sure sign they are waking up from their winter egg break. I am ridiculously excited to have their fresh eggs again. Store-bought eggs, even organic, free-range eggs can’t compete with eggs laid the day before from truly free-range chickens.

This morning I was alerted to Something by the sound of Baby Dog’s insistent barks. I was outside on the front deck, and she was inside barking at something outside. I followed where she was looking and saw seven deer, tiptoeing through the snow just above the cabin. About 50 feet away, they were walking in single file, a doe followed by a summer fawn, another doe with two summer fawns, trailed by another doe and fawn. The deer were heading higher up the mountain, likely heading out onto the abandoned ski slope in search of an open spot where they could graze.

It’s a rare day when I don’t see at least a few of this little troop. They bed down in the tangle near a small stream just below the cabin that provides cover and water, though little to eat. Often, in the mornings, I find they have been eating one of my juniper bushes overnight, as I find tiny needles strewn atop the snow that’s also marked by their hooves.

The deer paid no attention to me as they passed, not even bothering to glance my way or flick their tails. They are as used to me as I to them. And I’m sure they know Baby Dog is inside and can’t disturb them, too.