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Wednesday, August 3, 2011

A Doe,Two Fawns, One Old Apple Tree and a Country Porch

all photos by Jonathan Schechter (August 2, 2011)

The mostly hollow old apple tree about 15 feet from my country porch under construction has been
on a downward slide for about six years. I will never cut it for it shelters treefrogs, red squirrels, screech owls and a branch that is a perfect perch for hummingbirds.
And it still drops apples.

Most every morning I find time to sit on that porch shortly after sunrise to sip ice coffee, skim
 the newspaper and just take in the dawn of a new day. Distracting me from coffee is very hard
to do. But 'my doe,' a doe with twin fawns that I often see meandering in the lower meadow behind
the the  old barn knew it was time to bring her fawns up to the tree. I put the coffee down and
reached for  the camera.  Pure pleasure for the next 10 minutes, not so much for a grand moment
of nature, but for the knowledge that they were as aware of me as I was of them.
"Ma, that apple smells so good."

"Here you go, I'll get one for you!"


"And where is your brother?"  "I think he's eating black raspberry leaves, Ma."
"Here I am. Eating leaves like she said."
"Hey! I see you moving around. Are you getting the camera in better focus?"
"He's trying to get a picture of me by the wildflowers!"
"Let's just go back to apple munching and let him drink his coffee."
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7 comments:

  1. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 7:21 AM

    Awesome pictures!!!!!!!!

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  2. UlanawaAugust 3, 2011 at 8:09 AM

    What a precious moment in time together. I have had similar encounters with deer being content with me in their presence and it is a wonderful feeling. Beautiful pictures capturing a beautiful moment.

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  3. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 8:25 AM

    These are amazing photos! Enjoy your blog so keep on posting!

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 8:51 AM

    I love your Blog as it is a great addition to the Oakland Press which seems to be getting thinner every day. Love the photo's.

    ReplyDelete
  5. SakoietaAugust 3, 2011 at 11:35 AM

    Deer seem to know very well when we mean them no harm. I have been able at times when I was in the Adirondacks, to quietly walk and sit near a small herd of deer, only to have them come up and walk all around me within touching distance. No camera handy, just the feeling of extending thoughts of peace to these brothers of mine who were allowing me to visit as a guest in their home.

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  6. Jonathan SchechterAugust 3, 2011 at 2:32 PM

    Thank you everyone for your comments.
    And Sakoieta--I am very fond of the Adirondacks. Thanks for your observations and comments. And as Ulanawa also said --they know and they sense --and the feeling is peace.
    Way back when I was a boy scout I went to camp there during the summer, near Tupper Lake. One day I want to hike in those gentle yet powerful mountains.

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  7. AnonymousAugust 3, 2011 at 10:28 PM

    I had a similar experience in the mountains of Virginia. I was sitting motionless on a rock in the woods listening to the leaves stir when a doe walked past and looked directly at me. I continued to sit without moving. Ten minutes later she walked very close to me again, this time leading twin fawns. I really felt that she wanted to show them to me.

    Great photos!

    ReplyDelete