The Christmas Guests

It was three days after Christmas, and the cold streak continued. I can't remember as cold a snap as this in December. Pennsylvania sometimes dips into the single digits, but it doesn't usually do it as early in the winter as this, and it doesn't usually last as long as this. By golly, it's COLD!

I've spent the past few days snuggled up under a blanket with That Tabbycat and a good book. I haven't left the house at all, which is quite unusual for this usually outdoorsy gal. I haven't had to; I'm not working this week, as Penn State is on holiday break. Next week, I'll be back out in it; I have to. But right now, I'm not going!

On this afternoon, we had some pretty awesome Christmas guests. We've occasionally seen deer in our yard and woods, but only a few. On this day, a whole HERD arrive, at least 12 and possibly as many as 15 deer! They were of all shapes and sizes, including at least two bucks and a few young ones. (Don't miss the extra photo for a shot of one of the does and a younger deer.)

They hung out in the woods, then moved into Gremlin's Meadow, where they cavorted and pranced and played, their breath blowing out in big clouds. Then they moved back into our woods. The larger buck - at least an eight-pointer, possibly more, as you can see above - stopped to dig around on the ground and eat some leaves; then settled down, with a sigh, as though he meant to stay forever.

"I only wish there were something more for them," I said, as I watched them eating leaves. My husband began dicing up apples to provide them as an offering. But when he took them out, the deer scattered. The show was over!

The next morning, my husband checked the spot where the apples had been, and the tracks in the snow told the tale. Every day, he provides carrot slices for the rabbit in the front yard, and he had placed the apples for the deer in the backyard. The apples - well over a hundred feet away from the front yard rabbit feeding station - were gone, and there were fresh rabbit tracks all around!

In childhood, my husband had a friend that he and others called "Tidbits." Tidbits earned his nickname by eating all his own snacks first, then he begged for everybody else's snacks too. We've only ever seen the bunny as a blur in the front yard ("Is that a low-flying bird, or a high-flying bunny?"), but now at least we know the name of the rabbit who ate not only all of its OWN snacks, but all of the apples for the deer! Hello, Tidbits!

The song to accompany this posting is a personal favorite. It's from Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Be Our Guest.