Deer

Not the first visit this year but the first time with the camera to hand & able to take an acceptable shot.

This was taken from inside the house and the things in the foreground are our fence and covering for our wood pile. The deer was less than 10 yards away. It never ceases to amaze me how close they come to the house. Every year the same pattern; in spring the grass near the house seems to have an inexplicable attraction although there are other spots nearby where the grass appears to my eyes as much better. A few years ago, I was on the balcony mid morning and removed a few flowered geranium stalks and threw them over the fence - they landed on a deer.
In the summer, usually with 2 kids, a mother can regularly be seen grazing with the horses on one of the fields. So long as we just go about our "normal" business, it doesn't bother them even though we have a dog and they see him as well. Flash will defend our property from intruders especially foxes but he knows that deer are allowed. My wife somehow managed to train him to know the difference.

For us it's a wonderful thing to see and it hurts to hear the hunters guns which at the moment are silenced but from 1st May they are allowed to start shooting deer again (young animals not until September)