Where the Deer and the Antelope Roam

We were fortunate to get a little snow on Sunday.  The kids spent a couple of hours outside sledding at the neighbor's house.  Monday morning I woke and let the dog out early.  I noted tracks though our yard from the back woods going to the street which looked like dog tracks.  I felt sort of annoyed that people used the paths behind our house and then walked through our yard with their animal.  Later, I took Emmie out to run around and noticed they were two sets of deer tracks, a baby and a parent.

We love living with a natural backyard.  We know this is going to limit our landscaping, but it is fun to see all the tracks in the snow.  So far, while walking Emmie in the back woods, I have seen tracks for deer, squirrels, birds, raccoons, rabbits, mice, and some I cannot yet identify.  The kids have enjoyed tracking animals behind our house too, usually running from tree to tree.  But the deer, especially a little baby, likes our bird feeder in the backyard and visits often.

Sometimes in the middle of the cold, dark winter months, it is the little things that keep you going.  As the wickedly cold wind whipped around us at the bus stop yesterday morning, Colin looked at me and asked the age old question "Why do we live here?"  My answer was the only answer I can find for myself..."Because summer is so beautiful here."  Only 5 more months until we get to forget...