A Winter Friendship

This winter was cold, snowy, and a bit too long for my liking. Coming from Elkins, you’d think I wouldn’t be bothered by a bone-chilling wind and a pile of snow up to my knees.  Maybe I’ve grown a little wiser.  Maybe I’ve grown soft in my old age.  Either way, I’m not a big fan of winter anymore.

But I have to say there’s something positive that came out of this latest bout of winter.  My granddaughter, Melody, made a new friend.

With snow constantly on the ground, we decided to throw some deer corn into the front yard.  Soon the visitors started coming.  Every couple of days, there was a mama deer who would come with a young baby.  Together they would make their way through the snow, devouring cup-fulls of deer corn.  The mama was a little skittish, especially as we all watched through the dining room window.  But the baby was more adventurous.  Even with Melody standing in full view, the baby would come right up to the window to eat.

It was fun watching Melody’s reaction.  It’s amazing to me how babies always seem to recognize babies.  The baby deer would stop and look right into the window, eye to eye with Melody.  The look on Melody’s face was precious.  She was all smiles, her eyes twinkled and she worked very hard to suppress an excited scream.  Meanwhile, the baby deer stared intently–knowing, I suppose, that the two of them shared a bond of some kind.  Everyday Melody watched and waited, hoping to catch a glimpse of her new friend.

Even though spring has finally arrived, the visiting deer have left a lasting legacy.  Anytime Melody sees my iPhone, she immediately shouts “Deers!  Deers!”  The deer may not be feasting anymore in my yard, but I have a whole gallery of pictures to entertain my granddaughter for months and months to come!

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