Surprise Visitors on the Lane

Today I join my fellow bloggers in 

 "serving up a slice" to the Tuesday Slice of Life  

sponsored by Two Writing Teachers.

It's an overcast afternoon.  I turn right onto the lane and spy two deer standing at the entrance to our neighbor's home.  I stop the car, put it in park, turn off the engine, open the door, and grab my phone hoping to capture this moment.  By the time I complete those movements, the deer have stepped off the pavement into the forested green of our neighbor's property.  I snap several pictures, but the deer don't seem to be moving any further.  I step quietly out of the car into the beautifully wooded area on my neighbor's property.  I take many photos, but all I can see is a patch of brown.  I'm afraid that moving closer will startle mother and child.  Then I remember the zoom feature that I can access using the touch screen.  The brown blur comes into focus and four eyes are watching me.  Are they as surprised by my presence as I am by theirs?

We continue to watch each other until the mother becomes bored and wanders a few steps away.  The child is frozen in place, and the mother continues to keep a steady eye on me.  Eventually the young one moves to join the mother.  They continue to watch me as I follow them a bit.  Finally they kick their heels, flick their tails, and disappear into the woods.

I sign with satisfaction, treasuring the chat with a friend in the church parking lot and the lovely visit I made to a friend's home after church.  These moments with friends brought me home from church much later than usual to discover these Sunday afternoon visitors.  Last week I enjoyed a gorgeous sunset on a Sunday evening walk, this week deer visitors drop by, next Sunday I'll be in New York.  I wonder what I'll discover to savor and share from my daughter's home.

See that brown patch at the end of the drive?

I crop the view just for you.

"Stay very still and watch the human."

"What is that human doing?"

Mom's starting to get bored.

"Hey mom, you told me to play statues."

"Wait, I'm coming too!"

"That's right.  Always be watchful."

"Let's go this way."

"C'mon on.  Stay with me."

"That's better!"

"It's time to head back into the woods."